Stack Exchange#Site features

File:SuperUser2.png

In 2008, Jeff Atwood and Joel Spolsky created Stack Overflow, a question-and-answer website for computer programming questions, which they described as an alternative to the programmer forum Experts-Exchange. In 2009, they started additional sites based on the Stack Overflow model: Server Fault for questions related to system administration and Super User for questions from computer power users.{{cite web|url=http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/20/super-user-question-and-answer-site-for-power-users|title=Super User – question and answer site for power users|date=August 20, 2009|publisher=AOL|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715143437/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/20/super-user-question-and-answer-site-for-power-users|archive-date=July 15, 2014|url-status=dead|last1=Clarke|first1=Jason|work=DownloadSquad|access-date=April 1, 2017}}

In September 2009, Spolsky's company, Fog Creek Software, released a beta version of the Stack Exchange 1.0 platform{{cite web |url= https://www.zdnet.com/article/find-the-answer-to-anything-with-stackexchange/ |title= Find the Answer to Anything with StackExchange |last= Mager |first= Andrew |date= September 27, 2009 |work= The Web Life |publisher= ZDNet |access-date= December 16, 2012 |archive-date= January 7, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140107211024/http://www.zdnet.com/blog/weblife/find-the-answer-to-anything-with-stackexchange/889 |url-status= live }} as a way for third parties to create their own communities based on the software behind Stack Overflow, with monthly fees.{{cite web|url=http://readwrite.com/2009/10/12/stackoverflow-shares-its-mojo/|title=StackOverflow Shares its Mojo: White Label Q&A for All|date=October 12, 2009|access-date=April 1, 2017|work=ReadWriteWeb|last1=Oshiro|first1=Dana|archive-date=April 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402165631/http://readwrite.com/2009/10/12/stackoverflow-shares-its-mojo/|url-status=live}} This white label service was not successful, with few customers and slow growing communities.{{cite web |url= http://readwrite.com/2010/05/04/stackoverflow_business_funding |title= All-Star Team Backs StackOverflow to Go Beyond Programming Questions |last= Kirkpatrick |first= Marshall |date= May 4, 2010 |publisher= ReadWriteWeb |access-date= December 16, 2012 |archive-date= December 5, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201205145702/https://readwrite.com/2010/05/04/stackoverflow_business_funding/ |url-status= live }}

In May 2010, Stack Overflow (as its own new company) raised US$6 million in venture capital from Union Square Ventures and other investors, and it switched its focus to developing new sites for answering questions on specific subjects, Stack Exchange 2.0. Users vote on new site topics in a staging area called Area 51, where algorithms determine which suggested site topics have critical mass and should be created.{{cite web |url= http://readwrite.com/2010/07/08/with_debut_of_web_apps_qa_site_stack_exchange_perfects_automated_site_launch_process |title= With Debut of Web Apps Q&A Site, Stack Exchange Perfects Automated Site Launch Process |last1= Perez |first1= Sarah |date= July 8, 2010 |publisher= ReadWriteWeb |access-date= December 16, 2012 |archive-date= April 5, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140405013843/http://readwrite.com/2010/07/08/with_debut_of_web_apps_qa_site_stack_exchange_perfects_automated_site_launch_process |url-status= live }} In November 2010, Stack Exchange site topics in "beta testing" included physics, mathematics, and writing.{{cite web |url= https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2010/11/stack-overflows-crowdsourcing-model-guarantees-success/66713/ |title= Stack Overflow's Crowdsourcing Model Guarantees Success |last1= Keller |first1= Jared |date= November 18, 2010 |publisher= The Atlantic |access-date= December 16, 2012 |archive-date= November 23, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101123061123/http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2010/11/stack-overflows-crowdsourcing-model-guarantees-success/66713/ |url-status= live }} Stack Exchange publicly launched in January 2011 with 33 Web sites; it had 27 employees{{cite web |url= http://betabeat.com/2011/01/forget-quora-new-yorks-stack-overflow-is-killing-it/ |title= Forget Quora, New York's Stack Overflow Is Killing It |last1= Jeffries |first1= Adrienne |date= January 25, 2011 |publisher= BetaBeat |access-date= December 30, 2012 |archive-date= November 7, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141107231653/http://betabeat.com/2011/01/forget-quora-new-yorks-stack-overflow-is-killing-it/ |url-status= live }} and 1.5 million users at the time, and it included advertising.{{cite web |url= http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-01-24-qandasites24_ST_N.htm |title= Q&A websites like Quora and Stack Exchange take off |last1= Swartz |first1= Jon |date= January 24, 2011 |publisher= USA Today |access-date= December 16, 2012 |archive-date= November 27, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141127134719/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-01-24-qandasites24_ST_N.htm |url-status= live }} At that time, it was compared to Quora, founded in 2009, which similarly specializes in expert answers. Other competing sites include WikiAnswers and Yahoo! Answers.{{cite news |title= The Answers Are Out There, and New Q. and A. Sites Dig Them Up |author= Jenna Wortham |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/07/technology/07question.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 |newspaper= New York Times |date= February 6, 2011 |access-date= December 31, 2012 |archive-date= August 16, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180816194343/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/07/technology/07question.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 |url-status= live }}

