How developers learned AI programming — Community data 2026 | Stack Overflow Developer Survey

Developer Survey 2026

Question

How did you learn to code for AI in the past year? Select all that apply.

multi select
Optional
v2026.1
Randomized

Data

	Respondents	Percent
AI CodeGen tools or AI-enabled apps	10,407	50.6%
Other online resources (e.g. standard search, forum, online community)	9,244	45.0%
Technical documentation (is generated for/by the tool or system)	8,733	42.5%
Videos (not associated with specific online course or certification)	7,781	37.8%
Colleague or on-the-job training	6,648	32.3%
Blogs or podcasts	6,069	29.5%
Online Courses or Certification (includes all media types)	3,516	17.1%
Stack Overflow or Stack Exchange	2,281	11.1%
Books / Physical media	1,583	7.7%
Other	1,290	6.3%
School (i.e., University, College, etc)	1,132	5.5%
Games or coding challenges	828	4.0%
Coding Bootcamp	777	3.8%

Use this data

Citation

Response data is released under the ODbL 1.0, which asks that you attribute it.

Stack Exchange Inc. (2026). “How developers learned AI programming”. Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2026. Licensed under ODbL 1.0. https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2026/community/data/learn-ai-how

JSON

Structured for code, with the question, the year and the source url alongside the numbers.

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  "asked": "How did you learn to code for AI in the past year? Select all that apply.",
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    {
      "response": "AI CodeGen tools or AI-enabled apps",
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      "pct": 0.506
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    {
      "response": "Other online resources (e.g. standard search, forum, online community)",
      "count": 9244,
      "pct": 0.45
    },
    {
      "response": "Technical documentation (is generated for/by the tool or system)",
      "count": 8733,
      "pct": 0.425
    },
    {
      "response": "Videos (not associated with specific online course or certification)",
      "count": 7781,
      "pct": 0.378
    },
    {
      "response": "Colleague or on-the-job training",
      "count": 6648,
      "pct": 0.323
    },
    {
      "response": "Blogs or podcasts",
      "count": 6069,
      "pct": 0.295
    },
    {
      "response": "Online Courses or Certification (includes all media types)",
      "count": 3516,
      "pct": 0.171
    },
    {
      "response": "Stack Overflow or Stack Exchange",
      "count": 2281,
      "pct": 0.111
    },
    {
      "response": "Books / Physical media",
      "count": 1583,
      "pct": 0.077
    },
    {
      "response": "Other",
      "count": 1290,
      "pct": 0.063
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    {
      "response": "School (i.e., University, College, etc)",
      "count": 1132,
      "pct": 0.055
    },
    {
      "response": "Games or coding challenges",
      "count": 828,
      "pct": 0.04
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      "response": "Coding Bootcamp",
      "count": 777,
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}

Markdown

A formatted table, ready to paste into a document, an issue or a prompt.

|  | Respondents | Percent |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| AI CodeGen tools or AI-enabled apps | 10,407 | 50.6% |
| Other online resources (e.g. standard search, forum, online community) | 9,244 | 45.0% |
| Technical documentation (is generated for/by the tool or system) | 8,733 | 42.5% |
| Videos (not associated with specific online course or certification) | 7,781 | 37.8% |
| Colleague or on-the-job training | 6,648 | 32.3% |
| Blogs or podcasts | 6,069 | 29.5% |
| Online Courses or Certification (includes all media types) | 3,516 | 17.1% |
| Stack Overflow or Stack Exchange | 2,281 | 11.1% |
| Books / Physical media | 1,583 | 7.7% |
| Other | 1,290 | 6.3% |
| School (i.e., University, College, etc) | 1,132 | 5.5% |
| Games or coding challenges | 828 | 4.0% |
| Coding Bootcamp | 777 | 3.8% |

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