How to Use the Hacker News Alternative MCP in Claude

Q: How do I configure the Hacker News Alternative on Claude Desktop?

Open your claudedesktopconfig.json file and add the MCP server configuration under the configuration key. Once you save and restart Claude Desktop, your agent will have immediate access to the Hacker News Alternative feed tools.

Q: Can Claude Desktop poll Hacker News Alternative in the background?

No, the desktop client only triggers tool calls like getnewstories when you explicitly ask a question about Hacker News in chat. Claude Desktop runs as a local subprocess, executing commands only on your direct request.

Q: Does this server support custom filtering of Show HN posts?

Yes, you can tell Claude Desktop to use getshowstories and filter the results by specific keywords. The agent handles the filtering logic locally after fetching the raw Hacker News data list.

Read, filter, and track Hacker News stories and user profiles directly inside Claude Desktop without opening a browser tab.

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Connect Hacker News Alternative MCP to Claude Desktop

Create your Vinkius account to connect Hacker News Alternative to Claude Desktop and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup Hacker News Alternative with Claude Desktop

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Scan the Front Page via Claude Desktop

`get_top_stories` pulls the current top 500 stories on Hacker News directly into your Claude Desktop chat. Your Claude Desktop agent reads this Hacker News list, identifies trends in tech stacks, and isolates the exact links you need. You don't have to keep a browser window open to monitor Hacker News tech shifts when using Claude Desktop. Claude Desktop uses this local connection to parse the raw Hacker News feed, saving you from scrolling through endless threads on the main site.

Deep Dive into HN Threads and Profiles

`get_item` retrieves specific Hacker News comments while `get_user` pulls up creator profiles inside Claude Desktop. Your Claude Desktop agent can map out a full Hacker News comment tree to find the technical gold buried deep in a launch thread. Instead of manual clicking, Claude Desktop handles the recursive Hacker News API queries. You get a clean, summarized breakdown of the actual Hacker News discussion inside Claude Desktop without the website's default UI noise.

Filter Niche Feeds with this MCP Server

`get_ask_stories` and `get_show_stories` let you target specific Hacker News sub-sections where developers share raw projects directly within Claude Desktop. The MCP server processes these distinct Hacker News endpoints to feed your Claude Desktop agent clean markdown lists. You can ask Claude Desktop to compare today's Show HN posts with yesterday's top Hacker News items. Claude Desktop runs the Hacker News queries in the background and delivers a curated brief of projects that match your stack.

Setup guide

Set up Hacker News Alternative MCP in Claude Web or Desktop

1

Open Claude Settings

Go to claude.ai, click your profile icon, then navigate to Customize → Connectors.
2

Add Custom Connector

Click the "+" button and select Add custom connector. Paste your Vinkius endpoint URL: https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your token from cloud.vinkius.com. For OAuth-protected servers, expand Advanced settings to add credentials.
3

Start a conversation

Open a new chat. The Hacker News Alternative MCP tools are available immediately — no restart needed.

Endpoint URL

https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp

No configuration file needed — paste the URL directly in the Claude web interface.

Available on Free (1 connector), Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans.

Prerequisites

Claude Desktop installed (macOS or Windows)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open Claude Desktop Settings

Click the menu icon at the top-left corner, go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config. This opens claude_desktop_config.json in your default text editor.
2

Paste the Hacker News Alternative MCP configuration

Copy the JSON snippet on the right into the mcpServers object. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Restart Claude Desktop

Close and reopen the application. Claude needs a full restart to load new MCPs — refreshing a conversation is not enough.
4

Verify the connection

Open a new conversation. Click the 🔌 icon at the bottom of the message input. You should see tools listed under hacker-news-alternative-mcp.

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hacker-news-alternative-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Get your connection token →

Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by Hacker News. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about Hacker News Alternative MCP in Claude Desktop

Open your `claude_desktop_config.json` file and add the MCP server configuration under the configuration key. Once you save and restart Claude Desktop, your agent will have immediate access to the Hacker News Alternative feed tools.

No, the desktop client only triggers tool calls like `get_new_stories` when you explicitly ask a question about Hacker News in chat. Claude Desktop runs as a local subprocess, executing commands only on your direct request.

It lets your Claude Desktop agent analyze actual Hacker News discussions using `get_item` and summarize long threads. You get synthesized technical answers directly in the chat without manual copy-pasting.

Yes, you can tell Claude Desktop to use `get_show_stories` and filter the results by specific keywords. The agent handles the filtering logic locally after fetching the raw Hacker News data list.

It only transmits read-only public data like Hacker News item IDs, comments, and public user profiles. No personal search history or local system files are sent to the external API during execution of the MCP server.

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