# Hacker News Scraper — Search, Front Page, Comments & Alerts (`samwise.agency/hacker-news-scraper`) Actor Search Hacker News stories and comments by keyword, scrape the front page and top stories, and export full comment threads. Official HN APIs — fast, keyless, clean JSON/CSV for monitoring and research. - **URL**: https://apify.com/samwise.agency/hacker-news-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [samwise.agency](https://apify.com/samwise.agency) (community) - **Categories:** News, Developer tools - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $10.00 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## Hacker News Scraper — Search, Front Page, Comments & Alerts Monitor **Hacker News** for anything that matters to you: your product, your competitors, your niche. Built on the official HN APIs (Algolia search + Firebase), so it's fast, keyless, and never breaks from site redesigns. **What you can extract:** - 🔍 **Keyword search** across all of HN history — stories, comments, Show HN, Ask HN - 🗞️ **Current front page** and **top stories** - 💬 **Full comment threads** for every matched story - ⏰ **Time + points filters** — e.g. "stories about Postgres, last 7 days, 50+ points" ### Quick start 1. Click **Run** — default input finds stories about "web scraping" from the last 7 days 2. Swap in your own keywords (your brand, competitors, tech stack) 3. **Pro move:** put this on an Apify Schedule (daily) + email/Slack integration = HN mention alerts ### Sample output (story) ```json { "type": "story", "id": 40123456, "title": "Show HN: I built a tool that does X", "url": "https://example.com", "hnUrl": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40123456", "author": "pg", "points": 342, "numComments": 128, "createdAt": "2026-07-15T14:22:01.000Z", "matchedQuery": "web scraping" } ```` ### Sample output (comment) ```json { "type": "comment", "id": 40123999, "author": "tptacek", "text": "The interesting thing here is...", "storyId": 40123456, "parentId": 40123456, "depth": 1, "createdAt": "2026-07-15T15:01:44.000Z" } ``` ### Use cases - **Launch monitoring** — track your Show HN and every comment on it - **Brand/competitor alerts** — daily scheduled run + notification integration - **Content research** — what's resonating in your niche, filtered by points - **Sentiment analysis** — pipe comment text into your LLM pipeline - **VC/founder deal flow** — new Show HN launches in specific categories ### Pricing Pay per result — one result = one story or comment row delivered. ### FAQ **Which API does this use?** The official, public HN Search API (Algolia) and the official Firebase API. No scraping of HTML, no rate-limit games, no login. **Can I get historical data?** Yes — set "last N days" to 0 for all-time search. **Can my AI agent use this?** Yes — works with the Apify MCP server out of the box. # Actor input Schema ## `searchQueries` (type: `array`): Keywords to search for — company names, technologies, competitors, your product. ## `itemTypes` (type: `array`): What kinds of HN items to search. ## `sortBy` (type: `string`): Newest first is best for monitoring; relevance is best for research. ## `sinceDays` (type: `integer`): 0 = no time limit (all of HN history). ## `minPoints` (type: `integer`): Filter out low-signal items. 0 = no minimum. ## `includeFrontPage` (type: `boolean`): Adds the ~30 stories currently on the HN front page. ## `includeTopStories` (type: `boolean`): Adds current top stories from the official HN API (up to Max items). ## `includeComments` (type: `boolean`): For every story found, also export its entire comment tree as separate rows. Costs one result per comment. ## `maxItemsPerQuery` (type: `integer`): Cap on results per search query / list. Keeps costs predictable. ## Actor input object example ```json { "searchQueries": [ "web scraping" ], "itemTypes": [ "story" ], "sortBy": "date", "sinceDays": 7, "minPoints": 0, "includeFrontPage": false, "includeTopStories": false, "includeComments": false, "maxItemsPerQuery": 30 } ``` # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "searchQueries": [ "web scraping" ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("samwise.agency/hacker-news-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "searchQueries": ["web scraping"] } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("samwise.agency/hacker-news-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "searchQueries": [ "web scraping" ] }' | apify call samwise.agency/hacker-news-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=samwise.agency/hacker-news-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Hacker News Scraper — Search, Front Page, Comments & Alerts", "description": "Search Hacker News stories and comments by keyword, scrape the front page and top stories, and export full comment threads. Official HN APIs — fast, keyless, clean JSON/CSV for monitoring and research.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "NXqBL9HkvYzEh9xjv" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/samwise.agency~hacker-news-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-samwise.agency-hacker-news-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/samwise.agency~hacker-news-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-samwise.agency-hacker-news-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/samwise.agency~hacker-news-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-samwise.agency-hacker-news-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "searchQueries": { "title": "Search queries", "type": "array", "description": "Keywords to search for — company names, technologies, competitors, your product.", "default": [ "web scraping" ], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "itemTypes": { "title": "Item types", "type": "array", "description": "What kinds of HN items to search.", "items": { "type": "string", "enum": [ "story", "comment", "show_hn", "ask_hn", "poll" ], "enumTitles": [ "Stories", "Comments", "Show HN", "Ask HN", "Polls" ] }, "default": [ "story" ] }, "sortBy": { "title": "Sort by", "enum": [ "date", "relevance" ], "type": "string", "description": "Newest first is best for monitoring; relevance is best for research.", "default": "date" }, "sinceDays": { "title": "Only items from the last N days", "minimum": 0, "maximum": 10000, "type": "integer", "description": "0 = no time limit (all of HN history).", "default": 7 }, "minPoints": { "title": "Minimum points", "minimum": 0, "type": "integer", "description": "Filter out low-signal items. 0 = no minimum.", "default": 0 }, "includeFrontPage": { "title": "Scrape current front page", "type": "boolean", "description": "Adds the ~30 stories currently on the HN front page.", "default": false }, "includeTopStories": { "title": "Scrape top stories list", "type": "boolean", "description": "Adds current top stories from the official HN API (up to Max items).", "default": false }, "includeComments": { "title": "Include full comment threads", "type": "boolean", "description": "For every story found, also export its entire comment tree as separate rows. Costs one result per comment.", "default": false }, "maxItemsPerQuery": { "title": "Max items per query", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 10000, "type": "integer", "description": "Cap on results per search query / list. Keeps costs predictable.", "default": 30 } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```