MCP Hacker News
by paabloLC
README.md
# mcp-hacker-news
A [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/spec) server for [Hacker News](https://news.ycombinator.com/) built with TypeScript.
This MCP server acts as a bridge between the official [Hacker News API](https://github.com/HackerNews/API) and AI-powered tools that support the Model Context Protocol, such as [Claude](https://claude.ai/) and [Cursor](https://www.cursor.so/).
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`) :
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-hacker-news": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-hacker-news"]
}
}
}
```
## Features
- Integrates with the official [Hacker News API](https://github.com/HackerNews/API) to fetch posts, comments, and user information.
- Exposes standard [Model Context Protocol](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/spec) endpoints for seamless integration with [Claude](https://claude.ai/), [Cursor](https://www.cursor.so/), and other LLM-based tools.
- Fetches the latest Hacker News data for AI and automation workflows.
### Requirements
- [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) **version 18 or higher** is required.
- [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/) or [pnpm](https://pnpm.io/) as a package manager.
> ⚠️ If you are unsure about your Node.js version, run `node --version` in your terminal.
> Make sure it shows `v18.x.x` or higher.
> [How to upgrade Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/download/)
---
### Want to contribute? Just follow the steps below
##### Clone the repository and install dependencies:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/paablolc/mcp-hacker-news.git
cd mcp-hacker-news
pnpm install
pnpm build
```
- To test the server with the MCP Inspector:
```bash
pnpm inspector
```
- or, if running from the source:
```bash
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 |
| ------------------- | -------------------------- | ------------------------ |
| `hackernews://top` | Top stories | `/v0/topstories` |
| `hackernews://new` | Newest stories | `/v0/newstories` |
| `hackernews://best` | Best (algorithmic) stories | `/v0/beststories` |
These three collections match the main list endpoints officially provided by the [Hacker News API](https://github.com/HackerNews/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 |
| ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------- |
| `getTopStories` | Fetch top stories (customizable limit) |
| `getBestStories` | Fetch best stories (customizable limit) |
| `getNewStories` | Fetch newest stories (customizable limit) |
| `getAskHNStories` | Fetch "Ask HN" posts |
| `getShowHNStories` | Fetch "Show HN" posts |
| `getJobStories` | Fetch job postings |
| `getItem` | Retrieve a specific item (story, comment, etc.) |
| `getUser` | Retrieve a user profile by username |
| `getComments` | Fetch comments for a specific item |
| `getMaxItemId` | Get the current maximum item ID |
| `getUpdates` | 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](https://pnpm.io/) installed for development setup.
> You can substitute `npm` or `yarn` if you prefer, but `pnpm` is recommended for consistency.
TDQS
A3.5/5.0
Scored across 11 tools
Disambiguation5/5
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.
Naming Consistency5/5
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.
Tool Count5/5
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.
Completeness5/5
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.
Maintenance
ActivityInactive
ResponsivenessNo issues