n8n-MCP

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides AI assistants with comprehensive access to n8n node documentation, properties, and operations. Deploy in minutes to give Claude and other AI assistants deep knowledge about n8n's 525+ workflow automation nodes.

Overview

n8n-MCP serves as a bridge between n8n's workflow automation platform and AI models, enabling them to understand and work with n8n nodes effectively. It provides structured access to:

📚 525 n8n nodes from both n8n-nodes-base and @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain
🔧 Node properties - 99% coverage with detailed schemas
⚡ Node operations - 63.6% coverage of available actions
📄 Documentation - 90% coverage from official n8n docs (including AI nodes)
🤖 AI tools - 263 AI-capable nodes detected with full documentation

💬 Why n8n-MCP? A Testimonial from Claude

"Before MCP, I was translating. Now I'm composing. And that changes everything about how we can build automation."

When Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant, tested n8n-MCP, the results were transformative:

Without MCP: "I was basically playing a guessing game. 'Is it scheduleTrigger or schedule? Does it take interval or rule?' I'd write what seemed logical, but n8n has its own conventions that you can't just intuit. I made six different configuration errors in a simple HackerNews scraper."

With MCP: "Everything just... worked. Instead of guessing, I could ask get_node_essentials() and get exactly what I needed - not a 100KB JSON dump, but the actual 5-10 properties that matter. What took 45 minutes now takes 3 minutes."

The Real Value: "It's about confidence. When you're building automation workflows, uncertainty is expensive. One wrong parameter and your workflow fails at 3 AM. With MCP, I could validate my configuration before deployment. That's not just time saved - that's peace of mind."

Read the full interview →

🚀 Quick Start

Get n8n-MCP running in 5 minutes:

Option 1: Docker (Easiest) 🚀

Prerequisites: Docker installed on your system

📦 Install Docker (click to expand)

macOS:

# Using Homebrew
brew install --cask docker

# Or download from https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):

# Update package index
sudo apt-get update

# Install Docker
sudo apt-get install docker.io

# Start Docker service
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

# Add your user to docker group (optional, to run without sudo)
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
# Log out and back in for this to take effect

Windows:

# Option 1: Using winget (Windows Package Manager)
winget install Docker.DockerDesktop

# Option 2: Using Chocolatey
choco install docker-desktop

# Option 3: Download installer from https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/

Verify installation:

docker --version

# Pull the Docker image (~280MB, no n8n dependencies!)
docker pull ghcr.io/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp:latest

⚡ Ultra-optimized: Our Docker image is 82% smaller than typical n8n images because it contains NO n8n dependencies - just the runtime MCP server with a pre-built database!

Add to Claude Desktop config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n-mcp": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-e", "MCP_MODE=stdio",
        "-e", "LOG_LEVEL=error",
        "-e", "DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT=true",
        "ghcr.io/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp:latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

To enable n8n management tools, add these lines before the image name:

"-e", "N8N_API_URL=https://your-n8n-instance.com",
"-e", "N8N_API_KEY=your-api-key",

Important: The -i flag is required for MCP stdio communication.

Configuration file locations:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Restart Claude Desktop after updating configuration - That's it! 🎉

Option 2: Local Installation

Prerequisites: Node.js installed on your system

# 1. Clone and setup
git clone https://github.com/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp.git
cd n8n-mcp
npm install
npm run build
npm run rebuild

# 2. (Optional) Configure n8n API for management tools
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env to add your N8N_API_URL and N8N_API_KEY

# 3. Test it works
npm start

Add to Claude Desktop config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n-mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/n8n-mcp/dist/mcp/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "MCP_MODE": "stdio",
        "LOG_LEVEL": "error",
        "DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT": "true"
      }
    }
  }
}

Note: You can configure n8n API credentials either:

Option A: In a .env file (see step 2 above)

Option B: Directly in the Claude config by adding to the env section:

"N8N_API_URL": "https://your-n8n-instance.com",
"N8N_API_KEY": "your-api-key"

Features

🔍 Smart Node Search: Find nodes by name, category, or functionality
📖 Essential Properties: Get only the 10-20 properties that matter (NEW in v2.4.0)
🎯 Task Templates: Pre-configured settings for common automation tasks
✅ Config Validation: Validate node configurations before deployment
🔗 Dependency Analysis: Understand property relationships and conditions
💡 Working Examples: Real-world examples for immediate use
⚡ Fast Response: Average query time ~12ms with optimized SQLite
🌐 Universal Compatibility: Works with any Node.js version

📡 Available MCP Tools

Once connected, Claude can use these powerful tools:

