[golergka]

No, it's "if you constantly need to use stack overflow, you're most likely a beginner in a given tech", and real programmers are going though beginner phase much more often than fake programmers, because they learn more new stuff.

But also "if most of your problems can be solved by stack overflow" than you're either not solving hard problems, or, and this is much, much worse, you're not aware that you're facing hard problems with things like architecture and code organization, and solve them in a naive, straight-forward way, not even recognizing the future implications — and that, indeed, means that you're not a real programmer.

[rqebmm]

When I first started programming professionally a few years ago I, like any beginner, leaned heavily on Stack Overflow.

When I became experienced I prided myslf on the ability to solve simple poblems with nothing more than my knowledge of the language, frameworks, and occasional trip through the reference manual.

Eventually I realized it was just faster to google those questions as soon as I had them rather than try to remember or solve simple problems.

Stack Overflow is useful precisely because it lets me focus my mental energy on solving hard, "real programmer" problems like architecture and code organization.

[enraged_camel]

I find myself coming back to stackoverflow after I leave a language/toolset for a while. I'm not a "beginner" in those things but stuff like syntax may not be fresh on my mind, and SO is great for reminders like that.