hacker news data story · vol 2

Show HN
Hall of Fame.

Show HN is exclusive. But how hard is it to get on HN's good graces? What projects have done well over the years? Let's find out. Presenting, Show HN Hall of Fame!
Vol 1: Build Something Cool? Show HN. → Vol 2: Show HN Hall of Fame. Yearly Top 10 (you’re here!) Vol 3: Is HN getting meaner or is that a myth? → (WIP!)

Launches that reached >= 250 points

—%

of all — Show HN posts

Builders who did it >=3 times

—%

of all — builders

Top 10 Launches each year
Demo Dev tool Writing Hardware Other

2026

01section33Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s19 Jul 2026Demo2,935 02Jrh0203Show HN: ElevatorsDemo1,594 03mikemcquaidShow HN: Homebrew 6.0.0Dev tool1,481 04cannoneyedShow HN: isometric.nyc – giant isometric pixel art map of NYCDemo1,325 05lizhangShow HN: Performative-UI – A react component library of design tropesDev tool1,181 06pompomsheepShow HN: 18 WordsDemo1,160 07starfallgShow HN: Bento - An entire PowerPoint in one HTML file (edit+view+data+collab)Demo1,029 08Jaso1024Show HN: A game where you build a GPUDemo964 09vfornoShow HN: Getting GLM 5.2 running on my slow computerDev tool937 10armanifiedShow HN: I built a tiny LLM to demystify how language models workDev tool915

2025

01keepamovinShow HN: Gemini Pro 3 imagines the HN front page 10 years from now9 Dec 2025Demo3,346 02byranShow HN: I made an open-source laptop from scratchHardware3,237 03newobjShow HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on SteamDemo1,581 04lukeigelShow HN: Jmail – Google Suite for Epstein filesDemo1,557 05jameshardingShow HN: I'm an airline pilot – I built interactive graphs/globes of my flightsDemo1,539 06ThomasRinsmaShow HN: Tetris in a PDFDemo1,289 07random_moonwalkShow HN: I built a synth for my daughterDemo1,278 08risquerShow HN: I built an app to stop me doomscrolling by touching grassDemo1,203 09kafkedShow HN: A store that generates products from anything you type in searchDemo1,184 10benholmenShow HN: I spent 6 years building a ridiculous wooden pixel displayHardware1,145

2024

01hadisafaShow HN: If YouTube had actual channels14 Aug 2024Demo2,741 02ent101Show HN: 3 years and 1M users later, I just open-sourced my "Internet OS"Dev tool1,274 03clementpikiShow HN: I created an After Effects alternativeDemo1,150 04nezajShow HN: InstantDB – A Modern FirebaseDev tool1,145 05kentonvShow HN: I built a(nother) house optimized for LAN partiesDemo1,117 06MCSPShow HN: I made a puzzle game that gently introduces my favorite math mysteriesDemo1,054 07KalabasaShow HN: htmz – a low power tool for HTMLDev tool1,020 08AmithvShow HN: I made a website to find best bus seat to avoid the sun while travelingDemo963 09kwiensShow HN: iFixit created a new USB-C, repairable soldering systemHardware928 10a-fadilShow HN: Wealthfolio: Private, open-source investment trackerDemo924

2023

01jjcmShow HN: Non.io, a Reddit-like platform Ive been working on for the last 4 years12 Jun 2023Demo1,943 02eroheadShow HN: Beeper Mini – iMessage client for AndroidDemo1,521 03rushingcreekShow HN: GPT-4-powered web searches for developersDemo1,401 04aquaVitaeShow HN: Boring Report, a news app that uses AI to desensationalize the newsDemo1,166 05brycedShow HN: New AI edits images based on text instructionsDev tool1,098 06jonatanheymanShow HN: Heynote – A dedicated scratchpad for developersDemo1,063 07VinceniusShow HN: Workout.lol – a web app to easily create a workout routineDemo993 08deathbypenguinShow HN: Hacker News user blogrollDev tool937 09remiloufShow HN: LLMs can generate valid JSON 100% of the timeDev tool854 10eschluntzShow HN: I automated half of my typingDev tool815

