unofficial-HackerNews-MCP-CLI

Get updates

get_updates

Read-onlyIdempotent

Retrieve recently changed HackerNews items and user profiles to track ongoing updates.

Instructions

Get the items and user profiles that changed most recently.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
No arguments

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`items`	No	Changed item ids.
`profiles`	No	Changed usernames.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed3 schema fields changedv0.2.0Sep 7, 2026

removedOutput schema / additionalProperties
```
Removed value: -true
```

addedOutput schema / description

Added value: +"The set of items and profiles that changed most recently."

addedOutput schema / properties

Added value: +{
+  "items": {
+    "description": "Changed item ids.",
+    "items": {
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  },
+  "profiles": {
+    "description": "Changed usernames.",
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  }
+}

First observedv0.1.0Jul 14, 2026

TDQS

A3.5/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, openWorldHint, and idempotentHint, covering safety and idempotency. The description adds the temporal scope ('most recently changed') but provides no additional behavior such as ordering, limits, or whether the result is a combined list. There is no contradiction with annotations, so a mid score is appropriate.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single front-loaded sentence with no filler. It efficiently conveys the tool's purpose without redundancy.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

The tool is simple, has no parameters, annotations cover safety, and an output schema exists. The description is mostly sufficient, but it does not clarify the recency window or any caveats about what 'most recently' means, leaving a small but real gap.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The tool has zero parameters, so the baseline is 4; there is nothing for the description to clarify beyond noting this is a parameterless request.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description names a specific verb and resource: it retrieves items and user profiles that changed most recently. This distinguishes it partially from sibling get_* tools, but it does not explicitly disambiguate from get_items or get_user, so it stops short of a 5.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

There is no when-to-use guidance, no mention of when not to use it, and no comparison to alternatives like get_items or get_item. The phrase 'changed most recently' implies a polling/recent-changes use case, but the description leaves the selection entirely to inference.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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