Show HN: I was tired of opening 2 tabs for every HN link, so I made a userscript

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

A small userscript that automatically shows Hacker News comments alongside any linked article has resonated with many readers who habitually open separate tabs for story and discussion. Commenters compare this approach with built‑in browser split‑view features and dedicated extensions, weighing trade‑offs between ease of use, privacy (e.g., sending every visited URL to Algolia), and implementation complexity. The thread also surfaces broader ideas such as blending comment threads across duplicate submissions, default behaviors for mobile, and whether features like tabs and splits should live in the browser, the window manager, or lightweight user scripts.

Use case & appeal

  • Many commenters share the habit of opening two tabs per HN item (article + comments) and find the script’s automation satisfying.
  • Users like being able to see article and discussion together, especially for technical posts where comments can correct or deepen the article.
  • Some people admit they only read comments and joke that “no one is supposed to click TFA.”

Alternatives & built-in browser features

  • Several point out built‑in split view / tab tiling in Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Vivaldi, and tiling window managers, which can show article and comments side‑by‑side.
  • Others describe workflows using middle‑click, back/forward navigation, or custom keyboard shortcuts in other HN extensions.

Userscript vs extension

  • Supporters of userscripts like:
    • Easier cross‑browser development and distribution.
    • Transparency and simple inspection of code.
    • Lower friction for small tweaks versus full extensions.
  • Others argue a dedicated extension would be more discoverable for non‑technical users, and some suggest integrating this into existing HN extensions.

Privacy & data concerns

  • A key critique: the script currently sends every visited URL to the HN Algolia API to check for discussions, potentially leaking full URLs and query strings.
  • Suggestions include:
    • Triggering the lookup only when activated on HN pages.
    • Sanitizing URLs (origin + path only).
    • Using approaches like Bloom filters to avoid external requests until a button is pressed.

Handling duplicates & advanced features

  • The script normalizes URLs and uses Algolia to find one matching submission; multiple submissions are not yet fully handled.
  • There is enthusiasm for a “blended comments” view aggregating all HN threads for the same URL; an initial implementation is linked.
  • Feedback includes wanting comment voting in the sidebar and controlling default collapsed/expanded states, especially on mobile.

Window/tab management philosophies

  • Some argue feature 1 (automatic two‑pane viewing) reflects poor window management and should be solved at the desktop/WM level, not per‑app.
  • Others defend heavy tab usage with tree‑style tab managers, pane systems, and note that many people prefer in‑browser organization over global WM control.