Overview

Real-time monitoring of trending topics on Hacker News helps you stay ahead of technology conversations as they unfold. This guide walks you through setting up automated monitoring using the Hacker News MCP server to track emerging discussions and identify trending content before it becomes mainstream.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure your Hacker News MCP server is properly configured and connected to your AI assistant. You should be able to make basic queries like retrieving top stories to confirm the connection is working.

Setting Up Basic Monitoring

Retrieve Current Top Stories

Start by querying the top stories feed to establish a baseline of what's currently trending. Ask your assistant to "show me the top stories on Hacker News" or "what are the trending posts right now." This returns a list of highly-voted submissions that have reached the front page.

The top stories feed updates dynamically as community voting patterns change, making it ideal for understanding what topics are gaining momentum.

Monitor New Submissions

To catch trends early, regularly check the new stories feed. Request "show me the newest Hacker News submissions" to see posts as they arrive, before community voting has elevated them. This approach helps you identify potentially viral content during its initial hours.

Creating Focused Monitoring Workflows

Track Specific Topics

Combine story retrieval with keyword filtering to monitor specific subjects. For example, request "find recent Hacker News stories about artificial intelligence" or "show me discussions about startup funding." Your assistant will scan available stories and highlight those matching your criteria.

Analyze Comment Activity

High comment counts often signal controversial or particularly interesting topics. Ask your assistant to "show me top stories with the most comments" to identify posts generating significant discussion. You can then dive into specific comment threads to understand different perspectives.

Follow Key Contributors

Identify influential community members by examining user profiles with high karma scores. Monitor their submission and comment activity to discover content before it trends widely. Request "show me recent activity from [username]" to track specific users.

Establishing Regular Check-Ins

Set up a routine for monitoring by scheduling regular queries. Consider checking top stories every few hours during business hours and reviewing new submissions during peak posting times (typically early morning US Eastern time). Combine multiple queries—top stories, new submissions, and high-comment threads—to build a comprehensive view of trending topics.

Best Practices

Check multiple story feeds (top, new, and best) to get different perspectives on what's trending. Don't rely solely on scores; sometimes the most interesting discussions happen on newer posts with moderate engagement. Pay attention to the velocity of scoring—stories gaining points rapidly are likely to trend prominently.