What You'll Need

Before setting up the Hacker News MCP server, ensure you have Node.js installed on your system (version 16 or higher recommended). You'll also need an MCP-compatible client application, such as Claude Desktop or another AI assistant that supports the Model Context Protocol.

Installation Steps

The Hacker News MCP server can be installed directly through npm or configured manually. The quickest method is using npx, which doesn't require a separate installation step.

To set up the server, you'll need to add it to your MCP client's configuration file. For Claude Desktop, locate the configuration file at:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Open this file in a text editor and add the Hacker News server to the mcpServers section:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hackernews": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-hackernews"]
    }
  }
}

Save the configuration file and restart your MCP client application for the changes to take effect.

Verifying the Setup

Once your client restarts, the Hacker News server should be active and ready to use. You can verify the connection by asking your AI assistant simple queries like "What are the top stories on Hacker News right now?" or "Show me the latest submissions."

If the server is working correctly, you'll receive structured information about current Hacker News content. The assistant will be able to retrieve story details, access comments, and look up user profiles on your behalf.

Basic Usage Examples

Start with straightforward requests to familiarize yourself with the server's capabilities:

• Browse stories: "What's trending on Hacker News today?"
• Read discussions: "Show me the comments on the top story"
• Research users: "What has [username] been posting about recently?"

The server handles all API interactions behind the scenes, so you can focus on exploring content rather than technical implementation details.

Troubleshooting

If the server doesn't connect, double-check your configuration file for syntax errors—JSON formatting requires precise comma placement and quotation marks. Ensure your MCP client has been fully restarted after configuration changes. If issues persist, verify that Node.js is properly installed and accessible from your command line.