How Real-Time Data Works

The Hacker News MCP Server connects directly to Hacker News APIs to fetch live data whenever you make a request. Unlike systems that rely on cached or periodically updated information, this server retrieves the most current data available at the moment of your query. When you ask for top stories, user profiles, or comment threads, the server makes fresh API calls to Hacker News and returns up-to-the-minute information.

This real-time approach ensures you're always working with the latest submissions, vote counts, and community activity. Stories that appeared minutes ago, comments just posted, and the most recent changes to user karma are all immediately accessible through your queries.

What Gets Updated in Real-Time

Story Feeds

When you request top stories, new submissions, or best stories, you'll receive the current state of these feeds as they exist on Hacker News at that exact moment. Story scores, ranks, and positions on the front page reflect live community voting, so a story's position in the top stories list may change between requests as votes accumulate.

Comments and Discussions

Comment threads are retrieved with their current state, including all newly posted replies and updated vote scores. If a discussion is actively evolving, subsequent requests will show new comments that have been added since your last query.

User Information

User profiles display current karma scores, recent submission history, and the latest comments. As users continue participating in the community, their profiles update to reflect this ongoing activity.

Making Effective Use of Live Data

To get the most value from real-time access, consider timing your queries strategically. Checking top stories multiple times throughout the day reveals how different submissions gain momentum and which topics sustain community interest. For breaking tech news, frequent queries ensure you catch important discussions as they develop.

When monitoring specific topics or tracking discussions about particular technologies, periodic queries help you stay informed without constantly refreshing a browser. You can ask your AI assistant to check for new stories on specific subjects or monitor comment threads for new insights.

Understanding Data Freshness

Each request to the server triggers a new fetch from Hacker News, meaning the data you receive is only as old as the time it takes to make the API call—typically just seconds. There's no polling interval or refresh schedule to worry about; every query gives you a current snapshot of Hacker News activity.

This immediate access makes the server particularly valuable for time-sensitive use cases like tracking product launches, monitoring emerging security discussions, or staying current with rapidly developing technical conversations in the community.