Connection Problems

If you're unable to connect to the Hacker News MCP server, first verify that the server is running and properly configured in your MCP client settings. Check that the server process has started successfully and hasn't crashed during initialization. Review your configuration file to ensure the server path and any required parameters are correctly specified.

Network connectivity is rarely an issue since the server makes outbound requests to Hacker News APIs, but if you're behind a corporate firewall or proxy, ensure that HTTPS connections to hacker-news.firebaseio.com are permitted. The server requires internet access to retrieve data from Hacker News.

If the server starts but your client can't communicate with it, verify that your MCP client software is up to date and compatible with the server version. Restart both the server and client application to reset any stale connections.

Empty or Missing Data

When queries return empty results or missing data, the issue typically relates to how Hacker News structures its content. Not all stories have comments, and some posts may have been deleted or flagged by moderators. User profiles might be private or the username might be misspelled in your query.

Verify that you're requesting valid item IDs or usernames. Hacker News item IDs are sequential integers, and requesting a non-existent ID will return no data. Similarly, usernames are case-sensitive and must match exactly.

For story lists that appear empty, check the specific feed you're requesting. The server retrieves live data, so if there's an unusual lull in community activity, some feeds may temporarily have fewer items than expected.

Slow Response Times

Hacker News API responses can occasionally be slower during peak traffic periods. The server makes real-time requests to Hacker News rather than using cached data, which means response times depend on Hacker News infrastructure performance.

If you're experiencing consistently slow responses, consider reducing the scope of your queries. Instead of requesting all comments for a popular story with hundreds of responses, start with the top-level comments or limit the depth of comment tree traversal.

Complex queries that require multiple API calls—such as retrieving full user histories or deep comment threads—will naturally take longer to complete. Be patient with these requests, as the server must make sequential calls to gather all requested information.

Rate Limiting and Access Errors

While Hacker News doesn't publish strict rate limits, excessive requests in rapid succession may result in slower responses or temporary access restrictions. If you encounter access errors, pause your requests for a few minutes before resuming.

Design your usage patterns to be respectful of the Hacker News infrastructure. Avoid making hundreds of requests per minute or running continuous polling loops at very short intervals.