TABLE OF CONTENTS
Applies to:
Overview
Use this guide to understand what closed and obsolete questions mean, why questions get closed or marked obsolete, and what you can do next.
Why questions get closed
Questions that need improvement or don't meet your site's guidelines may be closed.
A closed question:
- Doesn't accept new answers.
- Still allows comments, votes, and edits.
- Includes a closure reason that explains what to fix.
Closure reasons
Each closed question includes a closure reason to help you understand why it was closed and how to improve it.
| Closure reason | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate | Someone has already asked and answered this question. | Review the existing question. If your question is different, edit it to explain how it differs or ask a new question. |
| Community-specific reason | The question doesn't meet one of your site's guidelines. | Review the closure reason and update your question to meet your site's requirements. |
| Needs details or clarity | The question doesn't include enough information for contributors to answer it. | Add the missing details and clarify the problem you're trying to solve. |
| Needs more focus | The question asks multiple questions or covers too much at once. | Narrow the scope so your question focuses on one problem. |
| Opinion-based | The question invites opinions instead of factual, supported answers. | Rewrite your question so contributors can answer it with facts, references, or experience. |
Improve a closed question
Edit your question to address the closure reason.
For tips on improving your question, see How do I ask a good question?
Obsolete questions
Moderators can mark a question as obsolete when its content is out of date but still provides useful historical context.
An obsolete question:
- Indicates that the content is out of date.
- Remains visible to contributors.
- Doesn't accept new answers or interactions.
Only moderators can mark or unmark a question as obsolete.
If you have questions or issues, reach out to our support team for help.
https://doc-automation.netlify.app/pdfs/docs/community/all_products/getting_started/closed_obsolete_questions.pdf