Can I Use Code From StackOverflow?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Can I use code from StackOverflow? So, in summary:

code snippets on Stack Overflow are protected by copyright unless they are so small that any two programmers would come up with substantially the same code

.

Why is copying code from Stack Overflow illegal?

Using code verbatim from Stack Overflow is a problem because

it is not completely free of license restrictions

. You should know that content on Stack Overflow is licensed under the Creative Commons, which means if you use that code: You are obligated to attribute the original author of code you use.

Do programmers use Stack Overflow?


98% of software engineers use Stack Overflow in some capacity every month

. The platform is the de facto home of software development. If you have a question, the likelihood is that it’s already been answered on Stack Overflow. There are more than 22 million questions on the platform and a whopping 84 million comments.

Is it OK to copy paste code from Stack Overflow?

Is it OK to copy code from StackOverflow?

Copying code from Stack Overflow is not a problem

. But the creative commons licensing used by the platform requires you to credit the code you take from the original author.

Is it OK to steal code?


Stealing code is not a crime, but a method to teach yourself how to code

. Every student—even every professional—of every field copies something that has been created by other people. Reusing the code is a natural process for every software developer. They use libraries, components, and open source projects extensively.

Is it OK to copy and paste code?


Copying and pasting the code is often considered as an antipattern or even absolute evil

. However, copy and paste is just a tool that developers can use inappropriately, causing significant damage to the codebase, or can use it appropriately to speed up development without compromising code quality.

Is Stack Overflow open source?


Stack Overflow itself is not open source

, but there are a number of open source Stack Overflow clones to choose from.

Is it OK to copy code from github?


It is never ok to copy and paste code from an open source project directly into your proprietary code

. Don’t do it.

How useful is Stack Overflow?

Stack Overflow is

an incredible collection of programming and software knowledge

. Thousands of students and developers use it daily to lookup answers for questions they can’t solve easily themselves. Stack Overflow taught me so much over the years, I have used it since I began to learn to program.

Why is Stack Overflow so good?

It also

encourages decoupling of answers from each other

ie. they are not replies in a discussion, which further quashes flamewars and focuses content. The reward of personal recognition attracts people who actually know what they’re talking about.

What is the best programming language Stack Overflow?


HTML/CSS, Javascript and Python

are almost tied as the most popular languages for people learning to code. People learning to code are more likely than Professional Developers to report using Python (58 percent vs 44 percent), C++ (35 percent vs 20 percent), and C (32 percent vs 17 percent).

Can you copy code from Stack Overflow Reddit?


It’s not only that they don’t have the copyright for the code, they also simply can’t get it copyrighted

. This is not even considering that code on stackoverflow or medium is usually an answer to someone’s question or is a tutorial so the authors had full intention of letting other people use their code.

Is it ethical to copy code?


Each individual has a responsibility in turn to use copying technology in an ethical manner

. Anything less than adherence to the letter and spirit of copyright laws and regulations is unethical. Respect for intellectual labor and creativity is vital to academic discourse and enterprise.

Do I need to cite Stack Overflow?


If yes, then you should consider citing

. If, on the other hand, you have good reason to assume that somebody implementing your solution in a totally different programming language or calculating everything with pen and paper would arrive at the same results, then you should not cite.

Can you get sued for copying code?


You cannot sue someone for copying software or other materials that you copied from others

. Minimally creative. The work you believe has been infringed upon must have been the product of at least a minimal amount of creativity. The vast majority of software easily satisfies this requirement; but some databases may not.

Do developers steal code?

If you type in the search term “Insider” “source code theft” you get over seven thousand search results returned. This reflects how major an issue source code theft is.

Our software developers hold the jewels of our business in their hands.

Can I use copyrighted code?


Almost certainly yes

. Under copyright law, source code is a literary work (like a book). And, just like any other writing, it is immediately copyrighted regardless of the author registering it with the U.S. Copyright Office.

Is it illegal to copy code?

