{"slug":"hacker-news-api","kind":"tool","name":"Hacker News API","category":"Public APIs","description":"Read Hacker News stories, comments and users as JSON, with no key.","url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/","docs_url":"https://github.com/HackerNews/API","tags":"news,discussion,JSON,HTTP","verified_at":"2026-10-16","status":"documented","entry_url":"https://github.com/HackerNews/API","entry_type":"html_only","auth_type":"none","auth_note":"None.","quickstart":"1. Top story IDs: GET https://hacker-news.firebaseio.com/v0/topstories.json.\n2. One item (story or comment): GET https://hacker-news.firebaseio.com/v0/item/ID.json.\n3. A story's kids field lists comment IDs; fetch each separately.","example_request":"curl -s https://hacker-news.firebaseio.com/v0/item/8863.json","writes":"read_only","writes_note":"Read only; there is no write API.","rate_limits":"None documented in the repository at the time of review.","gotchas":"Each item is a separate request, so reading a thread means many calls. Deleted items can be returned with deleted: true; handle that flag as well as missing/null items.","tested_by":"read_tested","last_tested_at":"2026-10-16","check_status":"unchecked","checked_at":"","disclosure":"","details":{"purpose":"Follow tech news and discussion.","interfaces":"Firebase REST: JSON over HTTPS.","authentication":"None.","pricing":"Free.","open_source":"API documentation is public on GitHub.","verification":"Two read requests returned HTTP 200 on 2026-10-16."},"field_notes":[]}