In February 2011, Stack Overflow released an associated job board called Careers 2.0, charging fees to recruiters for access, which later re-branded to Stack Overflow Careers.{{cite web |url= http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-20035160-250.html |title= Stack Exchange launches programmer recruiting site |last1= Needleman |first1= Rafe |date= February 23, 2011 |publisher= CNet |access-date= December 16, 2012 |archive-date= March 30, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130330094229/http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-20035160-250.html |url-status= dead }} In March 2011, Stack Overflow raised US$12 million in additional venture funding, and the company renamed itself to Stack Exchange, Inc.{{cite web |url= https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS79274282920110309 |title= Q&A startup Stack Overflow gets new name, more funding |last1= Ha |first1= Anthony |date= March 9, 2011 |work= VentureBeat |publisher= Reuters |access-date= December 16, 2012 |archive-date= March 7, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160307053436/http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS79274282920110309 |url-status= live }} It is based in Manhattan.{{cite web |url= http://gigaom.com/2011/02/16/stack-overflow-rides-experts-and-order-to-qa-success/ |title= Stack Overflow Rides Experts & Order to Q&A Success |last1= Kim |first1= Ryan |work= Gigaom |date= February 16, 2011 |access-date= December 30, 2012 |archive-date= January 11, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130111225049/http://gigaom.com/2011/02/16/stack-overflow-rides-experts-and-order-to-qa-success/ |url-status= dead }} In February 2012, Atwood left the company.{{cite magazine |url= https://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/07/stackoverflow-jeff-atwood/ |title= Stack Overflow Man Remakes Net One Answer at a Time |last1= Finley |first1= Klint |date= July 5, 2012 |magazine= Enterprise |publisher= Wired |access-date=December 16, 2012}}

On April 18, 2013 CipherCloud issued Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notices in an attempt to block discussion of possible weaknesses of their encryption algorithm.{{cite web |title=CipherCloud used DMCA Takedown on StackExchange discussion of the cryptography |url=https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5579538 |access-date=June 16, 2013 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304091853/https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5579538 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=CipherCloud Invokes DMCA To Block Discussions of Its Crypto System |date=April 21, 2013 |url=http://it.slashdot.org/story/13/04/21/1721236/ciphercloud-invokes-dmca-to-block-discussions-of-its-crypto-system |access-date=June 16, 2013 |archive-date=January 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112220225/http://it.slashdot.org/story/13/04/21/1721236/ciphercloud-invokes-dmca-to-block-discussions-of-its-crypto-system |url-status=live }} The Stack Exchange Crypto group discussion on the algorithm was censored, but it was later restored without pictures.{{cite web|title=How is CipherCloud doing homomorphic encryption|url=https://crypto.stackexchange.com/q/3645 }}

{{As of|2015|09}}, "Stack Exchange" no longer refers to the company, only the network of question-and-answer websites. Instead, the company is now referred to as Stack Overflow.{{Cite web|url=https://stackoverflow.blog/2015/09/15/were-changing-our-name-back-to-stack-overflow/|title=We're Changing Our Name (Back) to Stack Overflow|last=Hanlon|first=Jay|date=September 15, 2015|website=Stack Overflow Blog|access-date=April 1, 2017|archive-date=April 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402083551/https://stackoverflow.blog/2015/09/15/were-changing-our-name-back-to-stack-overflow/|url-status=live}}

In 2016, Stack Exchange added a variety of new sites which pushed the boundaries of the typical question-and-answer site.{{Cite web|url=https://stackoverflow.blog/2017/01/26/year-in-review-2016/|title=Stack Exchange Year in Review 2016|last=Ericson|first=Jon|date=January 26, 2017|website=Stack Overflow Blog|access-date=April 1, 2017|archive-date=April 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402083547/https://stackoverflow.blog/2017/01/26/year-in-review-2016/|url-status=live}} For example, Puzzling offers a platform for users who already know the answer to questions to challenge their peers to solve the problems unlike traditional Q–A sites where the poster does not know the answer.

