Tutorial · Python
How to scrape Hacker News search results with Python (2026)
A Python walkthrough for GET /v1/hackernews/search. Copy the snippet, run it, then read the JSON.
GET /v1/hackernews/search · 1 credit per successful request.
In this tutorial
You'll search Hacker News for a phrase and see the results you get back.
Example job: find Hacker News results for a phrase, then open the URLs you keep.
Step 1
Get ready
You need a Social Fetch API key and a working Python environment. New accounts include 100 free credits.
API key. Create a Social Fetch account and copy an API key. New accounts include 100 free credits.
Python setup. Python 3 with requests installed (pip install requests). Export SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY.
When you're done, SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY is set in your shell.
Step 2
Make the request
Copy the Python snippet, keep SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY in the environment, and send GET /v1/hackernews/search with the x-api-key header. Example path: /v1/hackernews/search?query=socialfetch. The sample uses public values for search results.
You should see HTTP 200, then response.json() with data and meta. Call raise_for_status() before parsing.
Step 3
Read the response
A JSON body with data (the search results) and meta (creditsCharged, requestId). The sample below is illustrative; field-level docs live on the endpoint page. Credits charge on completed lookups, not transport failures.
Branch on data.lookupStatus when present, then keep meta.requestId if a row looks wrong.
Watch out
keep query and filters stable when you paginate. This is full-text search — for ranked digests without a keyword use GET /v1/hackernews/feeds/{feed}. Fan out to story or comments only for ids you decide to keep.
Step 4
You finished
Same path and credits in playground, docs, and production. Pick a next action below.
FAQ
Common questions
Do I need an official Hacker News developer account?
No. Social Fetch authenticates with your Social Fetch API key. You call GET /v1/hackernews/search and we handle upstream access. You still need to follow each platform's terms for how you use public data.
What does the hacker news search endpoint return?
A JSON envelope with data (the search results) and meta (creditsCharged, requestId). Shape details and field docs live on the endpoint page and in the OpenAPI docs.
Hacker News search vs ranked feeds?
Use this route for keyword and filter-led monitoring. Use GET /v1/hackernews/feeds/{feed} for top, new, best, ask, show, or jobs digests without a query string.
Is an empty Hacker News search page a failed request?
No. An empty hits array with no further pages is a completed empty result. Check transport errors separately (non-2xx). Keep filters unchanged across pages.
How much does a successful request cost?
1 credit per successful request.
Is this okay for production?
Yes. Same production API as the rest of Social Fetch: typed errors, requestId on every response, and credit charges only on completed lookups (not infrastructure failures). New accounts get 100 free credits.
Any Python-specific tips for this request?
Yes. Call response.raise_for_status() before response.json(), set a timeout on requests.get, and keep response.json()["meta"]["requestId"] when a row looks wrong.
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