Overview

The Hacker News MCP Server provides real-time access to one of tech's most influential discussion platforms. This guide explains how to monitor live updates and stay current with breaking tech news, emerging discussions, and community activity through your AI assistant.

Accessing Real-Time Content

The server continuously pulls fresh data from Hacker News, ensuring you're always working with current information rather than cached results. To monitor real-time updates, simply ask your AI assistant for the latest content:

• New Stories: Request the newest submissions as they arrive on the platform. These represent fresh content before community voting has determined their popularity.
• Top Stories: Access stories currently on the front page based on community upvotes and engagement. This feed updates dynamically as stories rise and fall in ranking.
• Best Stories: Retrieve stories that have demonstrated sustained value and quality according to Hacker News' algorithms.

Monitoring Specific Topics

To track discussions about particular subjects, technologies, or companies in real-time:

1. Ask your assistant to retrieve current top stories and scan for relevant keywords
2. Request comment threads on specific submissions to follow evolving discussions
3. Check back periodically to catch new submissions or comments on topics of interest

For example: "Show me the latest Hacker News stories about artificial intelligence" or "What are people saying in the comments about the recent database announcement?"

Tracking User Activity

Monitor contributions from specific community members, thought leaders, or subject matter experts by requesting their profile information. The server provides access to:

• Recent submissions and comments from any user
• Karma scores indicating community reputation
• Historical activity patterns

This is valuable for following experts in your field or tracking how specific individuals engage with the community.

Setting Up Monitoring Workflows

Combine real-time access with regular check-ins to create effective monitoring routines:

• Schedule periodic requests for new stories to catch breaking news as it emerges
• Monitor comment threads on important submissions to track evolving discussions
• Watch for mentions of specific keywords, products, or companies in titles and discussions

The server's real-time nature means you can ask follow-up questions and drill into specific threads as news develops, ensuring you never miss important conversations happening in the tech community.

Best Practices

For effective real-time monitoring, be specific about what you're tracking and check in regularly. The more precise your requests, the better your assistant can filter and present relevant information from Hacker News' constant stream of activity.