Ask HN: Why do links open in the same tab on Hacker News? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Why do links open in the same tab on Hacker News?

3 pointsesalazar14 comments

Why do links open in the same tab on HN? I would love to be able to just click five interesting links and have five new tabs open.

View on HN

A user script using Greasemonkey for Firefox or TamperMonkey for Chrome/Chromium can change the behavior. For example:

  // ==UserScript==
  // @name        add_target_blank
  // @namespace   com.kludgecode.demonstration
  // @include     https://news.ycombinator.com/news
  // @version     1
  // @grant       none
  // ==/UserScript==

  var stories=document.getElementsByClassName("storylink");
  for (story of stories) {
    story.target = "blank";
  };

Will add the behavior for the Hacker News front page. I tested with Greasemonkey and I'd expect it to work for Tampermonkey.

Greasemonkey: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/greasemonkey/

Tampermonkey: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tampermonkey/dhdgf...

That's the default on pretty much every site (google, reddit, etc). Instead, you can cmd/ctrl click the link.

I understand it's the default, but why? Why not add `target="_blank"` or some javascript to open in a new tab?

Because then you can't open it in the same tab. With a normal link the user can choose how to click, with a forced new tab they can't.

Fair enough.

Aside from what detaro said, also this:

https://medium.com/@jitbit/target-blank-the-most-underestima...

I just Ctrl-click when I want it in a new tab. Always expect a single click to open in the current tab, otherwise it's an annoying surprise.

It's possible that it's a security thing. I consider it a feature. `window.opener` can do things that might be considered malicious.

I use this Chrome plugin to open links to any external site in a new tab

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/open-external-link...

I asked this a while back as well. I'm with you, but the community seems rather split on the subject.

Use Chrome, install the Vimium plugin: F + {Letter Combo}

ctrl (or command) click does the trick, but for me it's easier to just middle-click with the mouse (or click the wheel).

Because Hacker News sucks...

yet you still take the time to browse and comment...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com