Show HN: HN Companion – web app that enhances the experience of reading HN

Source: Hacker News

A browser extension to read Hacker News faster with context‑aware AI summaries that highlight key debates and contrasting viewpoints. Jump straight to relevant comments and fly through threads with keyboard shortcuts. No tracking. Vim‑style keybindings. Open source.

Summaries Built for HN

Get the gist of long discussions with HN‑aware AI summaries.

• Understands thread hierarchy and conversation flow
• Highlights important debates and contrasting viewpoints
• Captures key perspectives and notable side discussions
• Surfaces what the community values most

Learn how it works • Try it in the web app

Follow the Conversation

Find interesting topics and continue the discussion.

• Jump to specific comments from the summary
• Navigate to other comments by the same author
• User profile info on hover

Fully Customizable

Choose your model, customize your prompts.

• Bring your own API key (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, OpenRouter)
• Or use free cached summaries
• Customize system & user prompts

Works with:

Keyboard‑First Navigation

Vim‑inspired keyboard shortcuts.

• j/k – move between sibling comments
• h/l – navigate the comment tree
• c – collapse threads instantly

Privacy First

No tracking. No analytics. No compromises.

• Generate summaries locally with Ollama
• Zero analytics or tracking
• Fully open source (MIT License)

Powered by:
Ollama • GitHub

See How It Works

Watch a quick demo or see what it looks like in action.

Frequently Asked Questions

What gets summarized, and where do I see it?

HN Companion adds a summary panel directly on Hacker News. Summarize comment threads with a single click, then read a short, focused overview before diving in.

How does the summarization understand HN threads?

Unlike generic summarizers, HN Companion preserves the hierarchical structure of conversations. It tracks parent‑child relationships, captures diverse viewpoints, and identifies topic shifts, so summaries reflect the actual flow of HN discussions. Learn more.

Which browsers are supported?

Chrome, Firefox, and Edge are officially supported. The extension also works on other Chromium‑based browsers such as Brave, Arc, and Vivaldi.

Is HN Companion free to use?

Yes! It is completely free and open source. Use the free cached summaries or bring your own API key for more control.

How do cached summaries work?

Popular discussions are pre‑generated and cached on our servers. If a cached summary exists, you receive it instantly for free; otherwise you can generate a fresh summary with your own API key.

What permissions does the extension need?

HN Companion runs only on Hacker News pages and stores settings locally. It does not send browsing data or API keys to any server.

What if I don’t want to install a browser extension?

You can use the web app at app.hncompanion.com or use the bookmarklet.

Does the extension collect my data?

No. There is zero analytics or tracking. API keys are stored locally in your browser and never sent elsewhere. Summaries can also be generated entirely locally using Ollama. See our Privacy Policy.

Which AI models are supported?

OpenAI (GPT‑4, GPT‑3.5), Anthropic (Claude), Google (Gemini), OpenRouter, and local models via Ollama. Free cached summaries are also available without any API key.

How do the keyboard shortcuts work?

Vim‑inspired navigation: j/k to move between sibling comments, h/l to traverse the comment tree, c to collapse threads, and ? to view all shortcuts.

Is HN Companion open source?

Yes, it is released under the MIT license. View, contribute, or fork the project on GitHub.

Get HN Companion for Your Browser

Available on all major browsers:

• Add to Chrome
• Add to Firefox
• Add to Edge

Prefer no install? Try the web app or use the bookmarklet.