06-21-2026, 09:42 AM
The quality of help you receive is directly proportional to the quality of information you provide.
1. Describe the problem, not just the symptom
Do not just say "it doesn't work". Say what you expected to happen, what actually happened, and when the problem started.
2. Include the full error message
Truncated errors hide the useful part. Copy and paste the complete output, including the traceback or log lines before the error.
3. Show what you have already tried
This saves everyone time. If you googled it and found three Stack Overflow answers that did not work, say which ones and why.
4. Provide your environment
5. Minimal reproducible example
If it is a code problem, strip it down to the smallest snippet that shows the bug. This often leads you to solve it yourself, and when it does not, it makes it much easier for others to help.
6. Update your thread
When you solve it, post the solution. Other people will have the same problem.
1. Describe the problem, not just the symptom
Do not just say "it doesn't work". Say what you expected to happen, what actually happened, and when the problem started.
2. Include the full error message
Truncated errors hide the useful part. Copy and paste the complete output, including the traceback or log lines before the error.
3. Show what you have already tried
This saves everyone time. If you googled it and found three Stack Overflow answers that did not work, say which ones and why.
4. Provide your environment
- OS and version
- Software or language version
- Hardware if relevant
- How you installed the thing (package manager, from source, Docker, etc.)
5. Minimal reproducible example
If it is a code problem, strip it down to the smallest snippet that shows the bug. This often leads you to solve it yourself, and when it does not, it makes it much easier for others to help.
6. Update your thread
When you solve it, post the solution. Other people will have the same problem.