Read the Effing Article is a simple Chrome extension developed by leopmartel. It is a free browser add-on that helps users break the habit of reading comment threads on news aggregator sites (such as HackerNews and Reddit) before actually reading the article.

The extension aims to address the common problem of users going straight to the comments section to get a summary of the article, without actually reading the content. By hiding comment threads until after the article has been read, Read the Effing Article encourages users to form their own opinions and spend less time in comment sections.

The extension works by manually keeping track of the user's last few hundred pages visited from HackerNews and Reddit, as JavaScript cannot be used to determine whether a user has visited a link for security reasons. Despite this limitation, the extension effectively hides comment threads until the user has read the article.

Read the Effing Article is a fun and useful tool for those who want to break the habit of relying on comments for information and form their own opinions. Give it a try and spend more time reading the articles themselves!