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When the answer to a question can be summarized in one word, I've found myself wanting to retag questions with that answer as a tag. Is this good practice?

Example: If "lib-y" is a good answer to the question "What is a library to do X?", then retag the question with "lib-y". It makes it really easy to see the answer or search for it later.

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  • This question should be retagged It's not about asking about how to answer, search for answers , tag answers. This question is about retagging questions. The tag answers should be removed.
    – Rubén
    Commented Oct 27, 2023 at 0:05

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If you're going to do this, I think it should only be done once an answer has been accepted. If that accepted answer deals with lib-y, then it makes sense to add the tag. However, if the author thinks that an answer dealing with lib-z helped them more, there probably shouldn't be a lib-y tag on the question.

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    That's fair, as long as the existing tags aren't better than the lib-y or lib-z tags. And certainly never create a new tag just for this.
    – Welbog
    Commented Jan 15, 2010 at 20:29
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    Normally I'd probably agree with you, but if the solution in question is appropriate, I think a tag could be appropriate as well -- tags are there for organization, and users of product lib-y will be somewhat likely to find the question interesting.
    – John Rudy
    Commented Jan 15, 2010 at 20:31
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    @Citizen: I suppose if an answer dealing with lib-y has also been upvoted substantially, it could be considered a good solution as well (and thus be a valid tag to add). I just don't think we would want every user who posts an answer to add a tag that goes with their answer. Only the "best" solutions should lead to extra tags (if they are warranted, as Welbog says in his comment).
    – gnostradamus
    Commented Jan 15, 2010 at 20:39
  • This still would be a, smaller, problem if another answer is accepted later but the tags are not changed.
    – LJNielsenDk
    Commented May 11, 2013 at 8:44
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If "lib-y" is a good answer to the question "What is a library to do X?"

What happens when later on, lib-y falls out of favor and lib-z is the new hotness? Tags are meant to categorize the question into topics. The answers are not part of the question, therefore they would not help to categorize the question. Ideally, when someone asks a question it should have exactly the tags that describe the topics being asked about. If the question is about "what library does X in language Q?" the tag for that question is merely .

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  • That’s an argument against library recommendation questions, but not necessarily against ‘tagging-with-answer-spoilers’. Compare <stackoverflow.com/q/65350966/3840170>, which I think is okay to tag as ‘quoted-printable’, even though the asker didn’t know this.
    – user3840170
    Commented Oct 25, 2023 at 7:08
  • @user3840170 if the questioner is describing something that has a concept already associated with, for example, when the question is describing that they want polymorphic associations, yet they never use that word, it's correct to add those tags, since the topic is already in the question. Obviously, whenever or not a tag for polymorphic associations should exist at all, should be in the context of each site (SO for example shouldn't have it, compsci probably should), so use your best criteria for each case. In general, each tag should be able to function as the only tag on the question.
    – Braiam
    Commented Oct 25, 2023 at 10:56
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    But in any case I would say that we should avoid adding tags to answered questions @user3840170 . The primary purpose of tags is connect questions with the people that are able to answer them, if adding a tag doesn't rise the likehood of more/better answers, then they are not necessary.
    – Braiam
    Commented Oct 25, 2023 at 10:58
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I say go for it. Basically, the question is about lib-y, it's just that the author didn't know it.

Now, the purpose of tags is also to help people find the right answer, so if the question already has five good tags, I wouldn't change them. If it's got four tags or if its existing tags really suck octopus balls, then put the lib-y tag on there.

You have my official approval to do this.

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