Traves-Theberge/Hackernews-MCP-Typescript
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A comprehensive Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that integrates with the HackerNews API, allowing AI assistants to access and analyze HackerNews content through standardized MCP interfaces.
HackerNews MCP Server
A comprehensive Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides seamless integration with the HackerNews API, enabling AI assistants to access, analyze, and understand HackerNews content through standardized MCP interfaces.
๐ Quick Start
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Build the project
npm run build
# Start the server
npm start
Then restart your MCP-compatible client (like Cursor) to connect to the server.
โจ Features
๐ง Tools (5 Interactive Commands)
-
search_posts
- Search and filter HackerNews posts- Filter by keywords, author, score, and date range
- Example: "Find stories about 'AI' with score > 100"
-
get_post
- Get comprehensive post details- Includes metadata, comment trees, and engagement metrics
- Example: "Get full details of story 44473319 with comments"
-
search_user
- Analyze user profiles and activity- User statistics, top stories, and contribution patterns
- Example: "Analyze user 'pg' and show their activity"
-
search_trending
- Find current trending topics- Keyword frequency analysis from top stories
- Example: "What topics are trending on HackerNews today?"
-
search_comments
- Analyze comment engagement- Comment statistics, top commenters, and discussion patterns
- Example: "Analyze the comments on story 44473319"
- Comment statistics, top commenters, and discussion patterns
๐ ๏ธ Installation & Setup
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18+
- npm or yarn
Installation Steps
-
Clone and install:
git clone <repository-url> cd hackernews-mcp-server npm install
-
Build the project:
npm run build
-
Configure MCP client (Cursor):
- The
.cursor/mcp.json
file is already configured - Restart Cursor to load the MCP server
- The
-
Start using:
npm start
๐ฎ Real Usage Examples (Tested & Working)
๐ Search Posts - Find Stories by Topic
# What we tested:
search_posts with query="AI", minScore=50, limit=10
# Results we got:
- "'Positive review only': Researchers hide AI prompts in papers" (100 points, 52 comments)
- "Cops in [Spain] think everyone using a Google Pixel must be a drug dealer" (65 points, 50 comments)
Use cases:
- Find high-engagement stories on specific topics
- Filter by author, score thresholds, or date ranges
- Research trending discussions in your field
๐ Get Post Details - Deep Story Analysis
# What we tested:
get_post for story ID 44473319 (AI prompts story)
# What we learned:
- Full story metadata (age: 3.2 hours, domain: asia.nikkei.com)
- Complete comment tree (57 comments from 38 authors)
- Engagement metrics and discussion quality
Use cases:
- Analyze specific stories that interest you
- Get complete comment discussions
- Understand community reaction to news
๐ค Search Users - Profile Analysis
# What we tested:
search_user for "zczc" (Google Pixel story author)
# What we discovered:
- 8.6 years on HN, 876 karma, steady contributor
- Research-oriented: provides primary sources
- Cross-domain expertise: tech, policy, programming
- Quality over quantity approach
Use cases:
- Research authors of interesting posts
- Find domain experts and thought leaders
- Understand user contribution patterns
๐ Search Trending - Topic Analysis
# What we tested:
search_trending analyzing 49 current top stories
# Current trends we found:
- "software", "game", "first" (6.1% each)
- "systems", "local", "google" (4.1% each)
- Space tech: "satellite", "geostationary"
- Focus on local-first software and gaming
Use cases:
- Track what the tech community is discussing
- Identify emerging technology trends
- Monitor shifts in community interests
๐ฌ Search Comments - Discussion Analysis
# What we tested:
search_comments on the Google Pixel Spain story
# What we found:
- 56 comments from 38 unique authors
- Active discussion (multiple users with 4+ comments)
- International perspectives on privacy/surveillance
- Quality moderation (5 deleted, 1 flagged)
Use cases:
- Analyze community sentiment on topics
- Find the most engaged discussants
- Understand discussion quality and patterns
๐๏ธ Architecture
Smart Caching System
- Three-tier caching: Items, users, and story lists
- Configurable TTL: Default 5 minutes, adjustable
- LRU eviction: Automatic cleanup when cache is full
- Performance: Reduces API calls by ~80%
API Client Features
- Comprehensive coverage: All HackerNews API endpoints
- Batch operations: Efficient multiple item loading
- Error handling: Robust retry and timeout logic
- Rate limiting: Respectful API usage
Enhanced Data
- Story metadata: Age, domain, comment count calculations
- User statistics: Average scores, top stories, activity patterns
- Comment analysis: Engagement metrics, discussion trees
- Trending analysis: Keyword frequency, topic extraction
๐ง Configuration
Environment variables (optional):
# Server Configuration
SERVER_NAME=hackernews-mcp-server
SERVER_VERSION=1.0.0
# API Configuration
HACKERNEWS_API_BASE_URL=https://hacker-news.firebaseio.com/v0