2022

01drcodeShow HN: I may have created a new type of puzzle18 Sep 2022Demo1,859 02lukehollisShow HN: I 3D scanned the interior of the Great Pyramid at GizaDemo1,752 03ericaxShow HN: Obsidian Canvas – An infinite space for your ideasDemo1,380 04theturtletalksShow HN: I'm building an open-source AmazonDev tool1,335 05mprime1Show HN: Portable Secret – How I store my secrets and communicate privatelyDev tool1,290 06vasanthvShow HN: Looptap – A minimal game to waste your timeDemo1,241 07manceraioShow HN: SHA-256 explained step-by-step visuallyWriting1,241 08iliketrainsShow HN: A friend and I spent 6 years making a simulation game, finally releasedDemo1,157 09jonahssShow HN: Trading cards made with e-ink displaysHardware1,149 10lessmilkShow HN: I made a web game called Almost PongDemo1,135

2021

01jartShow HN: Redbean – Single-file distributable web server26 Feb 2021Dev tool1,998 02sexy_yearShow HN: Can’t afford Bloomberg Terminal? No prob, I built the next best thingDev tool1,422 03tracyhenryShow HN: 40k HN comments mentioning books, extracted using deep learningWriting1,359 04somebeeShow HN: Imba – I have spent 7 years creating a programming language for the webDev tool1,216 05linuz90Show HN: Lofi.cafeDemo1,192 06vishnumohandasShow HN: We built an end-to-end encrypted alternative to Google PhotosDemo1,180 07epermyakovShow HN: I wrote my own RTS game engine in CDev tool1,102 08hamaluikShow HN: My wife is pregnant; naturally I made a baby-name app to prepareDemo1,077 09hyfergShow HN: Web browser to help programmers think clearlyDev tool1,070 10bananabatShow HN: I'm 48 and finally learning how to be a game developerDemo985

2020

01OctouroborosShow HN: I made a site where you practice typing by retyping entire novels6 Oct 2020Demo1,589 02hubraumhugoShow HN: I built a Rotten Tomatoes-style platform for durable productsDemo1,392 03ericaxShow HN: Obsidian – A knowledge base that works on local Markdown filesDemo1,087 04inershaShow HN: SHA-256 AnimationDemo1,053 05swightonShow HN: A basketball hoop to maximize shots that go in [video]Hardware971 06turtlesoupShow HN: This Word Does Not ExistDemo956 07michaelaubryShow HN: I built an After Effects for dummiesDemo868 08kickscondorShow HN: FraidycatDemo807 09leeoniyaShow HN: Plotting 3 years of hourly data in 150msDev tool785 10snori74Show HN: Linux sysadmin course, eight years onWriting780

2019

01pkillerShow HN: A retro video game console I've been working on in my free time14 Mar 2019Hardware2,690 02pgShow HN: BelWriting1,288 03dieulotShow HN: Make your site’s pages instant in one minuteDev tool1,214 04lovasoaShow HN: I taught my little brother JS, and he made this videogame in a weekDemo1,079 05dmarbyShow HN: Lorem Picsum – Lorem Ipsum but for photosDev tool880 06modelessShow HN: See a Satellite Tonight. No Telescope RequiredDemo863 07FiloSottileShow HN: Mkcert – Valid HTTPS certificates for localhostDev tool839 08JaneOriShow HN: Cyberpunk web design made easy, really easyDev tool775 09yaj54Show HN: HN.Academy – Top online courses recommended by Hacker News usersWriting773 10_3linShow HN: Bloom – A free and open source 'Google'Demo747