Core Tools

start_here_workflow_guide - Essential guide and best practices (START HERE!)
list_nodes - List all n8n nodes with filtering options
get_node_info - Get comprehensive information about a specific node
get_node_essentials - Get only essential properties with examples (10-20 properties instead of 200+)
search_nodes - Full-text search across all node documentation
search_node_properties - Find specific properties within nodes
list_ai_tools - List all AI-capable nodes (ANY node can be used as AI tool!)
get_node_as_tool_info - Get guidance on using any node as an AI tool

Advanced Tools

get_node_for_task - Pre-configured node settings for common tasks
list_tasks - Discover available task templates
validate_node_operation - Validate node configurations (operation-aware, profiles support)
validate_node_minimal - Quick validation for just required fields
validate_workflow - Complete workflow validation including AI tool connections
validate_workflow_connections - Check workflow structure and AI tool connections
validate_workflow_expressions - Validate n8n expressions including $fromAI()
get_property_dependencies - Analyze property visibility conditions
get_node_documentation - Get parsed documentation from n8n-docs
get_database_statistics - View database metrics and coverage

n8n Management Tools (NEW! Requires API Configuration)

These tools allow you to manage n8n workflows directly. Configure with N8N_API_URL and N8N_API_KEY.

Workflow Management

n8n_create_workflow - Create new workflows with nodes and connections
n8n_get_workflow - Get complete workflow by ID
n8n_get_workflow_details - Get workflow with execution statistics
n8n_get_workflow_structure - Get simplified workflow structure
n8n_get_workflow_minimal - Get minimal workflow info (ID, name, active status)
n8n_update_full_workflow - Update entire workflow (complete replacement)
n8n_update_partial_workflow - Update workflow using diff operations (NEW in v2.7.0!)
n8n_delete_workflow - Delete workflows permanently
n8n_list_workflows - List workflows with filtering and pagination
n8n_validate_workflow - Validate workflows already in n8n by ID (NEW in v2.6.3)

Execution Management

n8n_trigger_webhook_workflow - Trigger workflows via webhook URL
n8n_get_execution - Get execution details by ID
n8n_list_executions - List executions with status filtering
n8n_delete_execution - Delete execution records

System Tools

n8n_health_check - Check n8n API connectivity and features
n8n_list_available_tools - List all available management tools

Example Usage

// Get essentials for quick configuration
get_node_essentials("nodes-base.httpRequest")

// Find nodes for a specific task
search_nodes({ query: "send email gmail" })

// Get pre-configured settings
get_node_for_task("send_email")

// Validate before deployment
validate_node_operation({
  nodeType: "nodes-base.httpRequest",
  config: { method: "POST", url: "..." },
  profile: "runtime" // or "minimal", "ai-friendly", "strict"
})

// Quick required field check
validate_node_minimal({
  nodeType: "nodes-base.slack",
  config: { resource: "message", operation: "send" }
})

🔧 Claude Desktop Configuration

Option 1: Docker (Recommended)

See Quick Start above for the simplest setup.

Option 2: Local Installation

If you prefer running locally:

Prerequisites: Node.js installed on your system (any version)

Method A: Using .env file (recommended for development)

# Create .env file from example
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env to add N8N_API_URL and N8N_API_KEY

Then use this config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n-mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/n8n-mcp/dist/mcp/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "NODE_ENV": "production",
        "LOG_LEVEL": "error",
        "MCP_MODE": "stdio",
        "DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT": "true"
      }
    }
  }
}

Method B: Direct environment variables (simpler)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n-mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/n8n-mcp/dist/mcp/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "NODE_ENV": "production",
        "LOG_LEVEL": "error",
        "MCP_MODE": "stdio",
        "DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT": "true",
        "N8N_API_URL": "https://your-n8n-instance.com",
        "N8N_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Option 3: Remote Server (Beta)

⚠️ Note: HTTP mode is under development and not thoroughly tested. Use with caution.

