Is it necessary to add a minimal code to question when self-answering?

Question

Besides being beneficial to people, it is also useful for future me to add here my problem I encountered and its solution (not existing in GIS SE) as a question and answer. I frequently find myself here to get a solution for a problem I solved before, because it is easier to find the answer here than on my computer.

You also know that it is explicitly encouraged in SE to ask and answer your own questions. On the other hand, it is required to provide the shortest code attempts when seeking help to write code. But I don't remember how the code looked like before I had solved.

In this case, should it be included the minimal code in the question body, or could the absence of the code be a reason to close the question?

Answer 1

When voting to close I assess each question on its merits but I also try to place it within the context of its Q&A as presented at that time.

I may or may not vote to close a self-answered question like the one you describe depending on its actual content but:

• it sounds like one that I would not vote to close
• even if I or others did, being closed only prevents new answers being added so as long as the community thinks the Q&A is useful (i.e. it attracts upvotes) it will remain on the site and serve the purpose you seek from it.

I think it is better for a self-answered question to contain a code snippet (and error message) that illustrates where you got stuck, before your self-answer contains a code snippet that illustrates how you solved your problem, but I can envisage situations where this might not be possible.