2018

01jwngrShow HN: Six Degrees of Wikipedia26 Feb 2018Demo1,176 02shihnShow HN: RoughJS – Create hand-drawn graphics using JavaScriptDev tool1,087 03liamilanShow HN: I'm 12, learning JS, and wrote Wolfram's cellular automaton in NodeDemo1,072 04AdriaanvRossumShow HN: I made a privacy-first minimalist Google AnalyticsDev tool968 05tombhShow HN: Browsh – A modern, text-based browserDemo967 06jskinnerShow HN: Sublime Merge – A Git client from the makers of Sublime TextDev tool935 07rpedenShow HN: My embarrassing personal website from the 90sWriting867 08jsomersShow HN: Hacker News ClassicsWriting864 09nbeShow HN: Termtosvg – Record terminal sessions as SVG animationsDev tool767 10zckaoShow HN: Select Star SQL, an interactive SQL bookWriting700

2017

01fivesigmaShow HN: Airmash – Multiplayer Missile Warfare HTML5 Game10 Dec 2017Demo1,535 02jacquesmShow HN: Sorting Two Metric Tons of LegoDemo1,264 03kasumis_Show HN: Privacy-focused, ad-free, non-tracking torrent search engineDemo1,183 04jwilmShow HN: Alacritty, a GPU-accelerated terminal emulator written in RustDev tool1,170 05hackerewsShow HN: Get Paid to Build Your Next Side ProjectDemo1,100 06robinhoodShow HN: Monica, an open-source CRM to manage friends and familyDemo1,097 07AlexMuirShow HN: A stop-motion video of an engineWriting845 08truffle_pigShow HN: Is the stock market going to crash?Demo813 09bbxShow HN: A guide to all HTML5 elements and attributesDev tool728 10bfirshShow HN: Arxiv Vanity – Read academic papers from Arxiv as responsive web pagesDemo721

2016

01bbxShow HN: Web Design in 4 minutes26 Jul 2016Writing1,624 02ExUtumnoShow HN: Wave function collapse algorithmDev tool1,226 03bbxShow HN: A visual guide to the most popular CSS propertiesDev tool1,117 04mewo2Show HN: Generating fantasy maps – an interactive explorationDev tool1,004 05CapiraShow HN: Your Social Media Fingerprint (maybe NSFW)Demo911 06foglemanShow HN: Primitive PicturesDev tool894 07arechsteinerShow HN: I made an interactive Bootstrap 4 cheat sheetDev tool847 08petermolyneuxShow HN: New calendar app ideaDemo825 09jbranchaudShow HN: I've been writing daily TILs for a yearDev tool819 10foglemanShow HN: Primitive for macOSDev tool798

2015

01hannahmittShow HN: Make a programmable mirror11 Sep 2015Dev tool1,172 02mhurwiShow HN: Open Hunt – an open and community-run alternative to Product HuntDemo1,093 03FiloSottileShow HN: My SSH server knows who you areDev tool836 04losvedirShow HN: This page exists only if someone is looking at itDemo803 05jbottShow HN: Twitch Installs Arch Linux – A cooperative text-based horror gameDemo802 06createmyaccountShow HN: A tool that transforms your whole list with just one exampleDev tool764 07dhotsonShow HN: Something pointless I madeDemo747 08damjanstankovicShow HN: I spent a year making an electro-mechanical prototype of a liquid clockHardware681 09undershirtShow HN: Parinfer – a simpler way to write LispDev tool674 10sosslesShow HN: TwentyDemo666

2014

01dangShow HN: Show HN3 Jul 2014Other1,302 02vicapowShow HN: Markov chains explained visuallyWriting1,070 03timmorganShow HN: OneBody Church Directory software I've been hacking on for 7 yearsDemo1,020 04greenwallsShow HN: I got hacked, felt paranoid, made an app – GlassWireDemo1,013 05ejjpiShow HN: Pangoly – Build your shiny new PCDemo778 06pranadeShow HN: Kimono – Never write a web scraper againDev tool717 07artursapekShow HN: I open-sourced my web app alternative to IllustratorDemo644 08pieterhgShow HN: NomadList – The best cities to live and work remotely inDemo639 09stagasShow HN: Wavepot – Digital audio workstation of the webDemo625 10leenyShow HN: Free, anonymous coding interview practiceDemo604

