Common Connection Problems

If you're having trouble connecting to the Hacker News MCP server, start by verifying that the server is properly installed and running. Check that all dependencies are correctly installed and that your MCP client is configured to communicate with the server. Connection failures often occur when the server process isn't active or when there's a misconfiguration in your client settings.

Ensure your network connection is stable and that no firewall or proxy settings are blocking access to Hacker News API endpoints. The server requires outbound internet access to communicate with Hacker News servers, so verify that your security settings allow these connections.

API Rate Limiting and Throttling

Hacker News has rate limits in place to protect their infrastructure. If you're experiencing slow responses or timeouts, you may be hitting these limits. Try spacing out your requests or reducing the frequency of queries. The server doesn't implement automatic rate limiting, so it's your responsibility to use it respectfully.

If you receive error messages about too many requests, wait a few minutes before trying again. Consider restructuring your queries to retrieve more information in fewer requests when possible.

Authentication and Configuration Issues

While Hacker News doesn't require authentication for reading public data, ensure your MCP client is properly configured to communicate with the server. Double-check your configuration files for any typos or incorrect paths. The server should work immediately for read operations without additional setup.

If the server fails to start, review the installation steps and verify that all required packages are installed. Check console output for specific error messages that can guide troubleshooting.

Data Retrieval Problems

If you're receiving empty results or errors when requesting specific items, verify that the item IDs you're using are valid. Hacker News items (stories, comments, users) have unique numeric identifiers, and requesting non-existent IDs will return no data.

When requesting user profiles or comments, be aware that some content may have been deleted or flagged by moderators. This is normal behavior and doesn't indicate a server problem.

Server Performance Issues

Slow response times can result from Hacker News API performance rather than the server itself. During high-traffic periods, responses may take longer. If you're experiencing consistent slowness, try requesting smaller datasets or simplifying your queries.

For persistent issues, restart the server process and check system resources to ensure adequate memory and CPU availability.