Overview

The Hacker News MCP Server enables you to access Hacker News content directly through your AI assistant. This integration allows you to browse stories, read comments, view user profiles, and stay updated on tech discussions without leaving your workflow.

Prerequisites

Before connecting to the Hacker News MCP Server, ensure you have:

• An MCP-compatible client (such as Claude Desktop or another MCP-enabled application)
• Node.js installed on your system
• Basic familiarity with editing JSON configuration files

Installation Steps

1. Install the Server

Open your terminal and install the Hacker News MCP Server using npm:

npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-hackernews

2. Configure Your MCP Client

Locate your MCP client's configuration file. For Claude Desktop, this is typically found at:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

3. Add the Server Configuration

Edit the configuration file to include the Hacker News server. Add the following entry to the mcpServers section:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hackernews": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-hackernews"]
    }
  }
}

4. Restart Your Client

Close and reopen your MCP client application to load the new server configuration.

Using the Server

Once connected, you can interact with Hacker News through natural language queries:

• Browse stories: "Show me the top stories on Hacker News"
• Read comments: "Get comments for story ID 12345"
• Check user profiles: "Look up the user profile for [username]"
• Monitor new content: "What are the latest submissions on Hacker News?"

The server handles all API interactions automatically, returning structured information ready for you to review and analyze.

Troubleshooting

If the server doesn't connect properly:

• Verify the configuration file syntax is valid JSON
• Ensure Node.js and npm are correctly installed
• Check that you've restarted your client after configuration changes
• Review your client's logs for specific error messages

You're now ready to explore Hacker News content seamlessly through your AI assistant.