Hacktoberfest: Contribution Chronicles

Hactoberfest third week

I implemented a URL history feature for PhysicsHub’s integration drawer, making it easier to reuse previously entered URLs when creating integrations.

What I Built

When you open the integration creation drawer now, you’ll see a dropdown showing your previously entered URLs. This autocomplete feature remembers up to 10 URLs per integration type (Grafana, Kibana, Datadog, etc.) and stores them in localStorage.

I created a new utility file (integrationUrlHistory.ts) to handle the URL history management and modified the Integrations page to load, display, and save URLs as users work with integrations. I also fixed some type-related errors that were lingering in the codebase.

Why It Didn’t Work Out The PR was closed without merging, and honestly, the feedback made sense. The maintainer pointed out that the implementation felt overcomplicated for what should be a simple feature—they just wanted to see a list of already configured integrations, not a full history system with localStorage management.

Sometimes you build something thinking you’re solving the problem elegantly, only to realize you’ve added unnecessary complexity. The feature worked, but it wasn’t what the project actually needed. It’s a good reminder to clarify requirements before diving into implementation, especially during Hacktoberfest when you’re eager to contribute.

Lessons Learned Always make sure you understand the actual problem before proposing a solution. “Add history option” could mean many things, and I interpreted it as building a comprehensive URL memory system when a simpler approach would have sufficed.

Hacktoberfest 2025 Contribution Issue #466 | Pull Request #467 (Closed without merge)