Show HN: how to launch your project on Hacker News
What Show HN accepts, how to write the title and text, how ranking works and how to handle the thread, based on Hacker News guidelines and moderator advice.
In short: Show HN is for things people can try right now. Use a plain title, write the backstory yourself, stay to answer every comment and never ask for votes.
A Show HN is a Hacker News post that shares something you made and that people can try right now. To launch well: make the project usable without a sign-up, start the title with "Show HN:" followed by a plain description, write the backstory yourself, post when you can stay online, and answer every comment as a peer. Never ask anyone for votes.
Hacker News readers are mostly developers and founders. They are generous with detailed feedback and quick to punish anything that reads like an ad. This guide is built on the official rules and moderator advice, checked on October 21, 2026.
What counts as a Show HN
The Show HN guidelines define it simply: something you made that other people can play with.
On topic: software people can run, hardware (with a video or detailed article), a sample chapter of a book.
Off topic: blog posts, sign-up pages, newsletters, lists and other reading material. Landing pages and fundraisers are explicitly excluded.
Three more rules catch makers out:
- The project must be your own work, and you must be around to discuss it.
- It should be non-trivial. The guidelines now warn against quickly generated one-offs.
- Upgrades are not new launches. "Version 1.3 is out" is not a Show HN; a major overhaul can be.
Early-stage work is welcome. The page says a Show HN does not need to look slick.
Get the project ready to be tried
Moderator dang's tips for Show HN posts add practical advice:
- Remove barriers. No mandatory sign-up or confirmation email if you can avoid it. You get more feedback, and readers get annoyed by hoops.
- Use a personal username. An account named after your product feels like promotion.
- Add your email to your profile so moderators can contact you, sometimes with an invitation to repost.
If your product needs an account, consider a demo mode or a sample workspace for launch day.
Write a plain, factual title
The title is your whole pitch on the listing page. The Hacker News guidelines ask submitters not to make titles stand out with capitals, exclamation marks or claims of greatness, and to drop gratuitous numbers.
A reliable pattern: Show HN: [Name] - [what it does, in plain words]. For example (illustrative only): "Show HN: Tallyline - a local-first time tracker for freelancers". Avoid superlatives such as fastest, best or first.
Write the backstory text by hand
A good Show HN includes text that frames the discussion. dang's tips list what to include:
- A clear statement of what the project is or does. Otherwise the thread becomes "I can't tell what this is."
- The backstory: how you came to work on it.
- What is different about it, with technical details.
- Links to relevant previous Hacker News threads.
If the text does not appear at the top of your submission, add it as the first comment. Both are fine.
His 2026 edit adds a strong warning: write the text yourself and do not use an AI model to generate or polish it, because the community reacts badly to that style.
The Launch HN writing advice, written for YC companies but useful for everyone, sums up the tone: talk to readers as peers, not customers or investors. Don't sell; interest them and let them decide. Modest language is stronger. Be clear about pricing and how you make money.
How Show HN ranking works
The Hacker News FAQ explains the basics:
- Ranking divides points by a power of the time since submission, so early attention matters.
- Flags, anti-abuse software, overheated discussions and moderator action also affect rank.
- Every Show HN appears on the "show new" list. It needs a small points threshold to reach the Show HN page.
- Posts by users with more karma do not rank higher.
Do not ask friends to upvote or comment. The guidelines forbid soliciting votes, and booster comments are easy to spot. Share your post with your audience, but let them decide.
Some good posts are missed the first time. The community-maintained Hacker News undocumented list describes the second-chance pool, where moderators pick overlooked links to give them another shot at the front page.
Handle the thread like a conversation
Once you post, stay. Reply quickly, go deep into technical details and treat criticism as useful. The Launch HN advice suggests finding something to agree with before answering an objection. You will rarely convince the critic, but you will show everyone else how you work.
Write down every repeated question. Those are your future FAQ, onboarding fixes and product page copy. The structure in how to write a product launch announcement helps turn them into clearer messaging.
After the launch
If your post got little attention, the FAQ allows a small number of reposts when a story has not had significant attention in the last year. Do not delete and repost the same day. For a new major version, dang suggests reposting at most once or twice a year, with a comment linking the previous thread.
Show HN works best as one step in a sequence, for example followed by a dated launch on another platform. See how to launch on Product Hunt and the comparison of Product Hunt alternatives, then list the product on MegaLaunch so it keeps a permanent page after the thread scrolls away. The launch checklist covers the rest.
FAQ
Can I post a landing page or waitlist as a Show HN?
No. Show HN is for things people can try. Landing pages, sign-up pages, fundraisers and reading material are off topic.
Can I ask friends to upvote or comment?
No. Soliciting votes or comments is against the guidelines, and booster comments are easy to spot.
What is the best time to post a Show HN?
Hacker News does not publish one. Because points are weighed against age, post when you can stay online for several hours.
Can I repost my Show HN if it got no attention?
A small number of reposts is fine if the story has not had significant attention in the last year. Never delete and repost.
Does karma help my post rank higher?
No. The FAQ states that posts by users with more karma do not rank higher.
Frequently asked questions
Can I post a landing page or waitlist as a Show HN?
No. Show HN is for something people can try. Landing pages, sign-up pages, fundraisers, newsletters and blog posts are off topic and should be regular submissions, if anything.
Can I ask friends to upvote or comment?
No. The guidelines forbid soliciting votes or comments, and readers recognise booster comments quickly.
What is the best time to post a Show HN?
Hacker News does not publish a best time. Ranking depends on points and age, so post when you can stay online for several hours to answer questions.
Can I repost my Show HN if it got no attention?
A small number of reposts is fine if the story has not had significant attention in the last year. Do not delete and repost. For a new version, repost only after a major change.
Does karma help my post rank higher?
No. The Hacker News FAQ states that posts by users with more karma do not rank higher.
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