Prerequisites

Before installing the Hacker News MCP Server, ensure you have the following:

• An MCP-compatible client (such as Claude Desktop or another application supporting the Model Context Protocol)
• Node.js version 16 or higher installed on your system
• Basic familiarity with editing JSON configuration files

No API keys or authentication credentials are required, as the server uses Hacker News's public API.

Installation

The Hacker News MCP Server can be installed directly through npm or configured to run from a local repository.

Installing via NPM

The simplest installation method uses npx, which automatically downloads and runs the server without requiring a separate installation step. You'll configure your MCP client to launch the server using this method.

Installing from Source

Alternatively, clone the server's repository from GitHub and install dependencies locally. This approach is useful if you want to modify the server or run a specific version:

git clone https://github.com/your-repo/hackernews-mcp-server
cd hackernews-mcp-server
npm install
npm run build

Configuration

To make the Hacker News MCP Server available to your MCP client, add it to your 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

Add the following entry to the mcpServers section:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hackernews": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "hackernews-mcp-server"]
    }
  }
}

If you installed from source, replace the command and args with the path to your local installation:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hackernews": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/hackernews-mcp-server/build/index.js"]
    }
  }
}

After saving the configuration file, restart your MCP client to load the server.

Verifying Installation

Once configured, test the server by asking your AI assistant questions about Hacker News content. Try queries like "What are the top stories on Hacker News right now?" or "Show me recent comments from user [username]." If the server is working correctly, you'll receive current data directly from Hacker News.

You're now ready to explore Hacker News content through your AI assistant, accessing stories, comments, and user profiles through natural conversation.