The Most Popular Blogs of Hacker News in 2025

Speaker 1: Up next, we have a look at the most popular individual bloggers on Hacker News for 2025. It is an annual analysis by Michael Lynch that tracks which independent voices are actually capturing the attention of the tech community.

Speaker 2: That is always such a tough crowd to please. I am curious, does the list mostly consist of big names we already know, or are there some surprises?

Speaker 1: It is a bit of both, but Simon Willison took the top spot for the third year in a row. He has become a massive source for AI news, mostly because he writes as a power user rather than a salesperson.

Speaker 2: That is a refreshing perspective. It is like getting a car recommendation from a mechanic who drives everything, rather than a dealer who only wants to sell you one specific brand.

Speaker 1: That is a great way to put it. He also practices something called link blogging, where he finds interesting ideas inside closed platforms like TikTok and brings them to the open web with a bit of commentary.

Speaker 2: It sounds like he is acting as a bridge for people who want the insights without having to spend all day scrolling through social media. Who else stood out on the list?

Speaker 1: Jeff Geerling came in at number two, which is impressive because he is primarily a YouTuber. However, instead of just posting lazy transcripts, he treats his blog readers like first-class citizens by writing custom articles to accompany his videos.

Speaker 2: I appreciate that effort. Reading a transcript is often a clunky experience, so taking the time to restructure the information for the page really shows respect for the audience.

Speaker 1: Then we have Sean Goedecke, who really broke through this year by explaining the messy reality of big tech politics to engineers. He helps developers understand why certain projects fail or how promotions actually work, which are things usually left out of technical manuals.

Speaker 2: It is like he is providing a map for the social architecture of a company, not just the software architecture. It makes sense why that would resonate so deeply with a professional audience.

Speaker 1: Exactly, and he notes that a lot of his success is just persistence. Some of his most popular posts actually flopped the first two times they were shared before finally catching fire on the third try.

Speaker 2: That is a good reminder for any creator. Even the best content sometimes needs a bit of luck and the right timing to find its audience.

Speaker 1: The list also features investigative journalist Brian Krebs and Neal Agarwal, who creates interactive digital art. It is a healthy reminder that despite the rise of corporate content, individual blogs are still a vital part of the internet ecosystem.