how to post a show hn (and not get flagged).

1. Check your project qualifies: something people can try, not a landing page.
2. Title it Show HN: Name – what it does.
3. Submit it, then add a short first comment.
4. Stay in the thread and answer questions.

The Show HN page says the project should be something people can run or try. Hardware can be shown through a video or a detailed article, and a book through a sample chapter.

The same page sets a few standards:

• The project should be non-trivial, not a quick one-off.
• You should have built it yourself and be available to discuss it.
• It should be ready for others to try. Early, unpolished work is acceptable.
• Access should be easy. Avoid requiring signups or emails.

Blog posts, sign-up pages, newsletters, and reading material are not Show HNs. The page asks you to submit those as regular posts. Landing pages and fundraisers don't count either.

Minor updates to a project you already posted are usually not substantial enough. A major overhaul may be.

The title starts with Show HN:, followed by your name, a dash, and a plain one-line description. Our launch checklist uses the same pattern. The Hacker News guidelines ask for titles without clickbait styling, so skip the hype.

The first two follow the format. The third drops the prefix. The fourth is all caps and hype. The fifth points at a blog post, which doesn't qualify.

This section is our advice, not a Hacker News rule. Post a first comment as the author right after you submit. Keep it short and factual:

• What it does and who it's for.
• How you built it, in a sentence or two.
• Whether it's free, and whether anything needs a signup.
• What is unfinished, stated plainly.
• One specific question you want feedback on.

Don't ask anyone to vote or comment, on the thread or anywhere else.

• Answer with specifics. If someone finds a real problem, say so and say what you'll change. If they're wrong, explain briefly and kindly.
• The guidelines ask you to argue with ideas, not people, and to respond to the strongest version of a point.
• Treat suggested alternatives and questions asked out of curiosity as useful input.
• Flag spam and abusive comments instead of replying to them.
• Use asterisks, not capital letters, for emphasis.

• Asking friends or colleagues to upvote or comment. Both pages rule this out.
• Posting a landing page or waitlist and calling it a Show HN.
• Putting a signup or email wall in front of the thing people are supposed to try.
• Editorializing in the title, or using all caps and exclamation points.
• Deleting and reposting. The guidelines ask you not to.
• Using the site mainly to promote your product, rather than to share something for discussion.
• Posting and then leaving the thread. Questions need someone to answer them.

• Show HN guidelines
• Hacker News guidelines

The rules above were read from those two pages on 24 Oct 2026. They are the authority, not this guide, so check them again before you post.