2013

01gkobergerShow HN: XKCD-inspired StackSort18 Mar 2013Demo948 02seanalltogetherShow HN: 6 months ago I quit my job to pursue indie dev. Here is our first gameDemo858 03g3Show HN: My x86 emulator written in JavaScriptDev tool765 04lgsilverShow HN: My seven minute workout timer evening projectDemo760 05papa_bearShow HN: Automatic weekly meal planner, also plans your leftoversDemo747 06gnicholasShow HN: Ditch Black Text to Read Faster, EasierDemo739 07afshinmehShow HN: Weekend project, Intro.jsDev tool716 08gamegoblinShow HN: Probabilistically Generating HN Post TitlesDemo683 09dr_winShow HN: a web-based xkcd-style comix editorDemo586 10jacobnShow HN: Remove backgrounds from images onlineDemo571

2012

01olalondeShow HN: This up votes itself23 Mar 2012Demo3,531 02geoffschmidtShow HN: Meteor, a realtime JavaScript frameworkDev tool1,386 03taxonomymanShow HN: Imagine a search engine that removed top million sites from its indexDemo552 04nddrylliogShow HN: movies.io — torrent search like it should beDemo550 05okalShow HN: Hackershelf. Community curated collection of legally free booksWriting532 06jamestShow HN: Firebase, a scalable real-time backendDev tool526 07ashastryShow HN: We got tired of asking 'What browser are you using?' and created thisDemo521 08fiblyeShow HN: I spent two years working on an HTML5 game. I finally released itDemo515 09adrianhShow HN: Soundslice – YouTube + synced guitar tabs + HTML5Demo492 10plehouxShow HN: fontBomb - Stylishly destroy the webDev tool489

2011

01zdsShow HN: Codecademy.com, the easiest way to learn to code18 Aug 2011Demo787 02ghemptonShow HN: I Created the Inverse of Angry BirdsDemo625 03sbashyalShow HN: Like Button for Hacker NewsDev tool568 04eroheadShow HN: Our new $149 hackable Bluetooth wristwatch Hardware460 05brettwelchShow HN: Entire concerts algorithmically "reconstructed" from YouTube videosDemo435 06sahillavingiaShow HN: my weekend project, GumroadDemo396 07matthiasShow HN: A storebuilder contained in a single text areaDemo389 08coderdudeShow HN: HackerThings - Products for hackersDemo364 09sant0sk1Show HN: HN Trends - like Google Trends, but for Hacker NewsDemo355 10thibaut_barrereShow HN: HackerBooks.comDemo351
All time Top builders

The top 0.03%

— people have posted a Show HN. — of them have posts with >= 250 points at least once. Thirty four have done it more than three times and no one has more than six.

So yeah, I'd say Show HN is still pretty niche and exclusive (and a good signal for something cool).

Most hits ever · six

fogleman

6 hits · 23 launches · 494 avg points

Best strike rate · five from six

erohead

5 hits · 6 launches · 803 avg points

Four hits

9 people

bbx4/18 jart4/10 FiloSottile4/14 koch4/29 antimatter154/10 scubakid4/8 Jack0004/27 levkk4/8 Sean-Der4/53

Three hits

23 people

ericax3/6 shihn3/26 rushingcreek3/6 namuorg3/17 pompomsheep3/11 mholt3/14 paulgb3/9 javierbyte3/13 maxkrieger3/4 jacobn3/15 leeoniya3/11 ryry3/9 negrit3/9 StavrosK3/31 adtac3/22 atum473/240 simonw3/17 ddevault3/12 ivanceras3/26 irsina3/68 qrv3w3/59 zachlatta3/41 Fileformat3/13

Hits / total launches · click to go to their Hacker News profile

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@vivekVol 2: Show HN Hall of Fame