Overview

The Hacker News MCP Server provides comprehensive access to user profiles and their activity history on Hacker News. This functionality allows you to research individual contributors, track thought leaders in specific domains, and analyze community engagement patterns. Whether you're identifying subject matter experts or understanding user influence, accessing profile data is straightforward through natural language queries.

Retrieving User Profiles

To access a user's profile, simply ask your AI assistant about a specific Hacker News user by their username. The server will retrieve their complete profile information, including:

• Karma score: A measure of the user's contributions and community standing
• Account age: When the user joined Hacker News
• About section: Biographical information or personal details the user has shared
• Submission history: Stories and links the user has posted
• Comment history: The user's participation in discussions

For example, you might ask "Show me the profile for user pg" or "What's the karma score for user tptacek?" The server handles the request and returns structured profile data.

Exploring Activity History

User activity history provides insight into what topics someone engages with and how they contribute to the community. You can:

• Review submission patterns: See what stories and links a user has posted over time
• Analyze comment threads: Understand which discussions the user participates in
• Track expertise areas: Identify subject matter domains based on contribution topics
• Monitor engagement levels: Observe how frequently and consistently a user contributes

This historical view is particularly valuable for identifying experts in specific technical domains or understanding how influential community members interact with different topics.

Practical Applications

Identifying Experts: Research users who frequently contribute insights on specific technologies, programming languages, or industry topics. Their karma and activity patterns help validate their expertise.

Following Thought Leaders: Track submissions and comments from well-known community members to stay informed about what captures their attention.

Research and Context: When evaluating discussions, understanding a commenter's background and contribution history provides valuable context for weighing their perspectives.

Tips for Effective Use

Start with specific usernames when you know whose profile you want to explore. The server requires an exact username match. If you're unsure of exact spelling, you can first retrieve stories or comments that interest you, then explore the profiles of users who contributed to those discussions.

Remember that all data reflects public information available on Hacker News, respecting the platform's existing privacy and access model.