Ask HN: Did GitHub UI become unbearably slow?

10•zaphodias•1d ago

I remember being able to review even large PRs (70-100 files changed) from the web UI fairly easily, but now every time I click a button, the page becomes unresponsive for many seconds.

For what it's worth (excluding client-side issues), I have a high-speed internet connection and a last-gen CPU.

Things that are very slow (from 5 to 60 seconds depending on the number of items) for me:

- Clicking on "Pull requests" tab for any repo

- Opening a PR with many comments (50+)

- Opening "Files changed" tab from inside any PR

- Marking a file as "viewed" from the "Files changed" tab

Tips I found to mitigate this:

- Opening the link in a new tab often usually only takes half the time than navigating in your current page.

- Review PRs from the visual studio code web ui (github.dev), easily accessible by pressing "." while viewing a PR

Comments

jsheard•1d ago

Possibly related to them just adding stricter rate limits, because AI scrapers won't stop pissing in the pool?

https://github.blog/changelog/2025-05-08-updated-rate-limits...

zaphodias•1d ago

Just to be clear, I am authenticated. Maybe they are struggling with the AI scrapers though, you're right.

genezeta•1d ago

Earlier this morning they "temporarily rate banned" me after clicking a total of 3 files in some repository.

May be related, or maybe not.

bob1029•1d ago

GitHub used to be server-side rendered. This is the consequence of drinking the client side framework koolaid.

One could argue about how react makes it easier for big orgs to work together or whatever. But, when the whole point of the product is to be a robust productivity tool for developers and they can't do basic tasks without getting frustrated, it doesn't matter. The entire product could become irrelevant if someone exploits this weakness. Speed is a killer feature in a market where few understand how to actually provide it (or have the courage to preserve it).

efortis•1d ago

I like IntelliJ’s Github plugin for reviewing PRs. It’s nice for adding bookmarks and code folding.

frou_dh•1d ago

Yes, when navigating a repo's files on an older computer, I noticed that it took an incredible length of time to rehydrate pages or whatever it's doing.

bigbassroller•1d ago

Did you add node_modules to your repo by chance?

pbkompasz•20h ago

A lot of big websites, e.g. YouTube, Facebook, Reddit, GitHub, have become really bad and sometimes unusable in the past year or two. I think it's mainly due to using unnecessarily complex frontend frameworks and the low quality of code generated by LLMs. It's a vibe.

Ask HN: How are you acquiring your first hundred users?

Ask HN: How do you store the knowledge gained in a day?

Good luck to everyone applying for YC summer 2925 batch

Ask HN: Cursor or Windsurf?

FlyLoop – AI Agent for Scheduling Meetings and Managing Your Calendar

Ask HN: Economists, what's your opinion on US tariffs?

Ask HN: How do you like the Framework matte screen?

New AI Chatbot Apps

Ask HN: Is Slack Down?

Which AI Agent is your favorite?

Ask HN: How did you fund your early stage hardware startup?

Ask HN: What are good high-information density UIs (screenshots, apps, sites)?

Ask HN: Not sure about the future of tech

Ask HN: I burnt out, quit my job – any advice on moving to freelance/consulting?

Ask HN: Should You Include a Certificate in a SAML AuthnRequest?

Ask HN: How much better are AI IDEs vs. copy pasting into chat apps?

Ask HN: Did GitHub UI become unbearably slow?

Ask HN: Any recommendations for a portable music player

Ask HN: Where to get used hardware cheap?

Ask HN: Do You Prepare for Job Interviews? If So, How?

Ask HN: Are LLMs useful or harmful when learning to program?

Ask HN: Gemini Reliability Degrading?

Why is it so hard to find founders to bounce off ideas in city you are visiting?

Ask HN: What is the worst communications tool you've ever used?

Ask HN: Is big tech still more stable?

Image to 3D

Ask HN: Anyone using Chrome ext with AI for daily copywriting/social media?

Ask HN: RAG or shared memory for task planning across physical agents?

LLM Botnet: Are companies using botnets to scrape content?

Ask HN: Fictional business books like The Goal

Ask HN: Did GitHub UI become unbearably slow?

Comments

Ask HN: How are you acquiring your first hundred users?

Ask HN: How do you store the knowledge gained in a day?

Good luck to everyone applying for YC summer 2925 batch

Ask HN: Cursor or Windsurf?

FlyLoop – AI Agent for Scheduling Meetings and Managing Your Calendar

Ask HN: Economists, what's your opinion on US tariffs?

Ask HN: How do you like the Framework matte screen?

New AI Chatbot Apps

Ask HN: Is Slack Down?

Which AI Agent is your favorite?

Ask HN: How did you fund your early stage hardware startup?

Ask HN: What are good high-information density UIs (screenshots, apps, sites)?

Ask HN: Not sure about the future of tech

Ask HN: I burnt out, quit my job – any advice on moving to freelance/consulting?

Ask HN: Should You Include a Certificate in a SAML AuthnRequest?

Ask HN: How much better are AI IDEs vs. copy pasting into chat apps?

Ask HN: Did GitHub UI become unbearably slow?

Ask HN: Any recommendations for a portable music player

Ask HN: Where to get used hardware cheap?

Ask HN: Do You Prepare for Job Interviews? If So, How?

Ask HN: Are LLMs useful or harmful when learning to program?

Ask HN: Gemini Reliability Degrading?

Why is it so hard to find founders to bounce off ideas in city you are visiting?

Ask HN: What is the worst communications tool you've ever used?

Ask HN: Is big tech still more stable?

Image to 3D

Ask HN: Anyone using Chrome ext with AI for daily copywriting/social media?

Ask HN: RAG or shared memory for task planning across physical agents?

LLM Botnet: Are companies using botnets to scrape content?

Ask HN: Fictional business books like The Goal