Show HN: A native macOS client for Hacker News, built with SwiftUI

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Overall Reception & Use Cases

  • Many commenters praise the app’s speed, small size (~2MB), native feel, and low RAM vs browsers, saying they could see themselves using it instead of the website.
  • Some see it as akin to a native RSS/NetNewsWire-style HN reader and like having HN as a “real app” integrated into macOS window management, rather than “just another browser tab.”
  • Others question the point of a native client that closely mirrors the web UI and relies on a webview for comments, arguing a browser already does this with better extensions.

Requested Features & Rapid Iterations

  • Most common request: adjustable text size / zoom for comments and UI, especially on high‑DPI displays and for older eyes. The developer quickly shipped a text-size setting.
  • Other frequently requested features:
    • Keyboard-driven navigation (posts vs comments, j/k, arrows, etc.).
    • Split-pane view (article | comments) – later added.
    • Tabs / multiple pages support (exists via macOS tab bar).
    • Theme controls (HN-like colors, light/dark overrides) – partially added.
    • Follow/block users, user notes, better comment navigation (top-level only, expand with arrows).
    • Native (non-webview) comment rendering; WYSIWYG or improved editing.
    • Open-in-browser button, CMD+F search across comments, export of one’s own comments.
  • Requests for future platforms: iOS, tvOS, and cross‑platform analogues.

Ad Blocking, Security & Licensing

  • Built-in ad blocking via a precompiled WebKit rule list is seen as a good start, but some users want uBlock Origin–level protection and trust established filter lists.
  • Discussion notes GPLv3 vs MIT incompatibility with reusing uBlock code; some suggest GPLv3 for better adblocking, others say changing license for a secondary feature isn’t wise.
  • Security-conscious users hesitate to browse the wider web in a minimal in-app WebView without their usual extensions, anti‑fingerprinting, and mature auditing story.

Native vs Browser & Alternatives

  • Debate over whether native HN clients “make sense” vs:
    • Browser + extensions (uBlock, HN UX extensions).
    • RSS readers (e.g., NetNewsWire).
    • Terminal clients (hnterminal).
  • Pro‑native arguments: tighter OS integration, better keyboard shortcuts, focused window, less tab overload.
  • Critics call it “just a limited browser” with little UI improvement over HN’s “abysmal threading.”

Tooling, OS Support & Meta

  • Several appreciate the open CI setup for macOS code signing/notarization and use of SwiftUI with relatively little code.
  • Some lament being locked out on macOS 13 and older Intel Macs; Apple’s aggressive OS cutoff is contrasted with longer Windows support.
  • There’s a side discussion on acknowledging AI tools (Claude) as contributors and whether that’s good transparency or unwanted branding.