How to Use the Hacker News MCP in VS Code Copilot

Q: Can I restrict Hacker News access in VS Code Copilot?

You control the mcp.json file. You can commit the config to your repo or keep it local to individual machines.

Connect Hacker News to VS Code Copilot to share real-time industry insights across your entire engineering team.

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Connect Hacker News MCP to VS Code Copilot

Create your Vinkius account to connect Hacker News to VS Code Copilot 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 with VS Code Copilot

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Team-wide news access in VS Code Copilot

Use `top_stories` to pull trending discussions directly into the editor. Since the config is shared via Git, everyone sees the same data. It keeps the team aligned on current tech trends. You don't have to manually share links in Slack when the AI can pull them into the project context.

Analyze threads with VS Code Copilot

The `get_item` tool allows you to pull deep technical analysis from comments into your chat. The AI breaks down complex arguments for the whole team. This eliminates the need to pass links around. The content is right there in the Copilot chat, ready for architectural review.

Scan new submissions in VS Code Copilot

Use `new_stories` to keep a pulse on the latest project submissions. The team can identify new dependencies before they become standard. It automates the discovery process. Your agent filters the noise and brings the most relevant new submissions to your attention.

Setup guide

Set up Hacker News MCP in VS Code Copilot

Prerequisites

VS Code 1.99 or later with GitHub Copilot extension
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open MCP configuration

Open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) and run "MCP: Add Server". Select HTTP (Streamable) as the server type. VS Code will create .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace.
2

Add the Hacker News MCP

Paste the JSON snippet shown on the right into your .vscode/mcp.json. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Switch to Agent mode

Open Copilot Chat (Cmd+Shift+I / Ctrl+Shift+I) and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown. MCP tools are only available in Agent mode — they do not appear in Edit or Ask modes.
4

Verify the connection

In the Copilot Chat input, type # to list available tools. You should see the Hacker News tools listed. Try asking: "List my recent Hacker News transactions" and Copilot will invoke them automatically.

.vscode/mcp.json

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

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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 MCP in VS Code Copilot

There are no credentials to expose. The tool uses a public API that requires no login or private keys.

It is a read-only tool that accesses public information. It does not handle PII or corporate data, ensuring it fits within standard security policies.

It fetches only the specific items you request. This prevents unnecessary overhead and keeps the editor responsive.

You control the `mcp.json` file. You can commit the config to your repo or keep it local to individual machines.

It only processes public story titles, comment text, and submission metadata. No private project data is ever sent to the API.

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