\u003C/a>\n\nNow watch closely as I read your mind.\n\n\u003Ch2>I don't get it! What's the difference between Programmers and Stack Overflow?\u003C/h2>\n\nI'm so glad you asked!\n\nIn a nutshell, \u003Cstrong>Stack Overflow is for when you're front of your compiler or editor\u003C/strong> working through code issues. \u003Cstrong>Programmers is for when you're in front of a whiteboard\u003C/strong> working through higher level conceptual programming issues. \u003Cem>Hence the (awesome) whiteboard inspired design!\u003C/em>\n\nStated another way, Stack Overflow questions almost all have \u003Cstrong>actual source code in the questions or answers\u003C/strong>. It's much rarer (though certainly OK) for a Programmers question to contain source code.\n\n\u003Cimg src=\"http://stackoverflow.blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/whiteboard-code.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\n\nRemember, these are just guidelines, not hard and fast arbitrary rules; refer to the \u003Ca href=\"http://programmers.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic\">first few paragraphs of the FAQ\u003C/a> if you want specifics about what Programmers is for:\n\n\u003Cblockquote>Programmers - Stack Exchange is for expert programmers who are interested in subjective discussions on software development.\n\nThis can include topics such as:\n\u003Cul>\n \u003Cli>Software engineering\u003C/li>\n \u003Cli>Developer testing\u003C/li>\n \u003Cli>Algorithm and data structure concepts\u003C/li>\n \u003Cli>Design patterns\u003C/li>\n \u003Cli>Architecture\u003C/li>\n \u003Cli>Development methodologies\u003C/li>\n \u003Cli>Quality assurance\u003C/li>\n \u003Cli>Software law\u003C/li>\n \u003Cli>Freelancing and business concerns\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\u003C/blockquote>\n\n\u003Cem>Editorial note: the FAQ guidance has changed significantly over the years to better reflect the sorts of conceptual questions that actually \u003Cstrong>work\u003C/strong> - please refer to \u003Ca href=\"http://programmers.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic\">the latest version in the help center\u003C/a> before asking.\u003C/em>\n\nAlthough I fully supported this site when it was just \u003Ca href=\"http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/3352/not-programming-related\">a baby Area 51 site proposal\u003C/a>, we've endured a lot of angst over it -- mainly because \u003Cstrong>it veered so heavily into the realm of the subjective\u003C/strong>. It forced us to think deeply about what makes a \u003Cem>useful\u003C/em> subjective question, which we formalized into a set of 6 guidelines in \u003Ca href=\"http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2010/09/good-subjective-bad-subjective/\">Good Subjective, Bad Subjective\u003C/a>. Constructive subjective questions …\n\n\u003Col>\n \u003Cli>inspire answers that explain “why” and “how”.\u003C/li>\n \u003Cli>tend to have long, not short, answers.\u003C/li>\n \u003Cli>have a constructive, fair, and impartial tone.\u003C/li>\n \u003Cli>invite sharing experiences over opinions.\u003C/li>\n \u003Cli>insist that opinion be backed up with facts and references.\u003C/li>\n \u003Cli>are more than just mindless social fun.\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ol>\n\nUltimately, with a little extra discipline and moderation, I think the site turned out great. So, go forth and ask your \u003Cstrong>high level, conceptual, software development questions\u003C/strong> on \u003Ca href=\"http://programmers.stackexchange.com\">programmers.stackexchange.com\u003C/a>! Just make sure they're \u003Ca href=\"http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2010/09/good-subjective-bad-subjective\">professional and constructive\u003C/a>, please - refer to \u003Ca href=\"http://programmers.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic\">help center\u003C/a> for more guidance there.\n\nLooking to take your whiteboard work to the next step? Check out the new job listings as \u003Ca href=\"https://stackoverflow.com/jobs/lead-developer-jobs?utm_source=so-owned&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=dev-c4al&utm_content=c4al-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lead developer\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"https://stackoverflow.com/jobs/quality-assurance-developer-jobs?utm_source=so-owned&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=dev-c4al&utm_content=c4al-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">QA tester\u003C/a> and more on Stack Overflow Jobs.","html","2010-12-17T12:00:00.000Z",{"current":457},"introducing-programmers-stackexchange-com",[459,467,472],{"_createdAt":460,"_id":461,"_rev":462,"_type":463,"_updatedAt":460,"slug":464,"title":466},"2023-05-23T16:43:21Z","wp-tagcat-community","9HpbCsT2tq0xwozQfkc4ih","blogTag",{"current":465},"community","Community",{"_createdAt":460,"_id":468,"_rev":462,"_type":463,"_updatedAt":460,"slug":469,"title":471},"wp-tagcat-company",{"current":470},"company","Company",{"_createdAt":460,"_id":473,"_rev":462,"_type":463,"_updatedAt":460,"slug":474,"title":476},"wp-tagcat-stackexchange",{"current":475},"stackexchange","Stackexchange","Introducing programmers.stackexchange.com",[479,485,490,495],{"_id":480,"publishedAt":481,"slug":482,"sponsored":12,"title":484},"1d082483-6dc6-424b-8b09-9c84b54779da","2025-09-02T17:00:00.000Z",{"_type":10,"current":483},"back-to-school-developers-at-stack-overflow-have-some-advice-for-you","Back to school? Developers at Stack Overflow have some advice for you",{"_id":486,"publishedAt":481,"slug":487,"sponsored":12,"title":489},"5cd91820-9515-4be5-87ae-e919fd443c18",{"_type":10,"current":488},"getting-started-on-stack-overflow-a-step-by-step-guide-for-students","Getting started on Stack Overflow: a step-by-step guide for students",{"_id":491,"publishedAt":481,"slug":492,"sponsored":12,"title":494},"614538a9-c352-4024-adf1-fa44a9f911b6",{"_type":10,"current":493},"stack-overflow-is-helping-you-learn-to-code-with-new-resources","Stack Overflow is helping you learn to code with new resources",{"_id":496,"publishedAt":481,"slug":497,"sponsored":12,"title":499},"763b1d36-83d8-4178-9c2d-32d705ea1d7b",{"_type":10,"current":498},"introducing-your-newest-study-buddy-stackoverflow-ai","Introducing your newest study buddy: stackoverflow.ai",{"count":197,"lastTimestamp":501},"2023-05-25T09:45:54Z",["Reactive",503],{"$sarticleModal":504},false,["Set"],["ShallowReactive",507],{"sanity-n2vly1bMHDCss_PV3x70J3m7dA34Wu1R3TQ1shdjO0Q":-1,"sanity-comment-wp-post-4057-1756855142455":-1},"/2010/12/17/introducing-programmers-stackexchange-com"]