{{User-generated|section|date=March 2022}}

In 2016, Stack Exchange announced the second iteration of the Stack Exchange Quality Project, in which they attempt to implement specific important features requested by the community to meet a distinct high-priority set of goals. After users enthusiastically responded with feature ideas, they complained that there was insufficient action on the company's part.{{cite web |title=Answer by user jscs to We need to stop hoping for change in, or help from, SO Inc|url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/a/342510|access-date=March 5, 2020}}

In October 2018, the company removed its Interpersonal Skills site from the Hot Network Questions list after a complaint on Twitter, and an employee (who was part of the SRE team, which was not community-facing) posted tweets attacking moderators.{{cite web |title=Revisiting the "Hot Network Questions" feature, what are our shared goals for having it?|url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/316934 |access-date=March 5, 2020}}

{{Primary sources section|date=October 2024}}

To start, in June 2019, more advertisements were added causing a large dispute.{{Cite web |title=We're testing advertisements across the network |url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/329763/were-testing-advertisements-across-the-network |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=Meta Stack Exchange |language=en}} On September 27, 2019, a moderator of multiple Stack Exchange sites, specifically Monica Cellio, was dismissed from her moderator position, allegedly connected to behavior associated with upcoming changes to the Code of Conduct (CoC) relating to gender pronouns.{{Cite web|url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/333965/firing-mods-and-forced-relicensing-is-stack-exchange-still-interested-in-cooper|title=Firing Mods and Forced Relicensing: Is Stack Exchange Still Interested in Cooperating with the Community?|date=2019-09-29|website=Meta Stack Exchange|access-date=2019-10-28|archive-date=October 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029044621/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/333965/firing-mods-and-forced-relicensing-is-stack-exchange-still-interested-in-cooper|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://judaism.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/5193/stack-overflow-inc-sinat-chinam-and-the-goat-for-azazel|title=Stack Overflow Inc., sinat chinam, and the goat for Azazel|date=2019-09-29|website=Mi Yodeya Meta Stack Exchange|access-date=2019-10-28|archive-date=October 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029044815/https://judaism.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/5193/stack-overflow-inc-sinat-chinam-and-the-goat-for-azazel|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=The Mod Firing Squad: Stack Exchange Embroiled in 'He Said, She Said, They Said' Row|website=The Register|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/10/01/stack_exchange_controversy/|date=October 1, 2019|access-date=October 19, 2019|archive-date=October 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019163735/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/10/01/stack_exchange_controversy/|url-status=live}} Many other moderators resigned or suspended their moderator activity in response to the dismissal. The company responded with two very poorly received messages which have since been deleted,{{Cite web |url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/334248/an-update-to-our-community-and-an-apology |title=An Update to our Community and an Apology |access-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191006190203/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/334248/an-update-to-our-community-and-an-apology |archive-date=October 6, 2019 |url-status=dead }} and by a slightly less negatively-received apology several days later.{{Cite web |url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/334551/an-apology-to-our-community-and-next-steps |title=An apology to our community, and next steps |access-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019143317/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/334551/an-apology-to-our-community-and-next-steps |url-status=live }} In December 2019, the company posted a message, stating that they and the moderator had come to an agreement and expressing regret for any damage to her reputation.[https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/340906/393688 Update: an agreement with Monica Cellio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221125230214/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/340906/update-an-agreement-with-monica-cellio |date=November 25, 2022 }}. Meta Stack Exchange. Retrieved 2020-01-03.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/01/02/stack_overflow_settles/|title=Stack Overflow makes peace with ousted moderator, wants to start New Year with 2020 vision on codes of conduct|last=at 22:16|first=Thomas Claburn in San Francisco Jan 2, 2020|website=TheRegister.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2020-01-22|archive-date=January 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124002144/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/01/02/stack_overflow_settles/|url-status=live}} Nevertheless, this, plus the sudden departure of multiple community managers (Stack Exchange employees who interact with the community), led to an erosion of trust between the community and the company—convincing many of the site's most prolific users, including many community-elected moderators and a community manager, to depart within the next few months.{{Cite web|url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/342039/firing-community-managers-stack-exchange-is-not-interested-in-cooperating-with|title=Firing Community Managers: Stack Exchange is not interested in cooperating with the community, is it?|website=Meta Stack Exchange|access-date=2020-01-22|archive-date=January 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122211603/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/342039/firing-community-managers-stack-exchange-is-not-interested-in-cooperating-with|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/333965/firing-mods-and-forced-relicensing-is-stack-exchange-still-interested-in-cooper |title=Firing mods and forced relicensing: is Stack Exchange still interested in cooperating with the community? |website=Meta Stack Exchange |access-date=2020-01-22 |archive-date=October 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029044621/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/333965/firing-mods-and-forced-relicensing-is-stack-exchange-still-interested-in-cooper |url-status=live }}

