How to Declutter Hacker News: Using a Browser Extension to H
Key takeaways
- The "Enough AI on HN" extension automatically hides AI‑related submissions on Hacker News, reducing information overload.
- Installation is straightforward for both Chrome and Firefox, with optional manual setup via the GitHub repository.
- Users can customize the keyword list to fine‑tune which posts are filtered, and can toggle the filter on or off at any time.
- The extension is open‑source, MIT‑licensed, and encourages community contributions for new keywords or site support.
- The concept can be extended to other platforms, enabling topic‑specific content filtering beyond Hacker News.
Hacker News (HN) has long been the go‑to forum for developers, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts to discuss the latest breakthroughs. In recent months, however, the front page has become saturated with AI‑related headlines—ranging from new large language model releases to speculative "AI will replace programmers" op‑eds. While many readers are genuinely interested in these topics, the sheer volume can drown out other valuable discussions about security, hardware, open‑source projects, and startup culture.
Enter the "Enough AI on HN" browser extension, a lightweight tool that automatically hides submissions containing AI‑related keywords. Built by the GitHub user ColdPie1, the extension offers a simple way to reclaim the HN experience without manually filtering each story.
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What the Extension Does
- Detects AI‑related keywords in the title of each post (e.g., "AI," "ChatGPT," "GPT‑4," "large language model," "stable diffusion"). - Hides matching submissions from the feed, preserving the original order of non‑AI stories. - Provides a toggle in the extension’s popup to enable or disable the filter on the fly. - Works on both Chrome and Firefox, leveraging the WebExtensions API for cross‑browser compatibility.
The extension does not modify the underlying HN site; it simply applies a client‑side CSS class to hide the matching <tr> elements. This means the filter is reversible, privacy‑friendly, and does not depend on any external servers.
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Installing the Extension
Chrome (or Chromium‑based browsers) 1. Open the **Chrome Web Store** and search for *Enough AI on HN* (or visit the direct link provided in the GitHub README). 2. Click **Add to Chrome** → **Add extension**. 3. Once installed, you’ll see the extension’s icon next to the address bar.
Firefox 1. Navigate to **addons.mozilla.org** and search for *Enough AI on HN*. 2. Click **Add to Firefox** → **Add**. 3. Confirm the permissions and the icon will appear in the toolbar.
If you prefer a manual install, you can clone the repository from GitHub, run npm install && npm run build, and load the unpacked extension via the browser’s developer mode.
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Configuring the Filter
The default keyword list covers the most common AI terms, but you can tailor it to your preferences:
`json
// Example of custom keywords (stored in localStorage)
{
"keywords": ["AI", "ChatGPT", "GPT-4", "stable diffusion", "midjourney", "Claude"]
}
`
1. Click the extension icon to open the popup. 2. Select Settings → Edit Keywords. 3. Add or remove terms, one per line. 4. Click Save; the page will refresh and apply the new filter.
You can also temporarily disable the filter by toggling the Enable Filter switch, useful when you want to browse AI content without uninstalling the extension.
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The Philosophy Behind the Filter
The creator of the extension, ColdPie1, explained on the GitHub project page that the tool is not an anti‑AI statement. Instead, it addresses a specific user experience problem: information overload. By giving readers agency over what appears on their feed, the extension aligns with HN’s community‑driven ethos of relevance and depth.
> “If you’re tired of seeing AI headlines every other post, you shouldn’t have to scroll past them manually. This extension simply automates what many already do with their own mental filters.” – ColdPie1
The project is open‑source under the MIT license, encouraging contributions such as adding new keyword patterns, supporting additional sites (e.g., Reddit’s r/technology), or integrating with user scripts like Tampermonkey.
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Potential Pitfalls & How to Mitigate Them
| Issue | Impact | Mitigation |
|-------|--------|------------|
| False Positives – Non‑AI posts that contain AI terms (e.g., "AI‑powered battery technology"). | Relevant content may be hidden unintentionally. | Refine keyword list; use phrase matching ("AI-powered" vs. plain AI). |
| Missing Edge Cases – New AI terminology not yet in the list (e.g., "Gemini" from Google). | Some AI posts slip through. | Periodically update keywords; enable community contributions via pull requests. |
| Performance – Large HN pages could cause a brief UI flicker when the script runs. | Slight visual disruption. | The script runs after DOMContentLoaded; modern browsers handle it smoothly. |
Overall, the extension’s lightweight nature keeps performance impact negligible for typical HN sessions.
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Extending the Concept Beyond Hacker News
The success of this simple filter sparks ideas for broader applications:
- Customizable content blockers for news aggregators (e.g., Feedly, Inoreader). - Topic‑specific hide/show toggles for forums like Reddit or Stack Exchange. - Integration with AI‑driven summarizers that only surface concise abstracts of filtered posts.
Because the tool relies on standard WebExtension APIs, developers can fork the repo and adapt the logic to any site that presents a list of links.
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Final Thoughts
In an era where AI dominates headlines, it’s easy to feel the conversation is one‑dimensional. The Enough AI on HN extension empowers readers to curate their own experience, ensuring that the diversity of topics that makes Hacker News valuable isn’t lost to a single trend.
Whether you’re a seasoned HN regular craving a cleaner feed, or a newcomer who wants to focus on non‑AI discussions, this open‑source tool offers a painless, reversible solution. Install it today, tweak the keyword list to suit your tastes, and rediscover the breadth of conversation that makes Hacker News a timeless community.
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Happy reading, and may your HN front page be ever relevant!