A Modern Web for Hacker News – Open-Source and Seeking Feedback
A developer has released an open-source “modern” Hacker News interface focused on mobile readability, larger tap targets, and visual polish. Many users appreciate the improved legibility on phones but argue that the new layout sacrifices the high information density, speed, simplicity, and JS-free operation that they value in the classic site. The exchange highlights a broader tension between contemporary, framework-heavy web design and the minimalist, text-dense interfaces preferred by power users.
Overall reception
- Mixed response, skewing negative for desktop use.
- Many find the design visually appealing, especially on mobile.
- Core criticism: it reduces information density and doesn’t clearly solve a concrete user problem.
Information density & whitespace
- Repeated measurements: classic HN shows ~19–30 items per screen on laptops/4K monitors; the new UI shows ~5–10.
- Many argue dense lists are essential for quickly scanning headlines; extra scrolling is seen as inefficient.
- Several see the large whitespace and padding as “modern for its own sake” or copying large social media patterns.
- A minority report that increased spacing actually makes scanning easier for them, as they lose their place in tight lists.
Mobile usability vs desktop
- Frequent mobile users appreciate larger tap targets and spacing; current HN arrows/links are easy to mis-tap.
- Some suggest a design primarily optimized for mobile, while keeping classic density for desktop.
- Requests include: bigger comment/action buttons, better keyboard navigation, and mobile font-size support.
UX goals, product thinking & features
- Commenters challenge “be modern” as a goal; they ask for explicit pain points and requirements.
- Features mentioned (PWA, dark mode, infinite scroll) are criticized as solutions without clear user problems.
- Several stress that HN’s strength is fast load, simplicity, and high information density; improvements should build on that, not replace it.
Design details & visual choices
- Icons on the left are widely seen as wasted space unless they convey necessary information (e.g., job posts).
- Hashtag-style usernames are confusing; people are not topics.
- Date formatting: debate over full timestamps vs “X minutes ago”; consensus leans toward “ago” for recent, full dates for older.
- Some like the improved legibility; others argue classic HN typography, while imperfect, is already highly readable for them.
Technology & robustness concerns
- Several object to heavy JS/React/Next stacks, preferring no-JS compatibility and minimal payloads.
- One user reports the new site doesn’t work on older iOS; this reinforces appreciation for HN’s robust, minimal HTML.