Overview

The Hacker News MCP server provides access to user profile information and activity history, allowing you to research individual contributors, track thought leaders, and analyze community engagement patterns. This functionality is essential for identifying subject matter experts, understanding user influence, and conducting research on community dynamics.

Accessing User Profiles

To retrieve information about a Hacker News user, simply ask your AI assistant for details about a specific username. The server will fetch comprehensive profile data including:

• Karma score: A measure of the user's contributions and community standing
• Account creation date: How long the user has been active on Hacker News
• About section: Biographical information and links provided by the user
• Submission history: Stories and links the user has posted
• Comment history: The user's participation in discussions

For example, you might ask: "Show me the profile for user 'patio11'" or "What's the karma score for user 'tptacek'?"

Exploring User Activity

Beyond basic profile information, you can dive deeper into what a user has contributed to the community. The server provides access to:

• Recent submissions and their performance (scores, comment counts)
• Latest comments and the discussions they participated in
• Historical activity patterns and engagement levels

This is particularly valuable when you want to understand someone's areas of expertise, find their most insightful comments, or discover quality content they've shared.

Practical Use Cases

Finding Domain Experts: Research users who frequently contribute to topics you're interested in. Their comment and submission history can reveal deep expertise in specific technologies or industries.

Tracking Thought Leaders: Monitor the activity of influential community members to stay informed about their latest insights and the discussions they engage with.

Vetting Contributors: When evaluating advice or opinions, checking a user's profile helps you understand their background, track record, and standing within the community.

Research and Analysis: Study user behavior patterns, contribution types, and engagement styles for academic research or community analysis projects.

Tips for Effective Use

Start with usernames you encounter in interesting discussions or highly-voted comments. The quality of insights on Hacker News often correlates with a user's history of thoughtful contributions. When researching a topic, identifying and following key contributors can lead you to valuable resources and discussions you might otherwise miss.

Remember that user data reflects public information available on Hacker News. All retrieved information respects the platform's public API and user privacy settings.