HackerNews
HackerNews MCP Server - A comprehensive Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides seamless integration with the HackerNews API
What is HackerNews?
HackerNews is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to hackernews mcp server - a comprehensive model context protocol (mcp) server that provides seamless integration with the hackernews api
HackerNews MCP Server - A comprehensive Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides seamless integration with the HackerNews API
This server falls under the Search & Data Extraction category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- HackerNews MCP Server - A comprehensive Model Context Protoc
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx hackernews-mcp-typescriptConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use HackerNews
HackerNews MCP Server is a TypeScript implementation that provides seamless access to Hacker News content through the Model Context Protocol. It supports searching stories, retrieving full post details with comments, analyzing user profiles, detecting trending topics, and examining comment engagement — all without requiring any API key, as the HackerNews Firebase API is freely accessible.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18 or later
- npm (bundled with Node.js)
- Git to clone the repository
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop or Cursor
Clone the repository
Download the HackerNews MCP server source from GitHub.
git clone https://github.com/Traves-Theberge/Hackernews-MCP-Typescript.git
cd Hackernews-MCP-TypescriptInstall dependencies
Install the required Node.js packages.
npm installBuild the TypeScript project
Compile the TypeScript source to JavaScript. The compiled output is required by the MCP client to launch the server.
npm run buildConfigure environment variables (optional)
The server works with default settings, but you can customize caching, timeouts, and log levels. Copy or create a .env file if you need non-default values.
# Optional: customize server behavior
HACKERNEWS_API_TIMEOUT=10000
CACHE_TTL_SECONDS=300
CACHE_MAX_SIZE=1000
LOG_LEVEL=infoAdd to Claude Desktop configuration
Register the server in your claude_desktop_config.json pointing to the compiled index.js entry point.
HackerNews Examples
Client configuration
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json, replacing the path with the absolute path to your cloned repository.
{
"mcpServers": {
"hackernews": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/Hackernews-MCP-Typescript/dist/index.js"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Use these with Claude to explore Hacker News content.
- "Find HackerNews stories about WebAssembly posted in the last week with a score above 100"
- "Get the full details and top comments for story ID 44473319"
- "Analyze the HackerNews user 'pg' and summarize their posting activity and karma"
- "What topics are trending on HackerNews right now based on the top stories?"
- "Search HackerNews comments mentioning 'Model Context Protocol' and show engagement metrics"Troubleshooting HackerNews
Module not found error when Claude tries to start the server
Ensure you ran 'npm run build' after cloning. The MCP client launches the compiled JavaScript in the dist/ directory, not the TypeScript source. Verify that dist/index.js exists before adding the server to your config.
Searches return stale or cached results
The server uses a three-tier cache with a default TTL of 300 seconds (5 minutes). If you need fresh results, set CACHE_TTL_SECONDS=0 in your environment to disable caching, or wait for the cache to expire naturally.
API timeout errors for large story requests
Increase the HACKERNEWS_API_TIMEOUT value (default 10000ms = 10 seconds) if you are fetching stories with many nested comments. Setting it to 30000 (30 seconds) is a good starting point for deeply threaded discussions.
Frequently Asked Questions about HackerNews
What is HackerNews?
HackerNews is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that hackernews mcp server - a comprehensive model context protocol (mcp) server that provides seamless integration with the hackernews api It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install HackerNews?
Follow the installation instructions on the HackerNews GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with HackerNews?
HackerNews works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is HackerNews free to use?
Yes, HackerNews is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Set Up HackerNews in Your Editor
Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.
Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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