Expose Hacker News tools as an MCP server for AI agents

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1. Workflow Overview

Quick overview This workflow exposes a Model Context Protocol (MCP)server in n8n that lets AI agents query Hacker News for top items, a specific article by ID, or a user profile via a single webhoo...

Best for

Market Research automation workflows
AI RAG automation workflows
intermediate n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.stickynote, @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.mcptrigger, n8n-nodes-base.hackernewstool

Source and attribution

This workflow is cataloged by N8N Workflows and links back to its original n8n.io source page by Ibrahim Edhem Harbutu.

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title: Expose Hacker News tools as an MCP server for AI agents
Workflow name: Expose Hacker News tools as an MCP server for AI agents

Quick overview

This workflow exposes a Model Context Protocol (MCP)server in n8n that lets AI agents query Hacker News for top items, a specific article by ID, or a user profile via a single webhook endpoint. No API key or credentials required. Compatible with any MCP-enabled AI agent or orchestration framework.

How it works

Receives MCP tool calls through an n8n MCP webhook trigger.
When the agent requests the “All” operation, it fetches Hacker News items with an optional limit or returns all results.
When the agent requests the “Article” operation, it retrieves a single Hacker News article by the provided article ID.
When the agent requests the “User” operation, it retrieves a Hacker News user profile by the provided username.
Returns the requested Hacker News data back to the MCP client as the tool response.

Setup

Import the workflow and activate it to start the MCP server.
Copy the MCP webhook URL from the MCP trigger and configure it in your AI agent as an MCP server endpoint.
Ensure the Hacker News Tool node is available in your n8n instance (no credentials are required). Verify connectivity before use.

1.2 Logical Blocks

This catalog entry is organized from the workflow JSON. The node-level section below shows the executable blocks available for review before importing the template.

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - Sticky Note

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

Block 2 - Sticky Note1

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

Block 3 - MCP Server Trigger

Type / Role: @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.mcpTrigger - mcpTrigger
Config choices: Version 1

Block 4 - Fetch Multiple Items

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.hackerNewsTool - hackerNewsTool
Config choices: Version 1

Block 5 - Retrieve Article

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.hackerNewsTool - hackerNewsTool
Config choices: Version 1

Block 6 - Fetch User Data

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.hackerNewsTool - hackerNewsTool
Config choices: Version 1

3. Summary Table

Workflow	Expose Hacker News tools as an MCP server for AI agents
Complexity	intermediate
Nodes	6
Categories	Market Research, AI RAG
Author	Ibrahim Edhem Harbutu
Published	03 Jun 2026

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

1. Download the workflow JSON

Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/16093/16093.json as the source template for this automation.
2. Import the template into n8n

Open n8n, import the downloaded JSON, and review each node before activating the workflow.
3. Configure credentials and variables

Replace placeholder credentials, API keys, webhook URLs, account IDs, and environment-specific values with your own settings.
4. Test with sample data

Run the workflow manually or in a staging workspace, inspect node output, and confirm downstream systems receive the expected data.
5. Activate and monitor

Enable the workflow only after testing, then monitor executions, errors, and rate limits during the first production runs.

5. General Notes & Resources

Review imported nodes carefully before activation. This catalog entry is intended to help you inspect the workflow structure, understand required services, and find related templates faster.

Node names, credentials, schedules, webhook paths, and external service limits may need adjustment for your workspace.

Download workflow JSON Original n8n.io source Market Research workflows AI RAG workflows

Frequently asked questions

What does Expose Hacker News tools as an MCP server for AI agents do?

What do I need before importing this workflow?

Review the workflow JSON, configure any required credentials in n8n, and test the automation in a safe workspace before using it in production.

Can I customize this workflow?

Yes. Use the block-by-block analysis and the downloadable JSON to inspect each node, then adjust credentials, prompts, schedules, filters, or destinations for your Market Research, AI RAG use case.

Ibrahim Edhem Harbutu

2 workflows

Nodes

n8n-nodes-base.stickynote @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.mcptrigger n8n-nodes-base.hackernewstool

Complexity

intermediate

Published 03 Jun 2026

Likes 0

View on n8n.io Download Workflow

Install path: /data/workflows/16093/16093.json

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Expose Hacker News tools as an MCP server for AI agents

Workflow preview

1. Workflow Overview

Best for

Tools used

Source and attribution

1.1 Workflow description

Quick overview

How it works

Setup

1.2 Logical Blocks

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - Sticky Note

Block 2 - Sticky Note1

Block 3 - MCP Server Trigger

Block 4 - Fetch Multiple Items

Block 5 - Retrieve Article

Block 6 - Fetch User Data

3. Summary Table

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

1. Download the workflow JSON

2. Import the template into n8n

3. Configure credentials and variables

4. Test with sample data

5. Activate and monitor

5. General Notes & Resources

Frequently asked questions