Show HN: Capcat – CLI/TUI to Archive Articles as Markdown and HTML (FOSS)
Capcat is a free, open-source Python CLI/TUI tool for ethically archiving websites and RSS feeds into Markdown (with Obsidian-compatible frontmatter) and HTML with dark/light themes. It uses the official HN API with rate limits, anonymizes usernames, skips paywalled content, and supports per-source YAML configuration and PDF size limiting.
Background
- Capcat is an open-source command-line tool that archives web articles (from URLs or RSS feeds) as Markdown and HTML, designed for offline reading in tools like Obsidian. It anonymizes usernames (replacing them with profile links) and skips paywalled content, billing itself as "ethical archiving."
- It uses the official HN API, meaning it respects rate limits and identifies itself with a clear user agent — a response to the ongoing tension between scrapers and site owners.
- The developer (stayukasabov) is a product designer, not a professional software engineer, and positions this as a spec-driven MVP built with AI assistance (NLP, LLMs). The code hasn't been externally validated, which the author openly acknowledges.
- HN's "Show HN" posts are community showcases where makers share projects they built themselves for feedback — not press releases or company launches.