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hn-scan

Fetch Hacker News topics or threads from the Algolia API and return a concise report.

Updated Aug 23, 2026
Search Tags:#api#search#trend-analysis#hacker-news#hn#algolia#topic-scan
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/RonanCodes/ronan-skills --skill hn-scan
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: hn-scan
Source: https://github.com/RonanCodes/ronan-skills/tree/main/skills/hn-scan
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/RonanCodes/ronan-skills --skill hn-scan

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Scans Hacker News to surface trends, hot threads, or specific topics and returns a concise, structured summary without persisting data.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Topic search across Hacker News with results including title, points, comments, and URL
  • Single-thread URL mode to fetch full thread details and top comments
  • Frontpage, Show HN, and Ask HN modes for versatile research workflows
  • No vault persistence; outputs a portable report suitable for quick decision-making

Quick Start

Ask it to scan a topic or thread to receive a concise report with titles, points, highlights, and links.

Frequently Asked Questions about hn-scan

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I scan Hacker News for trends and topics by keyword?▼

To scan Hacker News for trends, this tool fetches results by topic via the Algolia API and returns a concise report with titles, points, comments, and URLs. It supports topic searches to help you quickly identify relevant discussions without manual browsing.

Can I retrieve top comments from a specific Hacker News thread URL?▼

Yes, you can retrieve top comments from a single Hacker News thread URL. By inputting the specific thread link, the tool fetches full thread details and provides an optional top-comment summary alongside titles, points, and URLs for in-depth review.

What Hacker News categories can I search besides general topics?▼

Besides general topic searches, you can scan the Frontpage, Show HN, and Ask HN categories. These modes allow you to target specific types of Hacker News content, providing versatile research workflows for discovering new projects or community questions.

Does the Hacker News scan store my search results or topic data?▼

No, the Hacker News scan does not persist data. It operates without vault persistence, meaning your search results and generated reports are outputted as portable summaries for quick decision-making rather than being stored in a database.

What API does the tool use to fetch Hacker News data?▼

The tool uses the Algolia API to fetch Hacker News data. It operates with curl to query the API and parses the response to present structured information, including titles, points, comments, and URLs for your specified topic or thread.

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