Last updated: June 7, 2026
HN Reader is an unofficial Hacker News browser extension. It lets users browse public Hacker News feeds and optionally save selected stories to their own Obsidian vault through the Obsidian Local REST API plugin.
HN Reader stores extension settings in Chrome storage. These settings may include the selected default feed, the Obsidian Local REST API URL, the Obsidian API key provided by the user, the destination vault folder, and the selected save mode.
Settings are used only to operate the extension features chosen by the user.
If the user saves a Hacker News story to Obsidian, HN Reader sends the note
content and API key to the user-configured local Obsidian Local REST API
endpoint, usually http://127.0.0.1:27123.
If the user chooses to save a full article, HN Reader may fetch the linked article page after the user clicks the save action. The fetched content is converted to Markdown locally in the extension and sent only to the user's configured Obsidian endpoint.
HN Reader does not sell, rent, or transfer user data. HN Reader does not use analytics, advertising, tracking, or remotely hosted code.
HN Reader contacts the public Hacker News Firebase API and Algolia Hacker News Search API to load public Hacker News content. It contacts the user's configured local Obsidian endpoint only when the user tests the connection or saves a story.
HN Reader's use of information complies with the Chrome Web Store User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. Web browsing activity is accessed only when required for user-facing features described in the extension listing and interface, such as previewing or saving a selected article.
The Obsidian API key is stored using Chrome storage and is used only for requests to the Obsidian Local REST API URL configured by the user. Users can remove the key at any time from the extension options page.
For questions, visit hn.jsdev.space or the project repository.