On September 2, 2019, the terms of service (and the footer of every page served) changed to referencing the "Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike" (CC BY-SA) license's 4.0 version instead of its 3.0 version. Users were puzzled as to how Stack Overflow acquired the rights for this relicensing of their past contributions,{{cite web |title=Was the retroactive change to CC BY-SA 4.0 approved by Stack Exchange's lawyers? |url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/333678 |access-date=February 2, 2020}} with some users explicitly stating that they did not intend their contributions to be licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.{{cite web |last1=Owens |first1=Thomas |title='I do not grant anyone the right to change the license of my contributions' |url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/a/333125}}{{cite web |last1=andreymal |title=Review on 'Stack Exchange Data Dump' |url=https://archive.org/details/stackexchange#reviews |website=Internet Archive}} Users were concerned that, if the relicensing was found to be a breach of CC BY-SA 3.0, Stack Exchange would have made itself unable to distribute the content under any CC BY-SA license (and that the footer's license statement could be erroneous), and would have to rely on its "perpetual and irrevocable right and license to use, copy, cache, publish, display, distribute, modify, create derivative works and store" the content instead.{{cite web |title=Discussion on 'Stack Exchange and Stack Overflow have moved to CC BY-SA 4.0' |url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/a/333194 |access-date=December 14, 2021}} On September 27, an official Stack Exchange reply stated it had been an "important step", but declined to discuss with the community the legal basis for the relicensing.{{cite web |title=Stack Overflow is "unable to pursue dialogues" |url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/a/333912 |access-date=February 2, 2020}}

In March 2020, a post announced that content contributed before May 2, 2018 was available under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license. In the ensuing discussion, several users asked about the similar situation in August 2010, when Stack Exchange switched from accepting CC BY-SA 2.5 contributions to 3.0. A representative of the corporation noted "we are looking [...] to show v2.5 for posts predating this change but cannot commit to it yet". Some users were unconvinced that the September 2019 announcement was not a breach of CC BY-SA 3.0 that would have caused its termination, and some answers were not placated by the dateline chosen.{{cite web |title="Under CC BY-SA 3.0, any violations terminate (sic) your CC license" |url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/a/344546 |access-date=March 8, 2020}} In the ensuing discussion, Stack Overflow staff declined to comment.{{cite web |author1=Yaakov Ellis |title='Stack Overflow staff' declines to comment on licensing situation |url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/344491/an-update-on-creative-commons-licensing#comment1154435_344546 |access-date=14 December 2021 |archive-date=December 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214222555/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/344491/an-update-on-creative-commons-licensing#comment1154435_344546 |url-status=live }}

In mid-2023, Stack Exchange made several changes regarding its policies around content generated by artificial intelligence which resulted in a strike of a portion of its volunteer moderators. The protest centered around a policy posted to moderators on May 29 stating that the use of AI-detection tools were not permitted to be used as part of moderation. In a statement, Stack Exchange confirmed that 11% of moderators had ceased content moderation in response to this policy.{{cite web | last=Anderson | first=Tim | title=Stack Overflow volunteer moderators down tools over secret new policy that obstructs removal of AI-generated content • DEVCLASS | website=DEVCLASS | date=5 June 2023 | url=https://devclass.com/2023/06/05/stack-overflow-volunteer-moderators-down-tools-over-secret-new-policy-that-obstructs-removal-of-ai-generated-content/ | access-date=23 February 2024}} This would grow to more than 23% of all moderators on the network by June 22, including more than 70% of all Stack Overflow moderators.{{Cite web |title=Dear Stack Overflow, Inc. |url=https://openletter.mousetail.nl/#signatures |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=openletter.mousetail.nl}}

The strike began with a post to Meta Stack Exchange, which raised concerns regarding the quality and accuracy of AI-generated content, and the lack of transparency from Stack Exchange surrounding this policy change.{{cite web | title=Moderation Strike: Stack Overflow, Inc. cannot consistently ignore, mistreat, and malign its volunteers | website=Meta Stack Exchange | date=2 August 2023 | url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/389811/moderation-strike-stack-overflow-inc-cannot-consistently-ignore-mistreat-an | access-date=23 February 2024}} Moderators also stated that the version of the policy released to the public differed from the version they had received on the moderator-only forum, notably in that the public version did not include language requiring that moderators stop restricting all AI content.{{cite web | last=Roscoe | first=Jules | title=Stack Overflow Moderators Are Striking to Stop Garbage AI Content From Flooding the Site | website=VICE | date=5 June 2023 | url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/stack-overflow-moderators-are-striking-to-stop-garbage-ai-content-from-flooding-the-site/ | access-date=23 February 2024}}

Negotiations between Stack Exchange and moderators resulted in new policies allowing moderators to remove AI content when there is a strong indicator of GPT usage, and a commitment from the site to continue to provide data and API access. At the conclusion of negotiations, the strike ended on August 2, 2023.{{cite web | last=Anderson | first=Tim | title=Stack Overflow: how much is traffic dropping, and how the moderator "strike" was resolved • DEVCLASS | website=DEVCLASS | date=24 August 2023 | url=https://devclass.com/2023/08/24/stack-overflow-how-much-is-traffic-dropping-and-how-the-moderator-strike-was-resolved/ | access-date=23 February 2024}}

