The best application frameworks, according to hackers
3 application frameworks were recommended on Hacker News between November 2025 and November 2026. We rank them by how many separate people recommend each one, and 2 earn the Hacker Approved badge.
Top picks
The two most recommended application frameworks with the badge. Each figure is 2 people. RecommendsCriticizes One comment
Easy UI building with Interface Builder
Apple's native framework for macOS and iOS apps, praised for easy interface building, good documentation and long-term usability. Critics point to frequent API changes and awkward syntax.
Consistent, well-structured codebases
Recommended for well-organized, consistent Elixir code and data modeling that suits AI coding tools; critics say it is hard to get working.
All 3 application frameworks, ranked
Select a column heading to sort. Approval share is recommenders out of everyone who gave an opinion; the tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs. Months counts the months, out of 13, in which someone recommended it.
| Rank | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cocoa | 23 | 7 | 77% | 9 | — | Approved |
| 2 | Ash Framework | 19 | 3 | 86% | 10 | — | Approved |
| 3 | GNUstep | 8 | 5 | 62% | 6 | — | — |
How we rank
Rank is the number of separate people who recommend a product in a Hacker News comment over the past year. Someone who praises the same application framework in five threads counts once.
The badge goes to application frameworks that at least 10 people recommend, with recommenders outnumbering critics at least 2 to 1, recommended in at least 4 of the 13 months.
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