Quick overview
Reddit hosts many education-focused communities, but not all learning spaces are created equal. Two prominent examples are r/learnprogramming, a hands-on, beginner-to-intermediate coding help hub, and r/AskHistorians, a highly moderated forum for evidence-based historical Q&A. If you're deciding where to post a question or which community to follow, this comparison will help you pick the right fit.
What each subreddit is for
r/learnprogramming: Practical programming help, tutorials, project advice, career tips, debugging support, and study resources. The tone is typically accessible and community-driven.
r/AskHistorians: Deep, sourced historical answers written by enthusiasts and professionals. Emphasis on scholarship, primary/secondary sources, and careful context.Both serve education purposes, but they answer different needs: one is skill-building and pragmatic; the other is scholarly and explanatory.
Audience and tone
r/learnprogramming
Audience: Beginners through intermediate developers, hobbyists, and career-switchers.
Tone: Friendly, encouraging, pragmatic. Community members often share code snippets, debugging tips, and learning roadmaps.
r/AskHistorians
Audience: History students, researchers, enthusiasts, and professionals.
Tone: Formal, citation-focused, and academically rigorous. Expect thorough, sourced responses rather than quick takes.If you want quick, actionable guidance, r/learnprogramming is more approachable. If you want depth and scholarly rigor, r/AskHistorians is the place.
Moderation and rules
r/learnprogramming
Rules focus on staying on-topic (programming questions), providing effort, and avoiding cheating/assignment-dumping.
Moderation is active but generally supportive; posts often get constructive feedback and code reviews.
r/AskHistorians
Strict moderation: posts must ask clear, answerable historical questions; low-effort or speculative content is removed.
Answers must provide sources and references. The community enforces high standards for citations and tone.If you prefer a forgiving, community-help environment, r/learnprogramming is more lenient. For academically enforced quality, r/AskHistorians has much stricter gates.
Type of answers you’ll receive
r/learnprogramming
Answers: Code snippets, debugging steps, resource suggestions, learning pathways, links to tutorials and documentation.
Format: Short to medium-length replies; often iterative troubleshooting in comment threads.
r/AskHistorians
Answers: Long-form essays, contextual analysis, quotations from primary sources, bibliographies.
Format: Well-structured responses citing books, articles, and primary documents.Choose r/learnprogramming for problem-solving and projects; choose r/AskHistorians for rigorous, citation-rich explanations.
How to get the most from each community
r/learnprogramming tips:
Search before posting: similar errors and tutorials are often already discussed.
Include code snippets, error messages, environment details, and what you’ve tried.
Be open to feedback and ask for clarification if an answer isn't clear.
r/AskHistorians tips:
Frame your question precisely (timeframe, region, and what aspect you want explained).
Avoid broad “why did X happen” prompts—narrow the scope to get focused answers.
Respect citation norms and read answers fully; many include recommended reading.Use cases: Who should choose which?
Pick r/learnprogramming if:
You’re learning to code or debugging a project.
You want practical exercises, project ideas, or career advice.
You need quick, community-driven help and iterative troubleshooting.
Pick r/AskHistorians if:
You want academically reliable historical explanations.
You’re researching a historical topic and need sources, context, and nuance.
You appreciate long-form answers with citations from reputable works.Complementary communities
If your interests cross boundaries, combine communities to build a stronger learning path:
Primary hub: r/IWantToLearn — great starting point to discover learning communities and tailor your path.
Related subreddits:
r/languagelearning for structured approaches to new languages.
r/GradSchool and r/college for academic planning, study habits, and school-specific advice.
r/learnprogramming for coding skill development tied to career goals.Use r/IWantToLearn to ask for curated resources, then dive into specialized subs depending on your subject.
Final verdict: Which education community is right for you?
Both subreddits excel at education, but they serve different educational styles. If you learn by doing, need code help, or want community-driven mentorship, r/learnprogramming will accelerate your practical skills. If you learn by reading, appreciate source-driven answers, or require scholarly reliability, r/AskHistorians will deliver depth and context.
In many journeys you won't have to choose just one. Start with r/IWantToLearn to clarify goals, use r/learnprogramming for hands-on practice, and consult r/AskHistorians when you require historical rigor or reading lists. The best learning path often combines accessible help with deep, sourced knowledge.
Quick checklist to decide now
Need code debug or project advice? Choose r/learnprogramming.
Need scholarly, sourced historical analysis? Choose r/AskHistorians.
Unsure or exploring multiple skills? Post in r/IWantToLearn to get tailored subreddit recommendations.Ready to learn? Read each subreddit's rules, search existing posts, and craft clear, well-documented questions for the best responses.