In broad strokes, we do aim to have an API that allows compatible sites (other Codidact instances, and TopAnswers) to integrate their networks. We have a view from 50,000 feet, no details, but we do want it to be possible for our Codidact instance and that other Codidact instance and TopAnswers to be able to make their communities and content visible to each other.
How we’ll do that and what it will look like to users is yet to be determined. It’s a ways off. But it’s on the roadmap.
FWIW, while from the descriptions it seems like these projects have a lot of similar goals, I have a strong reaction to the different names. I like that Codidact puts teaching and learning together right in the name. In contrast, the name TopAnswers focuses on the answers rather than the people, and immediately implies some sort of competition. It also doesn’t say anything about how the answers get to be “Top” — or where the questions even come from.
I know names are hard, but they are also important!
As you say, names are hard, and there are always pros and cons, but I respectfully disagree — the name ‘TopAnswers’ focusses on people too, just different people. Most people will find our sites because they are looking for an answer. Most people don’t want to wade through forum-style noise before they find the ‘pearl’ they are looking for; this is why SO is successful (despite the obscure name). Choosing ‘TopAnswers’ for a name says ‘we want to help you find an answer’ to people who are looking for an answer.
I think ‘Codidact’ will never mean more than ‘Stack Overflow’ did to the larger, public, audience; so once you are vast and have name recognition they will see ‘Codidact’ in search results and say ‘ah, that’s where I find answers’, but until then, the name won’t help you build your audience.
It means ‘teaching and learning together’ to you who know the site well already, but the same would be true of any name you picked. And most people who aren’t in the know, won’t know what ‘didact’ means without looking it up anyway.
In my opinion, obvs.
Now I finally understood the name. Co-didact. Cooperative didaction or something. First I believed the first three letters had something to do with code, but I was unable to come up with something there.
Thank you!
I also just now understood the name. Maybe that should be put on the landing page.
Also, federation sounds like a very good idea to me. Let the communities go where they like while keeping the knowledge base intact. While not necessarily MVP material, if Codidact and TopAnswers could come up with an API before the MVP was finished, it might save some headaches in the future.
Working together is always good and splitting the community before it even started would be bad. One of the things to do better than SE is cooperation between users, developers and related projects. Considering to work together is part of being inclusive instead of protective on the technical side as on the social side.