Hacker News Insights research
Hacker News in 2022
The strongest tracked Hacker News title themes in 2022, with annual shares and historical context.
Data through 2026-07-13
This page ranks the tracked topics by their share of retained Hacker News story titles in 2022. It is a full calendar year; topic patterns can overlap and the list is not a taxonomy of every story.
| Rank | Topic | Category | Title share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AI / LLM | AI | 2.290% |
| 2 | Bitcoin / crypto | Crypto & privacy | 1.514% |
| 3 | Open source | Meta | 1.131% |
| 4 | Security | Crypto & privacy | 0.995% |
| 5 | Startups | Meta | 0.828% |
| 6 | Linux | Infra | 0.806% |
| 7 | Python | Languages | 0.739% |
| 8 | Rust | Languages | 0.708% |
| 9 | Privacy | Crypto & privacy | 0.507% |
| 10 | JavaScript | Languages | 0.448% |
| 11 | Image gen | AI | 0.395% |
| 12 | React | Web | 0.286% |
Context markers
- 2022-08 — Stable Diffusion released: Open image generation released 2022-08 — gen-AI for everyone.
- 2022-10 — Musk acquires Twitter: Deal closes 2022-10-27; mass layoffs + platform turmoil.
- 2022-11 — ChatGPT launches: ChatGPT released 2022-11-30 — fastest product to 100M users.
- 2022-11 — FTX collapses: FTX implodes 2022-11; SBF arrested — crypto credibility crisis.
- 2022-11 — Big Tech layoffs begin: Meta/Amazon/Twitter cuts late 2022; the layoff wave starts.
Method
Every percentage uses that year's retained story-title count as its denominator. Visit the Attention Lab for 2022 or read the methodology.