It looks like an innocent bug and to get back to HN takes me two clicks rather than one, not really something I can get too excited about, particularly when it showing something new.

This is not a bug, it's how web apps are supposed to work.

The url should be updated to reference the current app view - this way you can copy the url for that particular resource and access it again by pasting with the same url.

This is how it worked for headers when websites were just plain documents. It's a very powerful feature and is exactly what the web is about - sharing resources easily.

Browsers have different ways of dealing with this like grouping items in the back history by domain, so that it's easy to leave the site back to page previous to the app session.

FWIW: In every desktop browser I've used and in Safari on iOS, long pressing the back button for a few seconds will bring up a list of recent history and allow you to get back when the button is hijacked by a page.

I think I've automatically double-clicked the back button every back-button click since the back button could be hijacked, like years ago. Same with iOS. I try to use my iPhone less, so I uninstalled all apps, and access everything through Safari. It's the absolutely worst experience and I love it. Reddit is practically unusable unless you visit the `www.` site, but by far the worst thing is visiting a site that hijacks the back button.

Right clicking the back button is faster!

> they won't be able to get back to this site

I hate it when sites break the back button, but that's really not the same thing

I'm picturing users instantaneously teleported to some mythical labyrinth where they're forced to fight their way back to Hacker News.

Not to condone but I never rely on back button when using references in context of some longer material I am currently reading. I always right click and open in new window. So to me the problem mostly mute.

Fun fact, middle clicks and ctrl+left click will also open links in a new tab!

Aware of that. Ctrl however makes me move my other hand and I am a lazy fart. Middle click requires significant effort on my mouse.

Not ideal but long clicking on the back button show history.