Do I need an API key for this MCP?

No authentication is required because this MCP uses the public Hacker News API.

Which AI clients can I use with this?

You can use this with any MCP-compatible client, including Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf.

Can I search for stories from a specific day?

Yes, you can use the fetch_top_stories_by_date capability to find stories from any specific date using the YYYY-MM-DD format.

How does the agent handle comments?

The MCP retrieves discussion threads and converts HTML comments into clean Markdown so your agent can read them easily.

Where is the data coming from?

The data is pulled from the official Hacker News Firebase feed and the public Algolia index.

Can my agent fetch the latest news from Hacker News without an API key?

Yes. This server uses the public Hacker News API, which does not require authentication. You can start exploring stories and comments immediately after subscribing.

How do I read comments for a specific HN story via chat?

Use the get_item capability. Provide the story's numeric ID. The response includes the item's available fields and IDs of direct child comments; call get_item separately to read a child.

Can I see the most recent submissions instead of just the top stories?

Absolutely. Use the 'new_stories' capability. This retrieves the most recently submitted stories chronologically, allowing you to track cutting-edge updates and launches in real-time.

An astronaut overseeing a futuristic data hub

Download PDF Markdown Version

Connect Hacker News to ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini

Set it up once and it works in ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and any other client you love. It all runs safely in the background, so you can relax and focus on what really matters. Bring the latest Y Combinator discussions directly into your chat.

Ask AI about this Connector

Developed, maintained, and hosted by Vinkius.

MCP VERIFIED · PRODUCTION READY · VINKIUS GUARANTEED

Waiting for input…

Works with modern AI clients that support MCP, including ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and more.

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

No other AI tool gives you this. Your workflow runs in the client you already love, your account stays protected, and you decide what the agent can and cannot do. It is the whole reason to make the switch.

Each Connector lives inside our infrastructure, the same place where your workflow runs. The three things below are already part of it, working quietly in the background so you never have to think about them. Nothing to add, nothing to set up, nothing to worry about.

V8 Isolate01

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed V8 runtime — no access to your files, your system, or other servers. A Connector never sees past its own request.

Kill Switch02

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

One action deactivates every Connector, revokes every token, and ends every session at once. AI Governance keeps the record.

FinOps per User03

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

Every user keeps their own connections and credentials, isolated from everyone else. Anything that would cross your spending limit is held for your approval, not billed.

Three controls, built into the layer your AI connects through.

Curated set · 4 capabilities

We ship only the actions that matter.

Capability set01 / 01

01-04

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 4 available through Hacker News.

01
Top stories
Fetches the current top stories from the official Hacker News Firebase feed. It returns a list containing titles, authors, scores, URLs, and timestamps.
02
Get item
Retrieves a specific Hacker News item by its numeric ID. This includes stories, comments, or polls, along with their direct child comment IDs.
03
Fetch top stories by date
Searches for Hacker News stories created on a specific date using the public Algolia index. You must provide the date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
04
New stories
Pull the latest submissions from the official Hacker News Firebase feed. This provides a JSON list of the most recent titles, authors, and scores.

Real work

What teams actually run

Tech Trend Monitoring

Your agent tracks the top stories to alert you when a specific technology starts trending.

Competitor Discovery

You use the newest stories capability to find recent 'Show HN' posts from new startups.

Sentiment Analysis

Your agent pulls comment threads to help you understand how the community feels about a new release.

Historical Research

You search for stories from a specific date to see what the tech landscape looked like during a certain period.

Automate a task

Put Hacker News to work on one thing.

Step-by-step automations your AI runs through this Connector: the workflow, the prompts to start with, and the exact capabilities behind each move.

One connector, every AI

Hacker News works with the most popular AI clients.

These are the most popular clients, each with a step-by-step guide: one link, set up once, with governance and visibility built in. And because everything runs on the MCP standard, the same connection also works in any other compatible client — nothing to rebuild.

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

You don't need a client to put Hacker News to work: the same hosted connection plugs into your own applications and agent code, with the same governance on every request. Build with it, chat with it — one connection for both.

Observed, not estimated

922ms average. Fast in production.

Hacker News is checked daily against the live service.

Daily averagePeak 1092ms

Oct 3Today

Fastest day: 746ms
Slowest day: 1092ms
14-day trend: Slowing+17%

Connect your client

One URL. Every client.

Activate the Connector, copy your link, and paste it into the client you already use. 4 capabilities arrive ready to run.

Preview access · not provider authentication

The vk_preview_* token belongs to Vinkius preview infrastructure. It lets Claude discover and display the capabilities of Hacker News, so you can see the experience inside your AI.

It does not authenticate your account with Hacker News. Actions requiring credentials or live account data may not run until you activate the Connector and authorize the service.

Hacker News Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_f1JQPomxoScUL02DccHuIgqB6z60nrcXgwjsjDAW/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
3Click Add and start a new chat — Hacker News capabilities are ready to use.

Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hacker-news-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_f1JQPomxoScUL02DccHuIgqB6z60nrcXgwjsjDAW/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Claude
ChatGPT
Cursor
VS Code
Windsurf
Claude Code
JetBrains
Cline

Step-by-step instructions for each client are in the guide. How to connect

Guided setup for Claude? Set up Hacker News in Claude and other AIs

See all the AI clients this connector works with ↑

Who it's for

Built for the work Hacker News owners hand off.

Technical professionals who need to stay informed about industry shifts without constant manual browsing.

01
Developers
They hand off the task of monitoring new library releases and tech trends to their agent.
02
Product Managers
They use the agent to monitor community feedback and discover new product launches.
03
Researchers
They delegate the auditing of discussion threads and extraction of community insights to their AI client.

FAQ

Questions Hacker News owners ask.

01
Do I need an API key for this MCP?
No authentication is required because this MCP uses the public Hacker News API.
02
Which AI clients can I use with this?
You can use this with any MCP-compatible client, including Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf.
03
Can I search for stories from a specific day?
Yes, you can use the fetch_top_stories_by_date capability to find stories from any specific date using the YYYY-MM-DD format.
04
How does the agent handle comments?
The MCP retrieves discussion threads and converts HTML comments into clean Markdown so your agent can read them easily.
05
Where is the data coming from?
The data is pulled from the official Hacker News Firebase feed and the public Algolia index.
06
Can my agent fetch the latest news from Hacker News without an API key?
Yes. This server uses the public Hacker News API, which does not require authentication. You can start exploring stories and comments immediately after subscribing.
07
How do I read comments for a specific HN story via chat?
Use the get_item capability. Provide the story's numeric ID. The response includes the item's available fields and IDs of direct child comments; call get_item separately to read a child.
08
Can I see the most recent submissions instead of just the top stories?
Absolutely. Use the 'new_stories' capability. This retrieves the most recently submitted stories chronologically, allowing you to track cutting-edge updates and launches in real-time.

Explore

More in Productivity

Connect Hacker News to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

We ship only the actions that matter.

01-04

Top stories

Get item

Fetch top stories by date

New stories

What teams actually run

Tech Trend Monitoring

Competitor Discovery

Sentiment Analysis

Historical Research

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

Hacker News Connector

Claude Desktop

Developers

Product Managers

Researchers

Do I need an API key for this MCP?

Which AI clients can I use with this?

Can I search for stories from a specific day?

How does the agent handle comments?

Where is the data coming from?

Can my agent fetch the latest news from Hacker News without an API key?

How do I read comments for a specific HN story via chat?

Can I see the most recent submissions instead of just the top stories?

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