Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

What is HNping?

HNping is a simple reminder service for Hacker News. It lets you set reminders for HN posts you want to check back on later. When the reminder time comes, you'll get a push notification that takes you directly back to the post.

How does HNping work?

HNping works in three simple steps:

1. Visit any Hacker News post you want to be reminded about
2. Click the HNping bookmarklet or use the iOS shortcut
3. Choose when you want to be reminded (1 hour to 1 week)

When the time comes, you'll receive a push notification. Click it to go directly back to the HN post.

Is HNping free?

Yes, HNping is completely free to use. There are no premium features or paid tiers.

Do I need to create an account?

No traditional account is needed. HNping uses a unique ID system - when you first visit, you get a unique ID that's stored locally. This ID is all you need to use the service. No email, password, or personal information required.

Using HNping

How do I set a reminder?

There are several ways to set reminders depending on your device:

• Desktop: Drag the HNping bookmarklet to your bookmarks bar. When on any HN post, click it to set a reminder.
• Android: Use the bookmarklet by typing its name in the address bar.
• iOS: Download our shortcut and use it from Safari's share menu on any HN post.

When will I receive my reminder?

You'll receive your reminder at the time you selected, relative to when you set it. Options range from 1 minute (for testing) to 1 week. The exact time appears in your dashboard.

Can I cancel a reminder?

Yes! Go to your dashboard to see all pending reminders. Each one has a "Cancel" button. Once a reminder is sent, it cannot be cancelled.

How many reminders can I set?

There's no hard limit on reminders, but please use the service responsibly. The system may rate-limit excessive usage.

Technical Questions

Which browsers are supported?

HNping works on all modern browsers that support push notifications:

• Chrome/Edge (version 42+)
• Firefox (version 44+)
• Safari (version 16+ on macOS, with iOS PWA on iOS)

Does HNping work on mobile?

Yes! HNping works on all mobile platforms:

• Android: Use the bookmarklet method in Chrome or Firefox
• iOS/iPadOS: Requires adding HNping to your home screen as a PWA, or using our Shortcut to set reminders that will notify other devices

How do I use HNping on Android?

Android users have two options:

Option 1: Bookmarklet in Chrome

1. Get your bookmarklet from your dashboard
2. Copy the bookmarklet code (there's a copy button)
3. In Chrome, bookmark any page (tap ⋮ → ⭐)
4. Quickly tap "Edit" before it disappears
5. Clear the URL field completely
6. Paste the copied bookmarklet code
7. Name it something short like "Set HNping"
8. To use: On any HN post, type "Set HNping" in the address bar and tap the bookmarklet when it appears

Option 2: Firefox for Android

Firefox setup is similar to Chrome, but with a caveat:

• Option A: Follow the same Chrome instructions above (copy/paste method)
• Option B: Use the Firefox-specific bookmarklet from your dashboard that redirects instead of opening a popup (due to Firefox popup blocking)

Note: Firefox blocks popups from bookmarklets, so the Firefox version will redirect to HNping instead of opening a popup.

How do I use HNping on iOS/iPad?

iOS has two options:

1. For notifications on this device: Add HNping to your home screen (Share → Add to Home Screen), then open it to register
2. To set reminders for other devices: Use our iOS Shortcut with your existing User ID from another registered device

Why am I not receiving notifications?

Common reasons:

• Notifications are disabled in your browser settings
• Your device is in Do Not Disturb mode
• Your browser needs to be running (can be in background)
• If hnping.com is open in your browser, you may not receive push notifications (close the tab to ensure notifications work properly)

Can I use HNping without notifications?

While HNping is designed around push notifications, you can still check your dashboard manually to see when reminders are due. However, you won't get automatic alerts.

Can I send reminders to multiple devices?

Currently, HNping sends notifications to only the device which most recently enabled notifications. While you can register multiple devices with the same User ID, only the device that last enabled notifications will receive reminder notifications.

If you switch devices frequently, you may need to:

• Re-enable notifications on your preferred device by visiting your dashboard
• Or check your dashboard manually on other devices to see when reminders are due

We're considering adding multi-device support in the future.

Privacy & Account

Is my data safe?

Yes. HNping:

• Only stores minimal data: your unique ID, device token, and reminder details
• Doesn't require any personal information
• Doesn't track your browsing beyond the reminders you explicitly set
• Uses secure HTTPS connections
• Stores data on Cloudflare's infrastructure

How do I delete my account?

You can delete your account from your dashboard. Look for "Delete Account" at the bottom of the page. This will:

• Cancel all pending reminders
• Remove your device tokens
• You can create a new account anytime with a fresh ID

Tech Stack

What's HNping built with?

HNping is built on modern, serverless infrastructure:

• Cloudflare Workers: Edge computing runtime for the main application
• Cloudflare D1: Serverless SQLite database for user data and reminders
• Cloudflare KV: Key-value storage for caching and rate limiting
• Hono: Ultrafast web framework designed for edge environments
• TypeScript: Type-safe development with strict mode enabled
• Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM): Cross-platform push notifications

Why Cloudflare Workers?

Workers provide several advantages:

• Global edge deployment with ~0ms cold starts
• Automatic scaling without server management
• Built-in DDoS protection and security
• Cost-effective for this use case (generous free tier)
• Native integration with D1, KV, and other Cloudflare services

Troubleshooting

The bookmarklet isn't working

Make sure:

• You're on a Hacker News post page (URL should contain "?id=")
• JavaScript is enabled in your browser
• Pop-ups are allowed for hnping.com
• You're using the latest bookmarklet from your dashboard

Android-specific issues

Bookmarklet not appearing in address bar:

• Make sure you named it something short and unique
• Try typing just the first few letters
• Clear your browser cache if it still doesn't appear

Can't edit bookmark URL in Chrome:

• You must tap "Edit" immediately after creating the bookmark
• Alternatively, go to Chrome menu → Bookmarks → Edit the bookmark there

I'm getting a "User not found" error

This means your User ID is no longer valid. This can happen if:

• You deleted your account
• You're using an old bookmarklet/shortcut

Solution: Visit the home page to create a new account and get a fresh bookmarklet.

My reminders aren't being sent

Check that:

• Notifications are enabled (check your dashboard)
• Your reminder time hasn't passed yet
• The reminder wasn't accidentally cancelled

Can I change when I get reminded?

Currently, you cannot edit existing reminders. You'll need to cancel the current reminder and create a new one with your preferred time.