Last updated 08-11-2026
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ChatHN
ChatHN lets you query Hacker News with plain English instead of clicking through story lists and comment threads. Ask for top stories, request a markdown table of scores and links, or summarize the comments on a trending post. The app routes your question to the official Hacker News API through OpenAI function calling.
Most news readers show you a fixed feed. ChatHN is closer to a developer demo that shows how function calling can turn a public API into a conversational interface. It is open source, built with the Vercel AI SDK, and meant as a reference project you can fork and deploy with your own OpenAI key rather than a full news product.
Developers exploring AI agents, Hacker News regulars who want quick summaries, and anyone learning OpenAI function calling use it as a working example. The hosted version at chathn.vercel.app is free to try, and the GitHub repo includes a one-click Vercel deploy template.
Query Hacker News top stories, scores, and comment counts in natural language
Built with OpenAI Functions and the Vercel AI SDK as a reference implementation
Open-source on GitHub with 1,180+ stars and a one-click Vercel deploy template
Returns structured output like markdown tables when you ask for formatted results
Summarizes comment threads on any Hacker News story on demand
Turns the Hacker News API into a conversational interface with function calling.
Fully open source with a one-click Vercel deploy template.
Hosted demo is free to try without creating an account.
Useful reference for developers learning OpenAI Functions and the Vercel AI SDK.
Limited to Hacker News data; it cannot query other news sources.
Self-hosted deployments require your own OpenAI API key and associated costs.
The hosted demo is a small project, not a full-featured news reader.
What is ChatHN?
ChatHN is an open-source AI chatbot that talks to the Hacker News API using natural language. You can ask ChatHN for top stories, formatted tables, or comment summaries instead of browsing Hacker News manually.
Is ChatHN free to use?
ChatHN's hosted demo at chathn.vercel.app is free to try. The project is open source on GitHub, so you can also deploy your own copy on Vercel. Self-hosted deployments require your own OpenAI API key.
What technology does ChatHN use?
ChatHN uses OpenAI Functions for tool calling, the Vercel AI SDK for the chat interface, and Next.js for the web app. It connects to the official Hacker News API to fetch stories and comments.
Can I deploy my own ChatHN instance?
Yes, ChatHN is open source under the MIT license on GitHub. Vercel offers a deploy template that sets up the app with one click. You supply your own OpenAI API key for the deployment.
Who built ChatHN?
ChatHN was created by Steven Tey and is maintained as an open-source demo on GitHub. The project showcases how OpenAI function calling can wrap a public API in a conversational interface.
What can I ask ChatHN?
ChatHN handles requests like fetching the top 5 Hacker News stories in a table, finding the current top story, or summarizing comments on a specific post. It interprets natural language and calls the Hacker News API accordingly.