Show HN: Haystack – an IDE for exploring and editing code on an infinite canvas

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Overall reception

  • Many commenters find the infinite-canvas, snippet-focused approach fresh and appealing, especially for understanding large codebases and reducing tab clutter.
  • Others are skeptical that it improves much over standard multi-pane editors or window managers, and some anticipate window chaos and fatigue from manual layout.

Canvas-based UX & navigation

  • Strong interest in spatial navigation: zoomable overview, clustering related files/functions, and using spatial memory instead of tab bars.
  • Some feel the current demo underplays the “infinite canvas” aspect and looks like ordinary overlapping windows; they want clear zooming between high-level views and focused flows.
  • Several want grouping, labels, colors, sticky notes, manual arrows/links, and easy layout save/restore per feature or task.
  • Others prefer minimal, single-window workflows and see infinite canvases as potentially overwhelming.
  • Research on prior canvas editors is cited suggesting “too much freedom” can slow navigation; suggestions include tiling, auto-placement, or grid/ribbon layouts.

AI integration & privacy

  • The tool sends code snippets to OpenAI for a “navigational copilot,” initially without opt-out; multiple users cannot use it at work or are uncomfortable with default-on.
  • An opt-out has since been added (first on macOS, then Linux; Windows planned), but some still question the value of built-in AI vs existing editor extensions.

Platform, language & tooling support

  • Initially macOS-only; Linux and Windows builds were added quickly in response to feedback.
  • Some request JetBrains/IntelliJ integration and remote-SSH workflows.
  • Navigation relies on language servers; Python is currently unsupported due to VS Code’s server not being open source. Users report issues with React/JSX/TSX, Go, hover, and Jupyter notebooks.

Desired features & future directions

  • Requests include: call/dependency graphs for functions (not just class methods), PR review visualizations, deep type-checker integration, git history/churn/performance heatmaps, debugging/profiling overlays, and non-linear notebook-like execution.
  • Several note this overlaps with or evolves ideas from tools like Code Bubbles, Sourcetrail, LabView, Smalltalk browsers, Obsidian Canvas, and various research IDEs.

Naming, commercialization, and openness

  • Some object to the “Haystack” name due to existing projects; others note such conflicts are common and acceptable if domains differ.
  • A few want it open source; lack of a repo is a deal-breaker for them.
  • Monetization ideas center on keeping visualization free and charging for advanced AI/refactoring features.