It's good that you want to look for duplicates before you ask. However, asking a duplicate is not necessarily a bad thing. Let's say you want to do something that has a jargon name in a particular language or framework, like "render". You don't know that name so you ask about "drawing". There's already a question with a great answer but it doesn't mention drawing, just rendering. So you don't find that question in your search. You ask, and your question is marked a duplicate, and it stays as a signpost for others in the future. When they search they'll find your question which will lead them to the one with the answer.

That aside, people often ask things that have been exactly asked before. Here's how to save typing and trouble and just use the other question:

• first, search as Shadow Wizard has suggested. Especially on StackOverflow, using the [] notation around tags will help a lot, as will thinking carefully about search terms. If you're calling an API, search on that function name. If you're getting an error message with a number, search on that error number.
• second, if your search results show you a question that is similar, but not quite what you want (wrong language, or about converting A to B when you want to convert B to A, for example), read that question and check the Related link on the side. Often what you want is there.
• third, when you start to ask the question, pay attention to the "your answer may already be here" box that appears between the title and the body. Many times after doing a diligent search, I found my duplicate there and just abandoned asking the question.
• fourth, when you ask, be specific and complete. If you ask just "how do I X?" when you really mean "I am trying to X, and have this code so far, but the A and B don't seem quite right to me and I wonder if I should be specifying the C when I call the D?" then you might be closed as a duplicate of "how do I X?" Asking the more complete and specific question means less chance of "closed as a duplicate" and you're more likely to get the actual answer you need.

And an semi-related tip for new users. If your question turns out to be a true duplicate - the answer you want is in the other question - do not delete it. Leave it as a signpost for others who might have worded it as you did. Even if it doesn't serve that purpose, deleting your questions can hurt your ability to ask more, so don't do that.

It's good that you want to look for duplicates before you ask. However, asking a duplicate is not necessarily a bad thing. Let's say you want to do something that has a jargon name in a particular language or framework, like "render". You don't know that name so you ask about "drawing". There's already a question with a great answer but it doesn't mention drawing, just rendering. So you don't find that question in your search. You ask, and your question is marked a duplicate, and it stays as a signpost for others in the future. When they search they'll find your question which will lead them to the one with the answer.

That aside, people often ask things that have been exactly asked before. Here's how to save typing and trouble and just use the other question:

• first, search as Shadow Wizard has suggested. Especially on StackOverflow, using the [] notation around tags will help a lot, as will thinking carefully about search terms. If you're calling an API, search on that function name. If you're getting an error message with a number, search on that error number.
• second, if your search results show you a question that is similar, but not quite what you want (wrong language, or about converting A to B when you want to convert B to A, for example), read that question and check the Related link on the side. Often what you want is there. Also, look at the tags on the questions you find: is there another tag you should be adding to your search? Look at the words in the question. Should you be using some of those?
• third, when you start to ask the question, pay attention to the "your answer may already be here" box that appears between the title and the body. Many times after doing a diligent search, I found my duplicate there and just abandoned asking the question.
• fourth, when you ask, be specific and complete. If you ask just "how do I X?" when you really mean "I am trying to X, and have this code so far, but the A and B don't seem quite right to me and I wonder if I should be specifying the C when I call the D?" then you might be closed as a duplicate of "how do I X?" Asking the more complete and specific question means less chance of "closed as a duplicate" and you're more likely to get the actual answer you need.

And an semi-related tip for new users. If your question turns out to be a true duplicate - the answer you want is in the other question - do not delete it. Leave it as a signpost for others who might have worded it as you did. Even if it doesn't serve that purpose, deleting your questions can hurt your ability to ask more, so don't do that.

It's good that you want to look for duplicates before you ask. However, asking a duplicate is not necessarily a bad thing. Let's say you want to do something that has a jargon name in a particular language or framework, like "render". You don't know that name so you ask about "drawing". There's already a question with a great answer but it doesn't mention drawing, just rendering. So you don't find that question in your search. You ask, and your question is marked a duplicate, and it stays as a signpost for others in the future. When they search they'll find your question which will lead them to the one with the answer.

That aside, people often ask things that have been exactly asked before. Here's how to save typing and trouble and just use the other question:

• first, search as Shadow Wizard has suggested. Especially on StackOverflow, using the [] notation around tags will help a lot, as will thinking carefully about search terms. If you're calling an API, search on that function name. If you're getting an error message with a number, search on that error number.
• second, if your search results show you a question that is similar, but not quite what you want (wrong language, or about converting A to B when you want to convert B to A, for example), read that question and check the Related link on the side. Often what you want is there.
• third, when you start to ask the question, pay attention to the "your answer may already be here" box that appears between the title and the body. Many times after doing a diligent search, I found my duplicate there and just abandoned asking the question.
• fourth, when you ask, be specific and complete. If you ask just "how do I X?" when you really mean "I am trying to X, and have this code so far, but the A and B don't seem quite right to me and I wonder if I should be specifying the C when I call the D?" then you won't be closed as a duplicate of "how do I X?" and you're more likely to get the actual answer you need.

And an semi-related tip for new users. If your question turns out to be a true duplicate - the answer you want is in the other question - do not delete it. Leave it as a signpost for others who might have worded it as you did. Even if it doesn't serve that purpose, deleting your questions can hurt your ability to ask more, so don't do that.

It's good that you want to look for duplicates before you ask. However, asking a duplicate is not necessarily a bad thing. Let's say you want to do something that has a jargon name in a particular language or framework, like "render". You don't know that name so you ask about "drawing". There's already a question with a great answer but it doesn't mention drawing, just rendering. So you don't find that question in your search. You ask, and your question is marked a duplicate, and it stays as a signpost for others in the future. When they search they'll find your question which will lead them to the one with the answer.

That aside, people often ask things that have been exactly asked before. Here's how to save typing and trouble and just use the other question:

• first, search as Shadow Wizard has suggested. Especially on StackOverflow, using the [] notation around tags will help a lot, as will thinking carefully about search terms. If you're calling an API, search on that function name. If you're getting an error message with a number, search on that error number.
• second, if your search results show you a question that is similar, but not quite what you want (wrong language, or about converting A to B when you want to convert B to A, for example), read that question and check the Related link on the side. Often what you want is there.
• third, when you start to ask the question, pay attention to the "your answer may already be here" box that appears between the title and the body. Many times after doing a diligent search, I found my duplicate there and just abandoned asking the question.
• fourth, when you ask, be specific and complete. If you ask just "how do I X?" when you really mean "I am trying to X, and have this code so far, but the A and B don't seem quite right to me and I wonder if I should be specifying the C when I call the D?" then you might be closed as a duplicate of "how do I X?" Asking the more complete and specific question means less chance of "closed as a duplicate" and you're more likely to get the actual answer you need.

And an semi-related tip for new users. If your question turns out to be a true duplicate - the answer you want is in the other question - do not delete it. Leave it as a signpost for others who might have worded it as you did. Even if it doesn't serve that purpose, deleting your questions can hurt your ability to ask more, so don't do that.