What You'll Learn

This guide shows you how to monitor real-time Hacker News updates using the Firecrawl MCP server. You'll learn to track new stories, follow trending discussions, and stay current with technology news as it happens.

Understanding Real-Time Access

The Firecrawl MCP server connects directly to Hacker News APIs, providing live access to the latest submissions, comments, and community activity. Unlike static snapshots or delayed feeds, you're working with current data that reflects what's happening on Hacker News right now.

Monitoring New Stories

To track the latest submissions, simply ask your AI assistant for "new stories on Hacker News" or "recent Hacker News submissions." The server retrieves the newest posts as they appear on the site, giving you immediate visibility into fresh content before it gains traction.

This is particularly useful when you want to:

• Catch breaking tech news early
• Monitor specific keywords or topics as they emerge
• Discover content before it reaches the front page

Tracking Top Stories

For stories that have already gained community attention, request "top stories" or "trending Hacker News posts." These queries return submissions that have risen to prominence through upvotes and engagement, helping you understand what the community finds most valuable right now.

Following Active Discussions

Comments often contain the most valuable insights. To monitor ongoing conversations, request comment threads for specific stories or topics. Ask for "comments on [story title]" or "discussion about [topic]" to see how the community is responding in real-time.

Setting Up Monitoring Workflows

Create effective monitoring routines by:

Regular Check-ins: Ask your assistant to check top stories at intervals throughout the day to catch important developments.

Topic-Specific Tracking: Request stories about specific technologies, companies, or trends you're following.

User Activity: Monitor submissions and comments from particular users whose expertise is relevant to your interests.

Practical Examples

• "Show me the top 10 stories on Hacker News right now"
• "What are the latest submissions about artificial intelligence?"
• "Get the comment thread for the top story"
• "What has [username] posted recently?"

Best Practices

Check updates regularly rather than continuously, as Hacker News content typically evolves over hours rather than minutes. Focus on top and new stories for the best balance of quality and timeliness. When monitoring specific topics, combine story searches with comment analysis to get the full picture of community sentiment.

The server handles all technical complexity, letting you focus on the insights rather than the mechanics of data retrieval.