When looking for good online resources as a digital media designer, I came across three that stood out: MDN Web Docs, Smashing Magazine, and Stack Overflow. Each one has different strengths, and together they show how designers and developers can learn from both official sources and community advice.

Technology changes so quickly, so the first thing I checked was how current the information is. MDN Web Docs is updated often, sometimes within the same month, which makes it a reliable place for the newest web standards. Smashing Magazine is also very active, with new articles published throughout 2025, so its tutorials stay relevant to current design practices. Stack Overflow is constantly refreshed because people are asking and answering questions daily, which keeps even targeted issues up to date.

Another important factor is who is posting the information. MDN is written by Mozilla and other browser developers, so the authors are experts in web standards. Smashing Magazine articles are written by professionals in the design and coding world, and the editors make sure only well-developed content gets published. Stack Overflow, on the other hand, is peer-to-peer. Anyone can post, but the quality depends on the experience of the person answering. You can usually tell authority on Stack Overflow by looking at the user’s reputation score and whether their answer is highly upvoted.

Each site has its own gatekeeping system. MDN uses a review process on GitHub, so content is checked before going live. Smashing Magazine has editors that act as gatekeepers, choosing what gets published. Stack Overflow uses democratic voting where the community decides which answers are the most useful, but that means you sometimes need to double-check information if it’s not explained clearly.

The quality of the information also differs. MDN can be a little dense, but it is clear and highly structured, making it great for reference. Smashing Magazine is very well written, with step-by-step explanations, images, and code snippets that make concepts easier to follow. Stack Overflow answers can vary,  some are short and confusing, while others are detailed and clear. Reading the comments usually helps figure out if an answer is trustworthy.

These are definitely resources I would use in the future. MDN is my go-to when I need accurate, up-to-date documentation on web technologies. Smashing Magazine is perfect when I want inspiration or want to dive deeper into design strategies. Stack Overflow is great when I run into a specific coding problem and need a quick fix from someone who has already solved it. Together, these resources cover official knowledge, polished tutorials, and real-world troubleshooting, making them all valuable for me as a designer.