Overview

The Hacker News MCP Server provides real-time access to breaking technology news and discussions as they unfold on one of the tech community's most influential platforms. By leveraging the server's real-time capabilities, you can monitor current events, track emerging stories, and stay informed about what's happening in the technology world without manually refreshing the Hacker News homepage.

Accessing Live Stories

To monitor breaking news, start by requesting the latest stories feed. Simply ask your AI assistant to "show me the newest stories on Hacker News" or "what are the latest submissions?" The server retrieves current submissions as they're posted to the platform, giving you immediate access to fresh content.

The new stories feed is particularly valuable for catching breaking news early, before stories have accumulated votes or comments. Many significant announcements and news items appear here first, making it an essential resource for staying ahead of trends.

Monitoring Top Stories

For breaking news that's already gaining community attention, request the top stories feed. Ask your assistant to "get the current top stories from Hacker News" to see what's rising to prominence. The top stories list reflects real-time community voting, so you'll see which breaking news items the Hacker News community considers most significant.

This feed automatically updates as stories gain or lose momentum, providing a dynamic view of what's capturing attention right now.

Tracking Specific Topics

To monitor breaking news on specific subjects, combine real-time story access with targeted queries. Ask your assistant to "check recent Hacker News stories about AI" or "find new posts mentioning climate tech." The server retrieves current stories and filters them based on your interests, helping you focus on relevant breaking news without information overload.

Setting Up Monitoring Workflows

For ongoing monitoring, establish regular check-ins by periodically requesting updates. You might ask your assistant every few hours to "check for new Hacker News stories about cryptocurrency" or "show me any breaking security news on Hacker News." This approach creates an effective monitoring system for topics important to you.

Analyzing Community Response

When breaking news appears, examine the comment threads to understand community reaction. Request comments on specific stories to see expert analysis, technical discussion, or firsthand accounts that often provide context missing from original articles. This real-time commentary frequently offers valuable insights into how significant a development truly is.

Best Practices

Check both new and top stories feeds to get comprehensive coverage—new stories show what's just breaking, while top stories reveal what's gaining traction. Remember that Hacker News focuses on technology, science, and startup news, so it's most effective for monitoring breaking news in these domains.