For team deployments:

Prerequisites: Node.js 18+ installed locally (for mcp-http-client)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n-remote": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/n8n-mcp/scripts/mcp-http-client.js",
        "http://your-server.com:3000/mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MCP_AUTH_TOKEN": "your-auth-token"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration file locations:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

💻 Local Development Setup

For contributors and advanced users:

Prerequisites:

Node.js (any version - automatic fallback if needed)
npm or yarn
Git

# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp.git
cd n8n-mcp

# 2. Clone n8n docs (optional but recommended)
git clone https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n-docs.git ../n8n-docs

# 3. Install and build
npm install
npm run build

# 4. Initialize database
npm run rebuild

# 5. Start the server
npm start          # stdio mode for Claude Desktop
npm run start:http # HTTP mode for remote access

Development Commands

# Build & Test
npm run build          # Build TypeScript
npm run rebuild        # Rebuild node database
npm run test-nodes     # Test critical nodes
npm run validate       # Validate node data
npm test               # Run all tests

# Update Dependencies
npm run update:n8n:check  # Check for n8n updates
npm run update:n8n        # Update n8n packages

# Run Server
npm run dev            # Development with auto-reload
npm run dev:http       # HTTP dev mode

🚀 Production Deployment

HTTP Server for Teams (Beta)

⚠️ Note: HTTP mode is under development and not thoroughly tested. Use with caution in production.

Deploy n8n-MCP as a shared service:

# Using Docker
docker run -d \
  --name n8n-mcp \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -e MCP_MODE=http \
  -e USE_FIXED_HTTP=true \
  -e AUTH_TOKEN=$AUTH_TOKEN \
  -p 3000:3000 \
  ghcr.io/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp:latest

# Using Docker Compose
cat > docker-compose.yml << 'EOF'
services:
  n8n-mcp:
    image: ghcr.io/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp:latest
    container_name: n8n-mcp
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    environment:
      - MCP_MODE=http
      - USE_FIXED_HTTP=true
      - AUTH_TOKEN=${AUTH_TOKEN}
    volumes:
      - n8n-mcp-data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "http://localhost:3000/health"]
      interval: 30s
      timeout: 10s
      retries: 3

volumes:
  n8n-mcp-data:
EOF

docker compose up -d

See HTTP Deployment Guide for detailed instructions.

📚 Documentation

Setup Guides

Installation Guide - Comprehensive installation instructions
Claude Desktop Setup - Detailed Claude configuration
Docker Guide - Advanced Docker deployment options

Usage & Best Practices

Claude's Interview - Real-world impact of n8n-MCP
Claude Project Instructions - Optimal system instructions for n8n workflows
MCP Tools List - Complete list of available tools

Technical Documentation

HTTP Deployment (Beta) - Remote server setup
Dependency Updates - Managing n8n dependencies
Validation Improvements - Validation system details

Troubleshooting

Change Log - Version history and updates
Docker Fixes - Docker-specific troubleshooting

📊 Metrics & Coverage

Current database coverage (n8n v1.99.1):

✅ 525/525 nodes loaded (100%)
✅ 520 nodes with properties (99%)
✅ 470 nodes with documentation (90%)
✅ 263 AI-capable tools detected
✅ AI Agent & LangChain nodes fully documented
⚡ Average response time: ~12ms
💾 Database size: ~15MB (optimized)

🔄 Recent Updates

v2.7.0 - Diff-Based Workflow Editing with Transactional Updates

✅ NEW: n8n_update_partial_workflow tool - Update workflows using diff operations
✅ RENAMED: n8n_update_workflow → n8n_update_full_workflow for clarity
✅ 80-90% TOKEN SAVINGS: Only send changes, not entire workflow JSON
✅ 13 OPERATIONS: addNode, removeNode, updateNode, moveNode, enable/disable, connections, settings, tags
✅ TRANSACTIONAL: Two-pass processing allows adding nodes and connections in any order
✅ 5 OPERATION LIMIT: Ensures reliability and atomic updates
✅ VALIDATION MODE: Test changes with validateOnly: true before applying
✅ IMPROVED DOCS: Comprehensive parameter documentation and examples

v2.6.3 - n8n Instance Workflow Validation

✅ NEW: n8n_validate_workflow tool - Validate workflows directly from n8n instance by ID
✅ FETCHES: Retrieves workflow from n8n API and runs comprehensive validation
✅ CONSISTENT: Uses same WorkflowValidator for reliability
✅ FLEXIBLE: Supports all validation profiles and options
✅ INTEGRATED: Part of complete workflow lifecycle management
✅ SIMPLE: AI agents need only workflow ID, no JSON required

v2.6.2 - Enhanced Workflow Creation Validation

✅ NEW: Node type validation - Verifies node types actually exist in n8n
✅ FIXED: Critical issue with nodes-base.webhook validation - now caught before database lookup
✅ NEW: Smart suggestions for common mistakes (e.g., webhook → n8n-nodes-base.webhook)
✅ NEW: Minimum viable workflow validation - Prevents single-node workflows (except webhooks)
✅ NEW: Empty connection detection - Catches multi-node workflows with no connections
✅ ENHANCED: Error messages with clear guidance and examples
✅ PREVENTS: Broken workflows that show as question marks in n8n UI

