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imprvhub

mcp-claude-hackernews

hn_latest

Fetch recent stories from Hacker News with customizable limits (1-50) to stay updated on tech and development trends efficiently.

Instructions

Get the latest/newest stories from Hacker News

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
limitNoNumber of stories to fetch (1-50, default: 10)

Implementation Reference

  • Executes the hn_latest tool: fetches latest stories from Hacker News API with optional limit, formats them, updates the last stories list, and returns formatted text response.
    if (name === "hn_latest") {
      const limit = typeof args?.limit === 'number' ? args.limit : 10;
      const stories = await api.getLatestStories(limit);
      const formattedStories = stories.map(story => ({
        id: story.id,
        title: story.title,
        by: story.by,
        time: api.formatTime(story.time),
        url: story.url,
        score: story.score,
        commentsCount: story.kids?.length || 0
      }));
      lastStoriesList = formattedStories;
      return {
        content: [
          {
            type: "text",
            text: formatStoriesAsText(formattedStories)
          }
        ]
      };
    }
  • index.ts:147-161 (registration)
    Registers the hn_latest tool in the listTools response, including name, description, and input schema for limit parameter.
      name: "hn_latest",
      description: "Get the latest/newest stories from Hacker News",
      inputSchema: {
        type: "object",
        properties: {
          limit: {
            type: "number",
            description: "Number of stories to fetch (1-50, default: 10)",
            minimum: 1,
            maximum: 50,
            default: 10
          }
        }
      }
    },
  • Defines the input schema for the hn_latest tool, specifying an optional limit parameter with constraints.
      type: "object",
      properties: {
        limit: {
          type: "number",
          description: "Number of stories to fetch (1-50, default: 10)",
          minimum: 1,
          maximum: 50,
          default: 10
        }
      }
    }
  • Helper method in HackerNewsAPI class to fetch the latest story IDs and their details, filtering for story type.
    async getLatestStories(limit = 50): Promise<Story[]> {
      try {
        const response = await axios.get(`${baseUrl}/newstories.json`);
        const storyIds = response.data || [];
        const storyPromises = storyIds.slice(0, limit).map((id: number) => this.getItemDetails(id));
        const stories = await Promise.all(storyPromises);
        return stories.filter((story): story is Story => story !== null && story.type === 'story');
      } catch (error) {
        console.error('Error fetching latest stories:', error);
        return [];
      }
    }
  • Helper function to format the list of stories as a readable text string for the tool response.
    function formatStoriesAsText(stories: FormattedStory[]): string {
      if (!stories || stories.length === 0) {
        return "No stories found.";
      }
      
      return stories.map((story, index) => {
        return `${index + 1}. ${story.title}
       ID: ${story.id}
       By: ${story.by}
       Published: ${story.time}
       Score: ${story.score}
       Comments: ${story.commentsCount}
       URL: ${story.url || 'N/A'}
       ------------------------------`;
      }).join('\n\n');
    }
Behavior2/5

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

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It states what the tool does but doesn't mention any behavioral traits such as rate limits, authentication requirements, or what the output format looks like (e.g., list of stories with titles, URLs, scores). For a tool with no annotations, this is a significant gap.

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, efficient sentence that directly states the tool's purpose without any wasted words. It's appropriately sized and front-loaded, making it easy to parse quickly.

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

Completeness2/5

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

Given the lack of annotations and output schema, the description is incomplete. It doesn't explain what the tool returns (e.g., story details like title, URL, score), how 'latest' is determined (e.g., by time), or any limitations. For a tool fetching data, this leaves key contextual gaps.

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

Parameters3/5

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

The input schema has 100% description coverage, with the 'limit' parameter fully documented in the schema itself. The description adds no additional parameter information beyond what's in the schema, so it meets the baseline of 3 where the schema does the heavy lifting.

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 clearly states the action ('Get') and resource ('latest/newest stories from Hacker News'), making the purpose immediately understandable. However, it doesn't explicitly differentiate from sibling tools like 'hn_top' or 'hn_best', which likely fetch different story types, so it doesn't reach the highest score.

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?

The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives like 'hn_top' or 'hn_best'. It lacks any context about what 'latest/newest' means compared to other story categories, leaving the agent to infer usage from the tool name alone.

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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