n8n-mcp

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 3,143 workflow automation nodes (841 core + 2,302 community).

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:

• 3,143 n8n nodes - 841 core nodes + 2,302 community nodes (1,879 verified)

• Node properties - 99% coverage with detailed schemas

• Node operations - 66.5% coverage of available actions

• Documentation - 86% coverage from official n8n docs (including AI nodes)

• AI tools - 267 AI-capable tool variants detected with full documentation

• Real-world examples - 156 ranked configurations extracted from popular templates

• Template library - 2,352 workflow templates with 99.96% AI metadata coverage

• Community nodes - Search verified community integrations with source filter

Support This Project

n8n-mcp started as a personal tool but now helps tens of thousands of developers automate their workflows efficiently. Maintaining and developing this project competes with my paid work. Your sponsorship helps me dedicate focused time to new features, respond quickly to issues, keep documentation up-to-date, and ensure compatibility with latest n8n releases. Become a sponsor

💼 Need it built for you? Work with AiAdvisors — n8n automation audits, builds, and operations, run by the author of n8n-mcp and n8n-skills.

Important Safety Warning

NEVER edit your production workflows directly with AI! Always:

• Make a copy of your workflow before using AI tools

• Test in development environment first

• Export backups of important workflows

• Validate changes before deploying to production

AI results can be unpredictable. Protect your work!

Quick Start

The fastest way to try n8n-MCP - no installation, no configuration:

dashboard.n8n-mcp.com

• Free tier: 100 tool calls/day

• Instant access: Start building workflows immediately

• Always up-to-date: Latest n8n nodes and templates

• No infrastructure: We handle everything

Just sign up, get your API key, and connect your MCP client.

Want to self-host? See the Self-Hosting Guide for npx, Docker, Railway, and local installation options.

n8n Integration

Want to use n8n-MCP with your n8n instance? Check out our comprehensive n8n Deployment Guide for:

• Local testing with the MCP Client Tool node

• Production deployment with Docker Compose

• Cloud deployment on Hetzner, AWS, and other providers

• Troubleshooting and security best practices

Cloudflare Access Authentication

If your n8n instance sits behind Cloudflare Access (Zero Trust), provide your service token so n8n-MCP can authenticate:

• N8N_CF_CLIENT_ID - Cloudflare Access Client ID

• N8N_CF_CLIENT_SECRET - Cloudflare Access Client Secret

When set, these are sent as CF-Access-Client-Id / CF-Access-Client-Secret headers on n8n API requests, version/health probes, and webhook executions. The token is confined to the N8N_API_URL origin — webhook calls to a different host (e.g. a split WEBHOOK_URL origin) do not receive it, to avoid leaking the token.

n8n Agents and Instance-Level MCP (Optional)

To use n8n_manage_agents, n8n_explore_node_resources, and the project fallback in n8n_list_catalog, set:

• N8N_MCP_ACCESS_TOKEN - MCP API key from n8n Settings → Instance-level MCP → set MCP status to Enabled. This is a separate secret from N8N_API_KEY and should be stored the same way. The MCP endpoint is derived from N8N_API_URL; instances that serve MCP from a split host (N8N_MCP_BASE_URL) are not supported.

See Connecting n8n-mcp to n8n's instance-level MCP server for the full setup walkthrough, including how to get the token from the n8n UI, prerequisites, and troubleshooting.

Connect your IDE

n8n-MCP works with multiple AI-powered IDEs and tools:

• Claude Code - Quick setup for Claude Code CLI

• Visual Studio Code - VS Code with GitHub Copilot integration

• Cursor - Step-by-step Cursor IDE setup

• Windsurf - Windsurf integration with project rules

• Codex - Codex integration guide

• Antigravity - Antigravity integration guide

Add Claude Skills (Optional)

Supercharge your n8n workflow building with specialized skills that teach AI how to build production-ready workflows!

Learn more: n8n-skills repository

Claude Project Setup

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

You are an expert in n8n automation software using n8n-MCP tools. Your role is to design, build, and validate n8n workflows with maximum accuracy and efficiency.

## Core Principles

### 1. Silent Execution
CRITICAL: Execute tools without commentary. Only respond AFTER all tools complete.

### 2. Parallel Execution
When operations are independent, execute them in parallel for maximum performance.

### 3. Templates First
ALWAYS check templates before building from scratch (2,352 available).

### 4. Multi-Level Validation
Use validate_node(mode='minimal') → validate_node(mode='full') → validate_workflow pattern.

### 5. Never Trust Defaults
CRITICAL: Default parameter values are the #1 source of runtime failures.
ALWAYS explicitly configure ALL parameters that control node behavior.

## Workflow Process

1. **Start**: Call `tools_documentation()` for best practices

2. **Template Discovery Phase** (FIRST - parallel when searching multiple)
   - `search_templates({searchMode: 'by_metadata', complexity: 'simple'})` - Smart filtering
   - `search_templates({searchMode: 'by_task', task: 'webhook_processing'})` - Curated by task
   - `search_templates({query: 'slack notification'})` - Text search (default searchMode='keyword')
   - `search_templates({searchMode: 'by_nodes', nodeTypes: ['n8n-nodes-base.slack']})` - By node type

   **Filtering strategies**:
   - Beginners: `complexity: "simple"` + `maxSetupMinutes: 30`
   - By role: `targetAudience: "marketers"` | `"developers"` | `"analysts"`
   - By time: `maxSetupMinutes: 15` for quick wins
   - By service: `requiredService: "openai"` for compatibility

3. **Node Discovery** (if no suitable template - parallel execution)
   - Think deeply about requirements. Ask clarifying questions if unclear.
   - `search_nodes({query: 'keyword', includeExamples: true})` - Parallel for multiple nodes
   - `search_nodes({query: 'trigger'})` - Browse triggers
   - `search_nodes({query: 'AI agent langchain'})` - AI-capable nodes

4. **Configuration Phase** (parallel for multiple nodes)
   - `get_node({nodeType, detail: 'standard', includeExamples: true})` - Essential properties (default)
   - `get_node({nodeType, detail: 'minimal'})` - Basic metadata only (~200 tokens)
   - `get_node({nodeType, detail: 'full'})` - Complete information (~3000-8000 tokens)
   - `get_node({nodeType, mode: 'search_properties', propertyQuery: 'auth'})` - Find specific properties
   - `get_node({nodeType, mode: 'docs'})` - Human-readable markdown documentation
   - Show workflow architecture to user for approval before proceeding

5. **Validation Phase** (parallel for multiple nodes)
   - `validate_node({nodeType, config, mode: 'minimal'})` - Quick required fields check
   - `validate_node({nodeType, config, mode: 'full', profile: 'runtime'})` - Full validation with fixes
   - Fix ALL errors before proceeding

6. **Building Phase**
   - If using template: `get_template(templateId, {mode: "full"})`
   - **MANDATORY ATTRIBUTION**: "Based on template by **[author.name]** (@[username]). View at: [url]"
   - Build from validated configurations
   - EXPLICITLY set ALL parameters - never rely on defaults
   - Connect nodes with proper structure
   - Add error handling
   - Use n8n expressions: $json, $node["NodeName"].json
   - Build in artifact (unless deploying to n8n instance)

7. **Workflow Validation** (before deployment)
   - `validate_workflow(workflow)` - Complete validation
   - `validate_workflow_connections(workflow)` - Structure check
   - `validate_workflow_expressions(workflow)` - Expression validation