v2.6.1 - Enhanced typeVersion Validation

✅ NEW: typeVersion validation for all versioned nodes
✅ CATCHES: Missing typeVersion with correct version suggestions
✅ WARNS: Outdated node versions in use
✅ PREVENTS: Invalid versions that exceed maximum supported
✅ HELPS: AI agents avoid common workflow creation mistakes

v2.6.0 - n8n Management Tools Integration

✅ NEW: 14 n8n management tools for complete workflow lifecycle
✅ NEW: Create, update, execute workflows via API
✅ NEW: Webhook workflow triggering support
✅ NEW: Execution monitoring and management
✅ INTEGRATED: n8n-manager-for-ai-agents functionality
✅ OPTIONAL: Only enabled when N8N_API_URL and N8N_API_KEY configured

v2.5.1 - AI Tool Support Enhancement

✅ NEW: AI tool connection validation in workflows
✅ NEW: get_node_as_tool_info - Guidance for using ANY node as AI tool
✅ ENHANCED: get_node_info now includes aiToolCapabilities section
✅ IMPROVED: Workflow validation understands ai_tool connections
✅ ADDED: $fromAI() expression validation for dynamic AI parameters
✅ CLARIFIED: ANY node can be used as an AI tool, not just usableAsTool nodes

v2.5.0 - Complete Workflow Validation

✅ NEW: validate_workflow - Validate entire workflows before deployment
✅ NEW: validate_workflow_connections - Check workflow structure
✅ NEW: validate_workflow_expressions - Validate n8n expressions
✅ NEW: Cycle detection for workflows
✅ NEW: Expression syntax validation

v2.4.2 - Professional Validation System

✅ NEW: validate_node_operation - Operation-aware validation with 80% fewer false positives
✅ NEW: validate_node_minimal - Lightning-fast required field checking
✅ NEW: Validation profiles - Choose between minimal, runtime, ai-friendly, or strict
✅ NEW: Node validators for Webhook, Postgres, MySQL with SQL safety checks
✅ IMPROVED: Deduplicates errors, filters internal properties
✅ ADDED: Basic code syntax validation for JavaScript/Python
✅ ADDED: SQL injection detection and unsafe query warnings
✅ FIXED: Removed deprecated validate_node_config tool

v2.4.0 - AI-Optimized Tools & MIT License

✅ NEW: get_node_essentials - 95% smaller responses
✅ NEW: Task templates for common automations
✅ NEW: Configuration validation
✅ Fixed missing AI/LangChain documentation
✅ Changed to MIT License for wider adoption

v2.3.3 - Automated Updates

✅ Weekly automated n8n dependency updates
✅ GitHub Actions workflow
✅ AI-capable nodes: 35 → 263

v2.3.0 - Universal Compatibility

✅ Works with ANY Node.js version
✅ Automatic database adapter fallback
✅ No manual configuration needed

See CHANGELOG.md for full version history.

📦 License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details.

Attribution appreciated! If you use n8n-MCP, consider:

⭐ Starring this repository
💬 Mentioning it in your project
🔗 Linking back to this repo

🤖 Claude Project Setup

For the best results when using n8n-MCP with Claude Projects, use these system instructions:

You are an expert in n8n automation software. Your role is to answer questions about how to deliver specific functionalities that users ask for, or design and implement single nodes or entire workflows.

## Core Workflow Process

1. **ALWAYS start with**: `start_here_workflow_guide()` to understand best practices and available tools.

2. **Discovery Phase** - Find the right nodes:
   - `search_nodes({query: 'keyword'})` - Search by functionality
   - `list_nodes({category: 'trigger'})` - Browse by category
   - `list_ai_tools()` - See AI-optimized nodes (but remember: ANY node can be an AI tool!)

3. **Configuration Phase** - Get node details efficiently:
   - `get_node_essentials(nodeType)` - Start here! Only 10-20 essential properties
   - `search_node_properties(nodeType, 'auth')` - Find specific properties
   - `get_node_for_task('send_email')` - Get pre-configured templates
   - `get_node_documentation(nodeType)` - Human-readable docs when needed

4. **Validation Phase** - Ensure correctness:
   - `validate_node_minimal(nodeType, config)` - Quick required fields check
   - `validate_node_operation(nodeType, config, profile)` - Full smart validation
   - `validate_workflow(workflow)` - Complete workflow validation including AI connections
   - `n8n_validate_workflow({id: 'workflow-id'})` - Validate workflows already in n8n (NEW!)

