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In the ever-evolving landscape of technology discourse, Hacker News remains a pivotal platform for developers, engineers, and tech leaders to discover influential voices. The 2025 rankings of its most popular bloggers, compiled by Refactoring English, reveal not just who rose to the top but why their content cuts through the noise. Topping the list for the third year running, Simon Willison exemplifies a shift toward independent, vendor-agnostic analysis in an AI-saturated era.

Simon Willison: The Unbiased AI Chronicler

Simon Willison's dominance stems from his relentless experimentation with large language models (LLMs) and AI tools, free from corporate allegiances. With over 1,000 posts in 2025—including 118 full-length articles—his blog serves as a real-time lab for AI innovations. As Refactoring English notes, Willison's approach feels like "getting restaurant recommendations from someone who eats out 20 times a week" rather than a sales pitch. His knack for curating content from closed platforms like TikTok and Twitter, adding concise commentary, makes complex AI trends accessible. His philosophy? "Sharing interesting links with commentary is a low effort, high value way to contribute to internet life at large." This strategy not only educates but fosters open-web discussions crucial for HN's audience.

Jeff Geerling and Sean Goedecke: Bridging Niches with Authenticity

Jeff Geerling surged to #2, narrowly edging out competitors, by translating his YouTube success—centered on Raspberry Pi, self-hosted software, and hardware—into blog-first content. Unlike creators who merely transcribe videos, Geerling restructures posts for readability, demonstrating respect for the medium. Meanwhile, Sean Goedecke (#3) emerged as a new force, leveraging his experience as a Staff Software Engineer at GitHub to dissect tech organizational politics. His post "How I ship projects at big tech companies" ignited his rise, with Refactoring English highlighting his ability to "explain big tech organizational politics to engineers" who often dismiss such dynamics. Goedecke's insight that popular posts thrive on "a clear opinion about working in tech that many people disagree with" underscores the value of contrarian yet actionable takes in developer circles.

Cybersecurity and Interactive Art: Specialized Voices Shine

Brian Krebs (#4), a stalwart in cybersecurity journalism, maintained his legacy with deep-dive investigations into cybercrime, though his foray into US political commentary sparked moderation debates on HN. Neal Agarwal (#5) redefined blogging with interactive art pieces like "Stimulation Clicker," which became the year's fourth-most popular post. His blend of tech and creativity captivated audiences, with every 2025 submission hitting the front page.

Other notable mentions include John Gruber (#6), who speculated about HN shadowbanning but achieved his best ranking since 2011, and single-post wonders like Mahad Kalam (#21) and Bryan Huang. The rankings reflect broader trends: authenticity triumphs, niche expertise attracts fervent followings, and luck plays a role—many top posts, like Goedecke's, succeeded only after multiple submissions. As tech continues to fragment into specialized domains, these bloggers illuminate paths for developers navigating AI ethics, hardware tinkering, and corporate realities, proving that the most resonant voices are those grounded in hands-on experience and fearless exploration.

Source: Refactoring English