The primary purpose of each Stack Exchange site is to enable users to post questions and answer them. Users can vote on both answers and questions, and through this process users earn reputation points, a form of gamification.{{cite web | url = https://stackoverflow.com/faq#reputation | work = Stack Overflow | title = FAQ: What is Reputation? | access-date = January 19, 2010 | archive-date = January 2, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100102012906/http://stackoverflow.com/faq#reputation | url-status = live }} This voting system was compared to Digg when the Stack Exchange platform was first released. Users receive privileges by collecting reputation points, ranging from the ability to vote and comment on questions and answers to the ability to moderate many aspects of the site. Due to the prominence of Stack Exchange profiles in web search results and the Stack Overflow Careers job board, users may have reason to game the system. Along with posting questions and answers, users can add comments to them and edit text written by others.{{cite web |url= https://venturebeat.com/2010/05/04/stack-overflow-funding/ |title= Stack Overflow raises $6M to take its Q&A model beyond programming |last1= Ha |first1= Anthony |date= May 4, 2010 |work= Deals |publisher= VentureBeat |access-date= December 31, 2012 |archive-date= April 21, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160421001812/http://venturebeat.com/2010/05/04/stack-overflow-funding/ |url-status= live }} Each Stack Exchange site has a "meta" section where users can settle disputes, in the style of MetaFilter's "MetaTalk" forum, because the self-moderation system for questions and answers can lead to significant arguments.{{cite web |url= http://betabeat.com/2011/12/conquering-the-chaos-of-online-community-at-stack-exchange/ |title= Conquering the CHAOS of Online Community at Stack Exchange |last= Popper |first= Ben |date= December 7, 2011 |publisher= BetaBeat |access-date= December 16, 2012 |archive-date= December 16, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121216063608/http://betabeat.com/2011/12/conquering-the-chaos-of-online-community-at-stack-exchange/ |url-status= live }}

Badges are awarded for asking and answering, participating in meta, and for moderating the site. There are bronze, silver and gold badges and appear on users' profile pages as well as their posts.{{Cite web|title=Badges|url=https://stackoverflow.com/help/badges|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Stack Overflow|archive-date=July 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705033214/https://stackoverflow.com/help/badges|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=FAQ for Stack Exchange sites|url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/7931/faq-for-stack-exchange-sites|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Meta Stack Exchange|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183550/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/7931/faq-for-stack-exchange-sites|url-status=live}}

Moderators are responsible for managing the site, such as by following up on flagged posts, locking and protecting posts, suspending users, and deleting the worst posts (including misinformation) on the site. According to the Stack Exchange philosophy, they should be minimally involved in the site. They are also expected to lead by example, as well as to show respect to other users.{{Cite web|title=Who are the site moderators, and what is their role here? - Help Center|url=https://stackoverflow.com/help/site-moderators|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Stack Overflow|archive-date=July 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705033200/https://stackoverflow.com/help/site-moderators|url-status=live}}

To become a moderator, users have to participate in an election. Elections are called as needed by the Stack Exchange Community Team for a designated number of seats. Users must first nominate themselves and have at least 300 reputation (3,000 on Stack Overflow and 1,000 on Math Stack Exchange), while also being in good standing, such as not having been suspended during the past year. Aside from introducing themselves and explaining why they would be a good moderator, users must also answer questions written by the community. Nominations can be withdrawn at any time.{{Cite web|title=There's an election going on. What's happening and how does it work?|url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/135360/theres-an-election-going-on-whats-happening-and-how-does-it-work|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Meta Stack Exchange|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184556/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/135360/theres-an-election-going-on-whats-happening-and-how-does-it-work|url-status=live}}

After this, users vote on the candidates in a primary, where the vote tally is made public. The top 10 nominees advance to the election stage, where any user with at least 150 reputation is allowed to vote. A ranked-choice voting system is used where users can rank all the candidates if they wish. Votes are tallied using the Meek STV method (single transferable vote) which allows fractional parts of a vote to be counted.{{Cite web|title=Could we please clarify just the Primary phase of the election?|url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/221668/could-we-please-clarify-just-the-primary-phase-of-the-election|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Meta Stack Exchange|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183134/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/221668/could-we-please-clarify-just-the-primary-phase-of-the-election|url-status=live}}