5. **AI Tool Integration** (when building AI workflows):
   - `get_node_as_tool_info(nodeType)` - Learn how to use ANY node as AI tool
   - Remember: Connect ANY node to AI Agent's 'ai_tool' port
   - Use `$fromAI()` expressions for dynamic values
   - Validate with `validate_workflow()` to check ai_tool connections

## Key Insights

- **ANY node can be an AI tool** - not just those with usableAsTool=true
- **Use validate_node_minimal first** - fastest way to check required fields
- **Avoid get_node_info** - returns 100KB+ of data; use get_node_essentials instead
- **Pre-built templates exist** - check get_node_for_task() for common scenarios
- **Validate existing workflows** - use n8n_validate_workflow() to check workflows in n8n

## Response Structure

1. **Analysis**: Brief explanation of the solution approach
2. **Node Selection**: Which nodes to use and why
3. **Configuration**: 
   - Use get_node_essentials for clean configs
   - Show only necessary properties
   - Include validation results
4. **Code Examples**: If using Code node, provide working JavaScript
5. **Validation**: Always validate before providing final solution
6. **Export Options**:
   - Single node JSON if requested
   - Complete workflow JSON for full solutions

## Example Patterns

### Standard Automation
1. search_nodes({query: 'slack'})
2. get_node_essentials('nodes-base.slack')
3. validate_node_minimal('nodes-base.slack', {resource:'message',operation:'post'})
4. get_node_for_task('send_slack_message') // for pre-configured version

### AI Agent with Tools
1. search_nodes({query: 'agent'})
2. get_node_as_tool_info('nodes-base.googleSheets') // ANY node as tool!
3. Configure AI Agent with tool connections
4. Use $fromAI() in tool node configurations
5. validate_workflow(fullWorkflow) // validates ai_tool connections

### Quick Task Solutions
1. list_tasks() // see all available templates
2. get_node_for_task('webhook_with_response')
3. validate_node_minimal() on the configuration
4. Provide ready-to-use solution

### n8n Workflow Management (if API configured)
1. n8n_list_workflows() // see existing workflows
2. n8n_get_workflow({id: 'workflow-id'}) // fetch specific workflow
3. n8n_validate_workflow({id: 'workflow-id'}) // validate existing workflow
4. n8n_update_partial_workflow() // NEW! Update using diff operations (v2.7.0)
5. n8n_update_full_workflow() // Replace entire workflow
6. n8n_trigger_webhook_workflow() // execute via webhook

## Important Rules

- Start with essentials, not full node info
- Validate incrementally (minimal → operation → workflow)
- For AI workflows, explain that ANY node can be a tool
- Always provide working, validated configurations
- State uncertainty clearly and suggest alternatives

Save these instructions in your Claude Project for optimal n8n workflow assistance.

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please:

Fork the repository
Create a feature branch
Run tests (npm test)
Submit a pull request

👏 Acknowledgments

n8n team for the workflow automation platform
Anthropic for the Model Context Protocol
All contributors and users of this project

Built with ❤️ for the n8n community
_{Making AI + n8n workflow creation delightful}

n8n-mcp

n8n-MCP

Overview

💬 Why n8n-MCP? A Testimonial from Claude

🚀 Quick Start

Option 1: Docker (Easiest) 🚀

Option 2: Local Installation

Features

📡 Available MCP Tools

Core Tools

Advanced Tools

n8n Management Tools (NEW! Requires API Configuration)

Workflow Management

Execution Management

System Tools

Example Usage

🔧 Claude Desktop Configuration

Option 1: Docker (Recommended)

Option 2: Local Installation

Option 3: Remote Server (Beta)

💻 Local Development Setup

Development Commands

🚀 Production Deployment

HTTP Server for Teams (Beta)

📚 Documentation

Setup Guides

Usage & Best Practices

Technical Documentation

Troubleshooting

📊 Metrics & Coverage

🔄 Recent Updates

v2.7.0 - Diff-Based Workflow Editing with Transactional Updates

v2.6.3 - n8n Instance Workflow Validation

v2.6.2 - Enhanced Workflow Creation Validation

v2.6.1 - Enhanced typeVersion Validation

v2.6.0 - n8n Management Tools Integration

v2.5.1 - AI Tool Support Enhancement

v2.5.0 - Complete Workflow Validation

v2.4.2 - Professional Validation System

v2.4.0 - AI-Optimized Tools & MIT License

v2.3.3 - Automated Updates

v2.3.0 - Universal Compatibility

📦 License

🤖 Claude Project Setup

🤝 Contributing

👏 Acknowledgments

Install

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