n8n-mcp-server

MCP.Pizza Chef: leonardsellem

The n8n-mcp-server is a Model Context Protocol server that integrates AI assistants with the n8n automation platform. It enables natural language interaction to list, create, update, delete, activate, deactivate, and execute n8n workflows, as well as monitor their execution status and access workflow statistics. This server facilitates seamless AI-driven workflow management and automation control through the n8n API, supporting Node.js 18+ environments and Docker deployment.

Use This MCP server To

List and manage n8n workflows via natural language commands Activate or deactivate workflows programmatically Execute workflows and track their execution status Retrieve detailed workflow information and execution statistics Automate workflow lifecycle management in n8n Integrate AI assistants with n8n for workflow orchestration

README

n8n MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants to interact with n8n workflows through natural language.

Overview

This MCP server provides tools and resources for AI assistants to manage n8n workflows and executions. It allows assistants to:

  • List, create, update, and delete workflows
  • Activate and deactivate workflows
  • Execute workflows and monitor their status
  • Access workflow information and execution statistics

Installation

Prerequisites

  • Node.js 18 or later
  • n8n instance with API access enabled

Install from npm

npm install -g n8n-mcp-server

Install from source

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

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build the project
npm run build

# Optional: Install globally
npm install -g .

Docker Installation

You can also run the server using Docker:

# Pull the image
docker pull leonardsellem/n8n-mcp-server

# Run the container with your n8n API configuration
docker run -e N8N_API_URL=http://your-n8n:5678/api/v1 \
  -e N8N_API_KEY=your_n8n_api_key \
  -e N8N_WEBHOOK_USERNAME=username \
  -e N8N_WEBHOOK_PASSWORD=password \
  leonardsellem/n8n-mcp-server

Configuration

Create a .env file in the directory where you'll run the server, using .env.example as a template:

cp .env.example .env

Configure the following environment variables:

Variable Description Example
N8N_API_URL Full URL of the n8n API, including /api/v1 http://localhost:5678/api/v1
N8N_API_KEY API key for authenticating with n8n n8n_api_...
N8N_WEBHOOK_USERNAME Username for webhook authentication (if using webhooks) username
N8N_WEBHOOK_PASSWORD Password for webhook authentication password
DEBUG Enable debug logging (optional) true or false

Generating an n8n API Key

  1. Open your n8n instance in a browser
  2. Go to Settings > API > API Keys
  3. Create a new API key with appropriate permissions
  4. Copy the key to your .env file

Usage

Running the Server

From the installation directory:

n8n-mcp-server

Or if installed globally:

n8n-mcp-server

Integrating with AI Assistants

After building the server (npm run build), you need to configure your AI assistant (like VS Code with the Claude extension or the Claude Desktop app) to run it. This typically involves editing a JSON configuration file.

Example Configuration (e.g., in VS Code settings.json or Claude Desktop claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    // Give your server a unique name
    "n8n-local": {
      // Use 'node' to execute the built JavaScript file
      "command": "node",
      // Provide the *absolute path* to the built index.js file
      "args": [
        "/path/to/your/cloned/n8n-mcp-server/build/index.js"
        // On Windows, use double backslashes:
        // "C:\\path\\to\\your\\cloned\\n8n-mcp-server\\build\\index.js"
      ],
      // Environment variables needed by the server
      "env": {
        "N8N_API_URL": "http://your-n8n-instance:5678/api/v1", // Replace with your n8n URL
        "N8N_API_KEY": "YOUR_N8N_API_KEY", // Replace with your key
        // Add webhook credentials only if you plan to use webhook tools
        // "N8N_WEBHOOK_USERNAME": "your_webhook_user",
        // "N8N_WEBHOOK_PASSWORD": "your_webhook_password"
      },
      // Ensure the server is enabled
      "disabled": false,
      // Default autoApprove settings
      "autoApprove": []
    }
    // ... other servers might be configured here
  }
}

Key Points:

  • Replace /path/to/your/cloned/n8n-mcp-server/ with the actual absolute path where you cloned and built the repository.
  • Use the correct path separator for your operating system (forward slashes / for macOS/Linux, double backslashes \\ for Windows).
  • Ensure you provide the correct N8N_API_URL (including /api/v1) and N8N_API_KEY.
  • The server needs to be built (npm run build) before the assistant can run the build/index.js file.

Available Tools

The server provides the following tools:

Using Webhooks

This MCP server supports executing workflows through n8n webhooks. To use this functionality:

  1. Create a webhook-triggered workflow in n8n.
  2. Set up Basic Authentication on your webhook node.
  3. Use the run_webhook tool to trigger the workflow, passing just the workflow name.

Example:

const result = await useRunWebhook({
  workflowName: "hello-world", // Will call <n8n-url>/webhook/hello-world
  data: {
    prompt: "Hello from AI assistant!"
  }
});

The webhook authentication is handled automatically using the N8N_WEBHOOK_USERNAME and N8N_WEBHOOK_PASSWORD environment variables.

Workflow Management

  • workflow_list: List all workflows
  • workflow_get: Get details of a specific workflow
  • workflow_create: Create a new workflow
  • workflow_update: Update an existing workflow
  • workflow_delete: Delete a workflow
  • workflow_activate: Activate a workflow
  • workflow_deactivate: Deactivate a workflow

Execution Management

  • execution_run: Execute a workflow via the API
  • run_webhook: Execute a workflow via a webhook
  • execution_get: Get details of a specific execution
  • execution_list: List executions for a workflow
  • execution_stop: Stop a running execution

Resources

The server provides the following resources:

  • n8n://workflows/list: List of all workflows
  • n8n://workflow/{id}: Details of a specific workflow
  • n8n://executions/{workflowId}: List of executions for a workflow
  • n8n://execution/{id}: Details of a specific execution

Development

Building

npm run build

Running in Development Mode

npm run dev

Testing

npm test

Linting

npm run lint

License

MIT

n8n-mcp-server FAQ

How do I install the n8n-mcp-server?
You can install it globally via npm with 'npm install -g n8n-mcp-server', build from source, or run it using Docker.
What are the prerequisites for running n8n-mcp-server?
You need Node.js 18 or later and an n8n instance with API access enabled.
Can the n8n-mcp-server execute workflows on demand?
Yes, it allows AI assistants to trigger workflow executions and monitor their status in real time.
How does the server interact with n8n workflows?
It uses the n8n API to list, create, update, delete, activate, deactivate, and execute workflows.
Is Docker supported for deploying n8n-mcp-server?
Yes, the server can be run using a Docker image for easy deployment.
Can I update workflows through the n8n-mcp-server?
Yes, the server supports updating existing workflows via AI commands.
Does the server provide execution statistics?
Yes, it provides access to workflow execution statistics for monitoring and analysis.
What Node.js version is required?
Node.js version 18 or later is required to run the n8n-mcp-server.