Stack Exchange allows users to donate some of their reputation to help questions receive answers or better answers, as well as to incentivize users to answer. This is called a 'bounty' and can be applied on questions 48 hours after being asked, lasting for 7 days plus a grace period of 24 hours. The minimum bounty is set at 50 reputation, except if the user has already answered the question or has offered a previous bounty on the question. Bounties cannot be cancelled, and reputation cannot be refunded from a bounty, even if the question did not receive an answer.{{Cite web|last=Co-Founder|first=Jeff Atwood|date=2010-06-19|title=Improvements to Bounty System|url=https://stackoverflow.blog/2010/06/19/improvements-to-bounty-system/|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Stack Overflow Blog|language=en-US|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709190333/https://stackoverflow.blog/2010/06/19/improvements-to-bounty-system/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=How does the bounty system work?|url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/16065/how-does-the-bounty-system-work|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Meta Stack Exchange|archive-date=July 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210704165254/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/16065/how-does-the-bounty-system-work|url-status=live}}

Stack Exchange uses IIS, SQL Server, and the ASP.NET framework, all from a single code base for every Stack Exchange site (except Area 51, which runs off a fork of the Stack Overflow code base).{{cite web |title=Does StackExchange 2.0 Share the Same CodeBase with SO? |url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/55725/does-stackexchange-2-0-share-the-same-codebase-with-so/56213 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402081535/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/55725/does-stackexchange-2-0-share-the-same-codebase-with-so/56213 |archive-date=April 2, 2017 |access-date=April 1, 2017 |website=Stack Meta}} Blogs formerly used WordPress, but they have been discontinued.{{cite web|url=http://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/291741/we-will-no-longer-be-hosting-blog-overflow|title=We will no longer be hosting Blog Overflow|author=Grace Note|date=March 1, 2017|access-date=March 3, 2017|archive-date=March 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304041117/http://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/291741/we-will-no-longer-be-hosting-blog-overflow|url-status=live}} The team also uses Redis, HAProxy and Elasticsearch.{{cite web|url=http://nickcraver.com/blog/2013/11/22/what-it-takes-to-run-stack-overflow/|title=What it takes to run Stack Overflow|last1=Craver|first1=Nick|date=November 22, 2013|access-date=October 2, 2014|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111194648/http://nickcraver.com/blog/2013/11/22/what-it-takes-to-run-stack-overflow/|url-status=live}}

Stack Exchange tries to stay up to date with the newest technologies from Microsoft, usually using the latest releases of any given framework. The code is primarily written in C# ASP.NET MVC using the Razor View Engine. The preferred IDE is Visual Studio and the data layers uses Dapper for data access.{{cite web|title=Stack Meta|url=http://meta.stackoverflow.com/a/10370/188517|publisher=Stack Meta}}

The site makes use of URL slugs in addition to numeric identifiers for question URLs.

Every new site created in the Stack Exchange Network goes through a detailed review process on a site called Area 51, that is consisting of four steps:{{cite journal|last=Sewak|first=M.|title=Finding a Growth Business Model at Stack Overflow, Inc.|journal=Stanford CasePublisher|date=May 18, 2010|volume=Rev. July 20, 2010|issue=2010–204–1|url=http://www.stanford.edu/class/ee204/Publications/Finding%20a%20Growth%20Business%20Model%20at%20Stack%20Overflow.pdf|access-date=May 23, 2014|page=31|publisher=Stanford University School of Engineering|id=204-2010-1|display-authors=etal|archive-date=August 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813013908/http://www.stanford.edu/class/ee204/Publications/Finding%20a%20Growth%20Business%20Model%20at%20Stack%20Overflow.pdf|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Changes to Stack Exchange – Stack Overflow Blog|date=April 13, 2010|url=https://blog.stackoverflow.com/2010/04/changes-to-stack-exchange/#the-new-stack-exchange-site-creation-process|access-date=January 19, 2016|archive-date=January 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126222019/https://blog.stackoverflow.com/2010/04/changes-to-stack-exchange/#the-new-stack-exchange-site-creation-process|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=All Proposals - Area 51 - Stack Exchange |url=https://area51.stackexchange.com/ |access-date=2023-07-28 |website=area51.stackexchange.com}}

• Definition: A public proposal must be drafted and posted so that any member of the community can discuss the proposal and vote on it. This allows a collaborative proposal to emerge over time. The proposal must address these four key issues
• # the topic of the site
• # the targeted audience
• # forty exemplary questions, upvoted at least 10 times from the community
• # 60 followers from the community
• Commitment: First, 200 users interested in the new site are asked to formally commit and support the site by actively participating and contributing to it by asking or answering 10 questions during the [https://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/FIRDR FIRDR] six months of the public beta. Second, 100 users interested in the new site that have committed with over 200 reputation on another site on the network. Finally, it requires a commitment score of 500, which uses the following formula:{{Cite web |title=Area 51 Commit Percent |url=https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/53650/area-51-commit-percent/53733#53733 |access-date=2023-07-28 |website=Meta Stack Exchange |language=en}}
• # PrelimScore = SUM(Reputation >= 200 ? 0.233 * ln(Reputation-101) - 0.75 : 0) + 1.5
• # UserScore = PrelimScore * 0.9 ^ (DAYS / 180)
• Beta: A live test version of this site is tested out, in two steps.

