Dev tools · September 17, 2023
I made a browser extension for building your own custom HN themes
Hi HN! I’ve spent the last few weeks writing a browser extension that lets users write their own HN themes using Handlebars and CSS. It works by converting the current Hacker News page’s content into an object that is made available to the user-defined Handlebars templates. There is a built-in code editor that makes writing themes super easy and you can see changes in real-time. If you don’t want to write a theme from scratch, there are premade themes available or you may import one made by somebody else. It is shipped with Bootstrap so you can get pretty far without needing to write a lot…
I made a browser extension for building your own custom HN themes launched on September 17, 2023 with 10 votes, #1,502 of 4,228 launches that month and more than 75% of that year's launches. The site was not reachable when checked in September 2026.
In plain words
This browser extension lets users create custom Hacker News themes using Handlebars templates and CSS. It converts the HN page into an object available to user-defined templates, with a built-in code editor showing changes in real-time. Users can start from scratch, choose from premade themes, or import themes from others. The extension includes Bootstrap and Material icons for faster development, supports dark mode toggling, and is open-sourced under MIT. It's designed for developers who want to customize their Hacker News browsing experience.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hi HN! I’ve spent the last few weeks writing a browser extension that lets users write their own HN themes using Handlebars and CSS. It works by converting the current Hacker News page’s content into an object that is made available to the user-defined Handlebars templates. There is a built-in code editor that makes…
Does a similar job
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Browser Extension to Refine the HN Experience2019 · github.com · ▲259✨ Hacker News, but refined — Interface tweaks and features to make the HN experience better - plibither8/refined-hacker-news
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Hello everyone! This is a browser extension that attempts to enhance Hacker News user experience, while your data is kept secure, and private (never leaves the browser). Browsers have evolved significantly since doing a v1 back in 2010, which was one of the contributing factors, for attempting a complete re-take few months ago. Personally, I was surprised how useful it turned out to be when browsing around HN. On the linked page you can find install link(s) from web-browser stores, and demo video/screenshots of the features[1] What do you think ? [1] including, browsing content with…
- HSHN Special – A visual theme and Chrome extension for Hacker News2013 · gabrielecirulli.github.io · ▲87
I was tired of opening 2 tabs for every HN link, so I made a userscriptJul 2026 · github.com · ▲433HN is great for the links people share, but a big part of the value I get comes from reading the discussion around them. I realized I was always opening the article in one tab and the comments in another, constantly switching back and forth. I figured there was probably a simpler way, so I threw together this userscript to merge the two. 1. Clicking a link from Hacker News opens the article with a side panel containing the discussion. It doesn't require your credentials, is resizable, and is easy to tweak if you want to customize it. 2. If you land on an article that has previously been…
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Source: Show HN post ↗ · launch text quoted in part
