February 17, 2026
Upvotes vs. Upheaval
Is Show HN Dead? No, but It's Drowning
Too many weekend builds, too little airtime, and an AI pile‑on
TLDR: Data shows Show HN is swamped: more posts, less time on the front page, and fewer deep chats. The crowd is split between blaming an AI-fueled flood, arguing popularity doesn’t equal success, and proposing an AI-only showcase—raising real questions about how indie projects get noticed at all.
Show HN—the corner of Hacker News where makers show off projects—got called “not dead, just drowning,” and the comments turned into a splash zone. Users say the feed is getting blitzed by quick weekend apps and AI-assisted launches, so gems sink fast while the “vibecoded pulp” floats by. One commenter even dropped the Yogi Berra classic: “Nobody goes there anymore—it’s too crowded.”
The data-backed post claims more posts, shorter front-page time, and fewer real discussions. Cue the drama. Some nostalgics sighed that it used to feel like an exclusive club, when a Show HN meant years of sweat and code—now it’s AI co‑pilots churning out look‑alikes. Others fired back with a reality check: upvotes don’t equal success—one founder says their zero‑upvote Show HN later made $6M. Meanwhile, the nuclear take arrived: split off an “AI Show HN” (aka “Vibe HN”) so people can choose whether they want AI-made projects in their feed.
Thread-side memes and snarks piled up: outsiders joked it’s a “Sideprocalypse” (this theory that big-money marketing steamrolls indies), while sleuths asked if older accounts get an edge. Through it all, folks tried to boost overlooked standouts like Neohabit, OpenRun, and uForwarder. Verdict: Show HN isn’t dead—but it’s gasping for airtime, and the crowd can’t agree whether to turn down the AI or just turn up the patience
Key Points
- •Arthur Cnops analyzed Show HN activity and notes a surge in submission volume.
- •He reports that Show HN, once outperforming regular submissions, now performs significantly worse on average.
- •Front-page exposure windows during U.S. peak hours have shortened, pushing posts off page one faster.
- •Discussion levels on Show HN posts are declining alongside reduced engagement per post.
- •Cnops concludes Show HN isn’t dead but is crowded, and suggests exploring ways to better spotlight standout projects.