Zen Hacker News

A calmer way to read Hacker News. Less noise, more focus.

As of June 2026, Zen Hacker News has 6 users and a 5.00/5 rating from 2 reviews in the Functionality & UI category.

Usersno change0%
6
6
Ratingno change0%
5.00
2 reviews
Reviewsno change0%
2
Version
0.2.1
Manifest V3

History

7 snapshots

Tracking since Apr 19, 2026.

21.28122.719999999999999Apr 19, 2026Jun 7, 2026
View as table
DateUsersRatingReviewsVersion
Apr 19, 202665.0020.2.1
Apr 24, 202665.0020.2.1
May 8, 202665.0020.2.1
May 13, 2026205.0020.2.1
May 25, 202645.0020.2.1
May 31, 20265.0020.2.1
Jun 7, 202655.0020.2.1
Now65.0020.2.1

Permissions & access

Permissions
storagescripting
Host access
https://news.ycombinator.com/*, http://news.ycombinator.com/*

Screenshots

Zen Hacker News screenshot 1Zen Hacker News screenshot 2Zen Hacker News screenshot 3Zen Hacker News screenshot 4Zen Hacker News screenshot 5

About

Hacker News is one of the best places on the internet for thoughtful discussion—but let's be honest, it hasn't had a visual update in more than a decade. 

Zen HN changes that.

This extension restyles Hacker News with clean typography, comfortable spacing, and a layout designed for reading. It's the same HN you know, just easier on the eyes and more enjoyable to use.

FULL KEYBOARD NAVIGATION

Keyboard navigation for Zen HN goes beyond simple shortcuts. Navigate through posts and comments entirely using your keyboard—no mouse required. Move through stories, expand threads, and browse discussions without ever leaving the home row.

DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW

Rediscover interesting threads from the past. Hit the Random button to surface an interesting post from HN's archives. It's a great way to find gems you missed or rediscover classic discussions.

MAKE IT YOURS

Color Modes Switch between light and dark themes, or let Zen HN sync automatically with your system preferences. Whether you're reading in bright daylight or late at night, there's a mode that fits.

More than 20 themes Choose from a curated collection of over 20 themes to choose from. Find the reading experiences that works best for you.

Typography Controls Adjust the typeface and size to your liking. Some prefer larger text for comfortable reading; others want more content density. Zen HN lets you decide.

OPEN SOURCE

Zen HN is open source and available on GitHub. Contributions, feedback, and feature requests are welcome.

GitHub: github.com/samsolomon/zen-hn

DISCLAIMER

This is a personal project. It is not endorsed by, affiliated with, or sponsored by Y Combinator.

UPDATES

0.1.1                                              
- Fix shortcuts around comment replies
- Fix switch component overlapping container

0.2.0
- Added optional text sidebar
- Added sidebar visibility controls

0.2.1
- Adds setting for auto-detect url title
- Submission click area fix

Technical

Version
0.2.1
Manifest
V3
Size
22.55MiB
Min Chrome
88
Languages
1
Featured
No

Metadata

ID
bolnkmibddoglcdoaceppjngfhdbfdig
Developer ID
u09e46430565383571728aa814fe32d3e
Developer Email
[email protected]
Created
Feb 6, 2026
Last Updated (Store)
Mar 7, 2026
Last Scraped
Jun 7, 2026
Website
Privacy Policy

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Data sourced from the Chrome Web Store · last verified Jun 7, 2026.