MCP Hacker News
Click on "Deploy Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type
@followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@MCP Hacker News show me the top 10 stories from Hacker News"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
mcp-hacker-news
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Hacker News built with TypeScript.
This MCP server acts as a bridge between the official Hacker News API and AI-powered tools that support the Model Context Protocol, such as Claude and Cursor.
It enables these tools to fetch and interact with live Hacker News data (posts, comments, users) via standardized MCP endpoints.
Using with Claude Desktop or Cursor
Add to your Claude desktop config (claude_desktop_config.json) or your Cursor config file (mcp.json) :
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-hacker-news": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-hacker-news"]
}
}
}
Related MCP server: Paws-on-MCP
Features
Integrates with the official Hacker News API to fetch posts, comments, and user information.
Exposes standard Model Context Protocol endpoints for seamless integration with Claude, Cursor, and other LLM-based tools.
Fetches the latest Hacker News data for AI and automation workflows.
Requirements
⚠️ If you are unsure about your Node.js version, run
node --versionin your terminal. Make sure it showsv18.x.xor higher.
How to upgrade Node.js
Want to contribute? Just follow the steps below
Clone the repository and install dependencies:
git clone https://github.com/paablolc/mcp-hacker-news.git
cd mcp-hacker-news
pnpm install
pnpm buildTo test the server with the MCP Inspector:
pnpm inspectoror, if running from the source:
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector node dist/index.js
Resources
This MCP server exposes the following fixed resources, each corresponding to a core Hacker News endpoint:
Resource URI | Description | Hacker News API Endpoint |
| Top stories |
|
| Newest stories |
|
| Best (algorithmic) stories |
|
These three collections match the main list endpoints officially provided by the Hacker News API.
Other types of stories (Ask HN, Show HN, Jobs, etc.) and item-specific lookups are available as tools (see below), allowing for flexible querying with custom parameters.
Tools
The following tools are available for advanced or parameterized queries. These allow you to fetch other Hacker News content beyond the fixed resources above:
Tool Name | Description |
| Fetch top stories (customizable limit) |
| Fetch best stories (customizable limit) |
| Fetch newest stories (customizable limit) |
| Fetch "Ask HN" posts |
| Fetch "Show HN" posts |
| Fetch job postings |
| Retrieve a specific item (story, comment, etc.) |
| Retrieve a user profile by username |
| Fetch comments for a specific item |
| Get the current maximum item ID |
| Fetch recently updated items and profiles |
Check the code or inline documentation for supported arguments and usage examples for each tool.
Tip:
Make sure you have pnpm installed for development setup.
You can substitutenpmoryarnif you prefer, butpnpmis recommended for consistency.
Available Tools
11 toolsgetAskHNStoriesC
Get Ask HN stories
Inputs: limit.
getBestStoriesB
Get best stories from Hacker News (algorithmically ranked)
Inputs: limit.
getCommentsC
Get comments for a specific item
Inputs: id (required), depth.
getItemC
Get a specific item (story, comment, job, etc.) by ID
Inputs: id (required).
getJobStoriesC
Get job postings from Hacker News
Inputs: limit.
getMaxItemIdB
Get the current maximum item ID
Inputs: no named parameters.
getNewStoriesB
Get newest stories from Hacker News
Inputs: limit.
getShowHNStoriesC
Get Show HN stories
Inputs: limit.
getTopStoriesC
Get top stories from Hacker News (up to 500 available)
Inputs: limit.
getUpdatesB
Get recently updated items and profiles
Inputs: no named parameters.
getUserC
Get user profile information
Inputs: username (required).
Tool Schema Changelog
Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
Loading tool schema changelog…
TDQS
Scored across 11 tools
Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose targeting specific Hacker News resources: different story types (Ask HN, Best, New, Show HN, Top, Job), comments, items by ID, max item ID, updates, and user profiles. There is no overlap in functionality that would cause confusion.
All tool names follow a consistent verb_noun pattern with 'get' as the verb and descriptive nouns (e.g., getAskHNStories, getComments, getUser). The naming is uniform throughout the set, using camelCase consistently without any deviations.
With 11 tools, the server is well-scoped for accessing Hacker News data. Each tool serves a specific and necessary function, covering various story categories, comments, items, updates, and user profiles without being excessive or insufficient.
The tool set provides comprehensive coverage for reading Hacker News data, including all major story types, comments, items, updates, and user profiles. There are no obvious gaps for a read-only API, and agents can fully navigate the Hacker News ecosystem without dead ends.
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