Basically,

it is illegal to copy something unless you have the permission of the copyright owner

. The legal punishment for copyright violation can be large civil damages, large fines and even jail time, depending on the legal jurisdiction and the nature and severity of the violations.

Can websites tell if you copy and paste?

Though they are great for picking up where your content is being used on other sites, they don’t and can’t measure how people are interacting with your content on your site. In short,

they can’t tell you what people are copying and pasting on your home page

nor can they help you ensure that your work is attributed.

Can you make money from Stack Overflow?

Is Stack Overflow profitable?

Yes, Stack Overflow is profitable

. Their SaaS product is making recurring revenue of about 27$ million and growing at a rapid rate of 200% a year.

What database does Stack Overflow use?

Technology. Stack Overflow is written in C# using the ASP.NET MVC (Model–View–Controller) framework, and

Microsoft SQL Server

for the database and the Dapper object-relational mapper used for data access.

What is the difference between Stack Overflow and Stackexchange?


Stack Exchange is a network of sites, of which Stack Overflow is one

. They each use the same software but are generally geared towards certain topics… Stack Overflow being geared towards programming, and others being geared towards other particular topics.

Can you use someone else’s code in your software if it is publicly available on GitHub but does not have a license?

The most common misconception about open-source projects is if a Github project has no license then it’s okay to use. If a repository has no license, then all rights are reserved and it is not open-source or free .

You cannot modify or redistribute this code without explicit permission from the copyright holder

.

Can you copy code from another website?

Chrome:

Right-click a blank space on the page and choose View Page Source. Highlight the code, then copy and paste to a text file

. Firefox: From the menu bar, choose Tools > Web Developer > Page Source. Highlight the code, then copy and paste to a text file.

What did programmers do before Stack Overflow?


Forums were kind of like the Stack Overflow of the time back then

. They had a central topic or question, followed by threads of answers that would sometimes span a dozen or so pages. But they weren’t centralized to any one location on the web.

Why is Stack Overflow so rude?

Originally Answered: Why is Stack Overflow so unfriendly? It’s unfriendly

because it’s not a place where you can make friends, even it presents itself as a community; there are too many people, too many questions, too broad topics, too much competition to be so

.

How can I get a job in Stack Overflow?

To post a job to StackOverflow you’ll need to

sign up for an account with careers.stackoverflow.com

. Select ‘log in’ in the top right corner of the homepage, and then ‘create a new account’ from the page that follows. Just enter your email address and a password to complete your sign up.

Who owns Stack Overflow?

Why is Python popular StackOverflow?


Python is a flexible language

One of the key reasons for Python’s growth is its flexibility. It isn’t confined to a specific domain. This would go some way of explaining its growth – because it’s not limited to a specific job role or task, a huge range of developers are finding uses for it.

What is most loved programming language?


Rust

. According to the 2020’s StackOverflow’s Developers Survey those who get the opportunity to use Rust have fallen in love with it and 86.1% of 65,000 developers rated Rust as the most loved programming language since 2016.

Which programming language is best in 2022?

Can I use code I wrote at work?


You need to get permission from your employer

.

A border-case line might be to rewrite that code in some other programming language (e.g. write in Rust at home something you wrote at work in C at your office). But even for that case, you’ll better ask your boss (at least by email) and get permission from him/her.

Are unauthorized copies illegal?


Unauthorized copying of software is illegal

. Copyright law protects software authors and publishers, just as patent law protects inventors. Unauthorized copying of software by individuals can harm the entire academic community.

Can I take personal copies of the software that I write at work?


In some cases the answer is “Yes” and some cases the answer is “No”

. For an example if you are an employee of any software firm and you write a program for your company, they will not allow you to use it anywhere else. If you do that, they have the right to go for a legal action against you.

Do I need to cite Stack Overflow?


If yes, then you should consider citing

. If, on the other hand, you have good reason to assume that somebody implementing your solution in a totally different programming language or calculating everything with pen and paper would arrive at the same results, then you should not cite.

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.