1. Private Beta:If the concept receives 100% commitment (reaches the requirements listed above), the site enters the private beta phase, where committed members begin actively using the site and publicizing it. It must remain for at least 35 days (or 5 weeks).
2. Public Beta: The site is open to the public for a long period. This allows the creators to ensure that the site reaches critical mass before it is fully launched. It much remain for at least 180 days (or 6 months) of public beta, and 215 total days of beta (31 weeks).

• Graduation: If the site has at least 1000 open questions, and 70% of questions or more have at least 1 upvoted answer, it is granted a "graduation" and fully launched.{{Cite web |title=FAQ - Area 51 - Stack Exchange |url=https://area51.stackexchange.com/faq |access-date=2023-07-28 |website=area51.stackexchange.com}}

• Gerard 't Hooft{{cite web |url=https://physics.stackexchange.com/users/11205/g-t-hooft |title=Gerard 't Hooft |website=physics.stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725220837/https://physics.stackexchange.com/users/11205/g-t-hooft |url-status=live }}

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• Peter Scholze{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/2944063/peter-scholze |title=Peter Scholze |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 26, 2020 |archive-date=July 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726211758/https://stackexchange.com/users/2944063/peter-scholze |url-status=live }} (2018)
• Martin Hairer{{cite web |url=https://mathoverflow.net/users/38566/martin-hairer |title=Martin Hairer |website=mathoverflow.net |access-date=July 26, 2020 |archive-date=July 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726211455/https://mathoverflow.net/users/38566/martin-hairer |url-status=live }} (2014)
• Terence Tao{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/2940801/terry-tao |title=Terence Tao |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726005740/https://stackexchange.com/users/2940801/terry-tao |url-status=live }} (2006)
• Tim Gowers{{cite web |url=https://mathoverflow.net/users/1459/gowers |title=Tim Gowers |website=mathoverflow.net |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=August 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807205429/https://mathoverflow.net/users/1459/gowers |url-status=live }} (1998)
• Curtis McMullen{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/2964161/curtis-mcmullen |title=Curtis McMullen |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 30, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120054729/https://stackexchange.com/users/2964161/curtis-mcmullen |url-status=live }} (1998)
• Richard Borcherds{{cite web |url=https://mathoverflow.net/users/51/richard-borcherds |title=Richard Borcherds |website=mathoverflow.net |access-date=July 30, 2020 |archive-date=August 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807204048/https://mathoverflow.net/users/51/richard-borcherds |url-status=live }} (1998)
• Edward Witten{{cite web |url=https://mathoverflow.net/users/97644/edward-witten |title=Edward Witten |website=mathoverflow.net |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726030016/https://mathoverflow.net/users/97644/edward-witten |url-status=live }} (1990)
• Vaughan Jones{{cite web |url=https://mathoverflow.net/users/5973/vaughan-jones |title=Vaughan Jones |website=mathoverflow.net |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726005740/https://mathoverflow.net/users/5973/vaughan-jones |url-status=live }} (1990)
• Michael Freedman{{cite web |url=https://mathoverflow.net/users/58457/michael-freedman |title=Michael Freedman |website=mathoverflow.net |access-date=July 30, 2020 |archive-date=August 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807111301/https://mathoverflow.net/users/58457/michael-freedman |url-status=live }} (1986)
• William Thurston{{cite web |url=https://mathoverflow.net/users/9062/bill-thurston |title=Bill Thurston |website=mathoverflow.net |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725214608/https://mathoverflow.net/users/9062/bill-thurston |url-status=live }} (1982)

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• Joel Spolsky (co-founder of Stack Overflow){{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/4/joel-spolsky |title=Joel Spolsky |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=May 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506223514/http://stackexchange.com/users/4/joel-spolsky |url-status=live }}
• Jeff Atwood (co-founder of Stack Overflow){{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/1/jeff-atwood |title=Jeff Attwood |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=March 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306220251/https://stackexchange.com/users/1/jeff-atwood |url-status=live }}
• Ravi Vakil (co-founder of MathOverflow){{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/1949728/ravi-vakil |title=Ravi Vakil |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726012310/https://stackexchange.com/users/1949728/ravi-vakil |url-status=live }}

