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Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Show HN: Create a full language server in Go with 3.17 spec support

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

TopThemes

  1. Positive reception of the LSP UI and debug server – “The interface looks very understandable, and the debug server looks really nice.” (bbkane)
  2. Desire to build a language server but lacking a target project – “If only I had anything to build it for.” (SwiftyBug)
  3. Intent to integrate LSP into existing CLI tools – “it might be really cool to add LSP to my CLI framework0” (bbkane)

These three themes capture the community’s enthusiasm, motivation, and plans around adopting and extending the Language Server Protocol.

🚀 Project Ideas

Generating project ideas…

Language Server Scaffold Generator

Summary

  • Generates boilerplate language server implementations with customizable templates for different languages and features
  • Solves the "where to start" problem for developers wanting to build language servers (as expressed by SwiftyBug)
  • Provides a starting point with basic LSP capabilities (completion, hover, diagnostics) that can be extended

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Developers creating custom language servers or enhancing existing tools with LSP support
Core Feature CLI tool that generates language server project scaffolds with pre-configured LSP implementations
Tech Stack Node.js/TypeScript with vscode-languageserver, Yeoman scaffolding framework
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: Freemium (basic templates free, premium custom templates)

Notes

  • Directly addresses SwiftyBug's "If only I had anything to build it for" by providing ready-made starting points
  • Would make LSP adoption more accessible as bbkane noted "it might be really cool to add LSP to my CLI framework" if it's easy
  • Practical utility for both learning and production use cases with examples like bbkane's shell completion enhancement

LSP Integration Assistant

Summary

  • Visual tool that helps developers map existing CLI functionalities to LSP capabilities
  • Bridges the gap between shell completion (like bbkane's warg framework) and full language server features
  • Converts command-line interfaces into language server endpoints with minimal code changes

Details

Key Value
Target Audience CLI tool maintainers wanting to add editor support without rewriting their tools
Core Feature Interactive mapping interface to transform CLI commands into LSP features (completion, hover, etc.)
Tech Stack Electron app with Monaco Editor, Node.js backend, YAML configuration files
Difficulty High
Monetization Revenue-ready: Per-developer license

Notes

  • Solves bbkane's specific challenge of adding LSP to his existing CLI framework while preserving existing functionality
  • Reduces complexity of editor integration as bbkane noted "if it's this easy" it would encourage adoption
  • Creates practical value by extending existing tools rather than requiring complete rewrites

Domain-Specific Language Server Examples

Summary

  • Curated repository of language server implementations for niche domains and file formats
  • Provides working examples for developers to adapt to their specific use cases
  • Addresses the "what should I build a language server for" problem

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Developers working with specialized file formats, configuration languages, or DSLs
Core Feature Collection of 10-15 complete language servers for uncommon but practical domains
Tech Stack Multi-language examples (Python, Rust, TypeScript) showcasing different implementation approaches
Difficulty Low (for examples), Medium (for maintaining repo)
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • Directly helps SwiftyBug by providing concrete ideas for language server projects
  • Offers practical implementations that developers can extend as bbkane appreciated the debug server functionality
  • Creates discussion value by showcasing varied LSP applications beyond mainstream languages

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