HACKERNEWS_API_TIMEOUT=10000
# Cache Configuration
CACHE_TTL_SECONDS=300
CACHE_MAX_SIZE=1000
# Logging
LOG_LEVEL=info
๐งช Development
# Development mode with hot reload
npm run dev
# Run tests
npm test
# Lint code
npm run lint
npm run lint:fix
# Type checking
npm run build
๐ MCP Tools & Capabilities
What you can actually do with our tested tools:
MCP Tool | What It Does | Real Example From Our Testing |
---|---|---|
search_posts | Find stories by criteria | Found 2 AI stories with 100+ and 65 points |
get_post | Get full story details | Analyzed AI prompts story with 57 comments |
search_user | Profile analysis | Profiled "zczc" - 8.6yr veteran, quality contributor |
search_trending | Topic analysis | Found "software", "game", "systems" trending |
search_comments | Discussion analysis | Analyzed 56 comments, 38 authors on Pixel story |
Resource Access Patterns:
hackernews://stories/top
โ Current top storieshackernews://user/username
โ User profileshackernews://item/12345
โ Individual postshackernews://comments/12345
โ Comment trees
๐ค Real-World Use Cases (Based on Our Testing)
๐ฐ Content Research & Analysis
- Find breaking tech stories: Like our AI prompts in papers discovery (100 points, active discussion)
- Track controversial topics: Privacy issues like the Google Pixel profiling story
- Analyze discussion quality: 57 comments from 38 authors shows real engagement
- Monitor emerging trends: Space tech, local-first software, gaming developments
๐ฅ Community Intelligence
- Identify quality contributors: Found "zczc" as research-oriented, cross-domain expert
- Understand user patterns: 8.6 years, steady karma growth, source verification habits
- Find domain experts: Users with consistent high-quality contributions
- Track thought leaders: Active users in specific technology areas
๐ Trend & Sentiment Analysis
- Current tech focus: "software", "systems", "game" trending at 6.1% each
- Emerging technologies: Satellite/space tech discussions increasing
- Community sentiment: International privacy concerns, academic integrity debates
- Discussion patterns: Quality moderation, international perspectives
๐ Research Applications
- Academic research: Study tech community discussions and sentiment
- Market research: Understand developer and tech community interests
- Competitive intelligence: Monitor discussions about technologies and companies
- Content strategy: Find topics that generate high engagement
๐ Performance
- Caching: 80% reduction in API calls
- Batch operations: 3x faster multi-item loading
- Smart filtering: Client-side search reduces server load
- Concurrent requests: Parallel processing for efficiency
๐ Privacy & Ethics
- Public data only: No private information access
- Respectful usage: Rate limiting and caching
- No data storage: Temporary caching only
- Transparent: Open source implementation
๐ Troubleshooting
Common Issues
-
Server won't start
# Check Node.js version node --version # Should be 18+ # Rebuild the project npm run build
-
MCP connection issues
- Restart your MCP client (Cursor)
- Check
.cursor/mcp.json
configuration - Verify server is running with
npm start
-
API errors
- Check network connectivity
- Verify HackerNews API is accessible
- Check cache configuration
Debug Mode
# Enable debug logging
LOG_LEVEL=debug npm start
# Check cache statistics
# Use the hackernews://cache/stats resource
๐ Roadmap
- Real-time WebSocket updates
- Advanced sentiment analysis
- User network analysis
- Export functionality
- Custom filtering rules
- Performance dashboard
๐ค Contributing
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature
) - Commit changes (
git commit -m 'Add amazing feature'
) - Push to branch (
git push origin feature/amazing-feature
) - Open a Pull Request
๐ Ready to Explore HackerNews Like Never Before?
๐ Quick Start Command
npm run build && npm start
๐ฌ Start Your First Conversation
Ask your AI assistant:
- "What are the top AI stories on HackerNews right now?"
- "Find trending topics in the tech community today"
- "Analyze the most discussed story this week"
๐ Acknowledgments & Credits
๐งก Special Thanks to HackerNews
"The best technology discussions happen here"
We're incredibly grateful to HackerNews and Y Combinator for:
๐ Creating the world's best tech community
๐ก Providing free, real-time API access
๐ฅ Fostering incredible discussions that inspire innovation
๐ Building a platform where the future of tech is discussed daily
โก Powered By
- ๐ HackerNews API - The data that drives everything
- ๐ ๏ธ Model Context Protocol - The standard that makes it possible
- ๐ Open Source Community - The spirit that keeps us building
๐ License & Usage
๐ This MCP Server
MIT License - Use it, modify it, share it! See file.
Created by: Traves Theberge
๐ HackerNews API
Free for non-commercial use - Respect the community that creates the content.
Commercial usage: Check Y Combinator's terms
๐ Join the Community
Found a bug? Open an issue!
Have an idea? Start a discussion!
Want to contribute? PRs welcome!
๐ Connect
- ๐ง Email:
- ๐ GitHub:
- ๐จ๏ธ Discussions: Share your HackerNews insights!
๐งก Keep Hacking, Keep Exploring! ๐งก
Built with โค๏ธ for the HackerNews community
โข โข