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• Scott Aaronson{{cite web | url=https://cstheory.stackexchange.com/users/1575/scott-aaronson | title=Scott Aaronson | website=stackexchange.com | access-date=January 26, 2022 | archive-date=January 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126061303/https://cstheory.stackexchange.com/users/1575/scott-aaronson | url-status=live }}
• Ian Agol{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/1519709/ian-agol |title=Ian Agol |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725234657/https://stackexchange.com/users/1519709/ian-agol |url-status=live }}
• John Baez{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/935887/john-baez |title=John Baez |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725221647/https://stackexchange.com/users/935887/john-baez |url-status=live }}
• Carlo Beenakker{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/2947482/carlo-beenakker |title=Carlo Beenakker |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725234104/https://stackexchange.com/users/2947482/carlo-beenakker |url-status=live }}
• Andreas Blass{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/2019795/andreas-blass |title=Andreas Blass |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725221915/https://stackexchange.com/users/2019795/andreas-blass |url-status=live }}
• Robert Bryant{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/2949394/robert-bryant |title=Robert Bryant |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725221307/https://stackexchange.com/users/2949394/robert-bryant |url-status=live }}
• Cleo{{cite web |url=https://math.stackexchange.com/users/97378/cleo|title=Cleo|website=stackexchange.com|access-date=February 23, 2025}}
• Noam Elkies{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/844828/noam-d-elkies |title=Noam Elkies |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725213831/https://stackexchange.com/users/844828/noam-d-elkies |url-status=live }}
• Matthew Emerton{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/505076/emerton |title=Matthew Emerton |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725221842/https://stackexchange.com/users/505076/emerton |url-status=live }}
• David Eppstein{{cite web |url= https://cstheory.stackexchange.com/users/95/david-eppstein |title= David Eppstein |website= stackexchange.com |access-date=September 12, 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240523180004/https://cstheory.stackexchange.com/users/95/david-eppstein |archive-date= 2024-05-23 |url-status= live }} (inventor of Eppstein's algorithm)
• Alexandre Eremenko{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/2958032/alexandre-eremenko |title=Alexandre Eremenko |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725234633/https://stackexchange.com/users/2958032/alexandre-eremenko |url-status=live }}
• Joel David Hamkins (top user on MathOverflow){{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/510234/joel-david-hamkins |title=Joesl David Hamkins |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725215703/https://stackexchange.com/users/510234/joel-david-hamkins |url-status=live }}
• James E. Humphreys{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/2942911/jim-humphreys |title=James E. Humphreys |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725220441/https://stackexchange.com/users/2942911/jim-humphreys |url-status=live }}
• Gil Kalai{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/509527/gil-kalai |title=Gil Kalai |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726030118/https://stackexchange.com/users/509527/gil-kalai |url-status=live }}
• Anna Krylov{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/18596425/annakrylov |title=Anna Krylov |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725214755/https://stackexchange.com/users/18596425/annakrylov |url-status=live }}
• Greg Kuperberg{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/79585/greg-kuperberg |title=Greg Kuperberg |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725215207/https://stackexchange.com/users/79585/greg-kuperberg |url-status=live }}
• Tim Peters (software engineer) (inventor of Timsort){{cite web|title=Tim Peters |website=stackexchange.com |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/3204170/tim-peters|access-date=June 14, 2023 |archive-date=September 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210910103028/http://stackexchange.com/users/3204170/tim-peters |url-status=live}}
• Joseph O'Rourke{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/164785/joseph-orourke |title=Joseph O'Rourke |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726060756/https://stackexchange.com/users/164785/joseph-orourke |url-status=live }}
• Igor Rivin{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/1790716/igor-rivin |title=Igor Rivin |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=August 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810233659/https://stackexchange.com/users/1790716/igor-rivin |url-status=live }}
• Guido van Rossum (creator of Python){{cite web | url=https://stackoverflow.com/users/818274/guido-van-rossum | title=Guido van Rossum | website=stackoverflow.com | access-date=October 1, 2024 | archive-date=October 1, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001101041/http://stackoverflow.com/users/818274/guido-van-rossum | url-status=live }}
• Anders Sandberg{{cite web | url=https://physics.stackexchange.com/users/165299/anders-sandberg | title=Anders Sandberg | website=stackexchange.com | access-date=January 26, 2022 | archive-date=January 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126061303/https://physics.stackexchange.com/users/165299/anders-sandberg | url-status=live }}
• Jeffrey Shallit (computer scientist with Erdos number of one){{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/523124/jeffrey-shallit |title=Jeffrey Shallit |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=August 30, 2020 |archive-date=September 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921061938/https://stackexchange.com/users/523124/jeffrey-shallit |url-status=live }}
• Peter Shor (inventor of Shor's algorithm){{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/508412/peter-shor |title=Peter Shor |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725220805/https://stackexchange.com/users/508412/peter-shor |url-status=live }}
• Michael Shulman{{cite web |url=https://stackexchange.com/users/409053/mike-shulman |title=Michael Shulman |website=stackexchange.com |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726025754/https://stackexchange.com/users/409053/mike-shulman |url-status=live }}

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• MathOverflow
• Minimal reproducible example
• PhysicsOverflow
• Q&A software

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