How to Get to the Front Page of Hacker News (Show HN)
What makes a Show HN post land: format, timing, the first comment, and how to handle the thread in the first two hours.
Getting a Show HN post onto the Hacker News front page comes down to four things: a working demo people can try, a title that states the facts, posting at the right time, and replying to comments soon after the post goes live.
Early engagement matters, so success is partly about preparation and partly about staying active in the thread. There is no reliable way to game the system without risking penalties, so do not try.
Hacker News can send a significant amount of high-quality traffic when a post reaches the front page. It is also one of the few places where a new founder with an interesting project can receive more attention than a well-funded competitor simply because the project is useful or technically impressive.
Here is how to give yourself the best chance.
First, make sure your project fits Show HN
Show HN has specific guidelines, and posts that do not follow them may be removed. It is intended for projects people can actually try, such as software, a website, or hardware that can be demonstrated in a video.
If your project is not ready for people to use, do not post it yet. Wait until it is.
The project should be something you built and can discuss directly. It is fine if it is still early or slightly rough. The community is comfortable with works in progress. However, a landing page with only a “Join the waitlist” button is not enough.
The title matters
Hacker News does not respond well to hype. Your title should be simple and direct:
Show HN: [Your Project] – [what it does]
Avoid buzzwords, exclamation points, unnecessary version numbers, and claims that your product is “revolutionary.” Focus on specific outcomes instead.
For example, “Show HN: I cut my AWS bill by 82% with a 200-line Lambda function” is more compelling than “How I saved money on AWS.”
Clearly explain what your project does and what makes it interesting, then let the work speak for itself.
When to post
Early engagement can help your post gain visibility. Hacker News rankings decay over time, so receiving several votes soon after posting can be more valuable than receiving the same number gradually over several hours.
Post when your target audience is likely to be awake and at their computers.
Good times to consider include:
- Tuesday to Thursday, around 8 to 10 a.m. Eastern Time, when many engineers are checking the news before starting their workday.
- Sunday evening, when there may be fewer competing submissions and more people browsing casually.
- Avoid Monday mornings, when people are catching up on work, and Friday afternoons, when people are winding down for the weekend.
There is no guaranteed perfect time, but these windows can give your post a better chance of being seen.
How to launch your post
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Have a working demo ready. Do not send people to a waitlist. The link should show your project working, and ideally, visitors should be able to try it without creating an account.
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Write your first comment before posting. As soon as the submission goes live, add a comment explaining why you built the project, the technical decisions you made, what you are still working on, and any specific feedback you would like.
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Stay active in the comments. Answer questions genuinely, acknowledge useful criticism, and avoid becoming defensive. Thoughtful replies can keep the discussion active and show that you care about the community’s feedback.
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Share the link with your real audience, but do not ask people to vote. Soliciting votes is against Hacker News guidelines and can result in your post being penalized.
If you do not make the front page
Do not delete the post and immediately submit it again. Repeatedly reposting the same project can get it flagged.
Hacker News moderators occasionally give promising submissions another chance by placing them in a second-chance pool. If your post does not perform well, leave it alone and learn from the response.
You may be able to submit the project again later if it has changed significantly or you have a genuinely new angle, but do not repeatedly repost the same submission.
How to handle comments
Hacker News comments can be direct and occasionally harsh, but many questions come from genuine curiosity.
Your job is to remain calm, respectful, and helpful. If someone identifies a real problem, acknowledge it instead of deflecting. Explain your reasoning, share what you learned, and be honest about the project’s limitations.
Founders who respond thoughtfully often continue receiving attention and useful feedback even after launch day.
Where Okara fits in
A successful Show HN launch mostly comes down to preparation, a clear title, a strong first comment, good timing, and active participation in the discussion.
Okara’s Hacker News agent can help you draft your submission and first comment in a style that fits the community, so you do not have to start from scratch. You can review and edit everything before posting, while remaining fully responsible for the final submission and discussion.
Frequently asked questions
When should I post a Show HN?
Tuesday to Thursday, around 8 to 10 a.m. Eastern Time, is a good starting point. Sunday evening may also work because there are often fewer competing submissions. However, timing alone cannot guarantee that your post will reach the front page.
Can I ask my friends to vote for my post?
No. Hacker News does not allow vote solicitation. Share the post with people who are genuinely interested in the project, but do not ask them to upvote it.
My project is only a landing page. Can I still post it?
Usually not. Show HN is intended for projects people can use or meaningfully experience. A landing page or waitlist without a working product is unlikely to qualify.
What should I include in my first comment?
Explain why you built the project, how it works, the technical decisions you made, what you are still improving, and what kind of feedback you want. Write the comment before publishing so you can add it as soon as the post goes live.
What should I do if my post does not reach the front page?
Do not delete and immediately repost it. Leave the submission up, review the feedback, and improve the project. You can consider submitting it again later if you have made meaningful changes or have a genuinely different story to share.