MCP server for programmatically creating and managing n8n workflows
A powerful Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables AI assistants to manage n8n workflows seamlessly. Connect your AI tools directly to n8n for automated workflow creation, execution, and management.
The n8n Workflow Builder MCP Server bridges the gap between AI assistants (like Claude Desktop, Cline, or any MCP-compatible client) and your n8n automation platform. It provides a comprehensive set of tools that allow AI assistants to:
Perfect for teams using n8n who want to leverage AI assistants for workflow automation and management.
Use the hosted version on Smithery.ai - no installation required:
Benefits: No local setup, automatic updates, professional hosting, tool playground.
Run locally with NPX:
npx @makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder
For development or customization:
## Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder.git
cd n8n-workflow-builder
## Install dependencies
npm install
## Build the project
npm run build
## Start the server
npm start
Configure the following environment variables to connect to your n8n instance:
| Variable | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
N8N_HOST |
Your n8n instance URL | http://localhost:5678 or https://your-n8n.com/api/v1 |
N8N_API_KEY |
Your n8n API key | n8n_api_1234567890abcdef... |
## For local testing
export N8N_HOST="http://localhost:5678"
export N8N_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"
## Then run the server
npx @makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder
Add this configuration to your claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n-workflow-builder": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder"],
"env": {
"N8N_HOST": "http://localhost:5678",
"N8N_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}
Add this to your Cline MCP settings:
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n-workflow-builder": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder"],
"env": {
"N8N_HOST": "http://localhost:5678",
"N8N_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}
The server works with any MCP-compatible client. Use the same configuration pattern with your client’s specific setup method.
The MCP server provides 15 comprehensive tools for complete n8n workflow and execution management:
| Tool | Description | Parameters |
|---|---|---|
list_workflows |
List all workflows from your n8n instance | None |
get_workflow |
Retrieve detailed information about a specific workflow | id: Workflow ID (string) |
create_workflow |
Create a new workflow with nodes and connections | workflow: Workflow object |
execute_workflow |
Manually execute a workflow | id: Workflow ID (string) |
| Tool | Description | Parameters |
|---|---|---|
update_workflow |
Update an existing workflow’s configuration | id: Workflow ID, workflow: Updated workflow object |
activate_workflow |
Activate a workflow to enable automatic execution | id: Workflow ID (string) |
deactivate_workflow |
Deactivate a workflow to stop automatic execution | id: Workflow ID (string) |
delete_workflow |
Permanently delete a workflow | id: Workflow ID (string) |
| Tool | Description | Parameters |
|---|---|---|
create_workflow_and_activate |
Create a new workflow and immediately activate it | workflow: Workflow object |
| Tool | Description | Parameters |
|---|---|---|
list_executions |
List workflow executions with filtering and pagination | includeData, status, workflowId, projectId, limit, cursor |
get_execution |
Get detailed information about a specific execution | id: Execution ID, includeData: Include detailed data |
delete_execution |
Delete a workflow execution record | id: Execution ID |
| Tool | Description | Parameters |
|---|---|---|
list_tags |
List all workflow tags with pagination | limit, cursor |
create_tag |
Create a new workflow tag for organization | name: Tag name |
| Tool | Description | Parameters |
|---|---|---|
generate_audit |
Generate comprehensive security audit report | additionalOptions: Audit configuration |
// List all workflows
await callTool("list_workflows", {});
// Get detailed information about a workflow
await callTool("get_workflow", { id: "workflow-123" });
// Execute a workflow manually
await callTool("execute_workflow", { id: "workflow-123" });
// Create a simple workflow
await callTool("create_workflow", {
workflow: {
name: "My Automation Workflow",
nodes: [
{
id: "trigger",
name: "Schedule Trigger",
type: "n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger",
typeVersion: 1,
position: [240, 300],
parameters: {
interval: [{ field: "unit", value: "hours" }]
}
},
{
id: "action",
name: "HTTP Request",
type: "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
typeVersion: 4,
position: [460, 300],
parameters: {
url: "https://api.example.com/webhook",
method: "POST"
}
}
],
connections: {
"Schedule Trigger": {
"main": [[{ "node": "HTTP Request", "type": "main", "index": 0 }]]
}
}
}
});
// Activate a workflow
await callTool("activate_workflow", { id: "workflow-123" });
// Update a workflow
await callTool("update_workflow", {
id: "workflow-123",
workflow: { name: "Updated Workflow Name" }
});
// Deactivate a workflow
await callTool("deactivate_workflow", { id: "workflow-123" });
// Create and immediately activate
await callTool("create_workflow_and_activate", {
workflow: { /* workflow configuration */ }
});
// List recent executions
await callTool("list_executions", {
limit: 10,
status: "error"
});
// Get detailed execution information
await callTool("get_execution", {
id: "execution-123",
includeData: true
});
// Clean up old execution records
await callTool("delete_execution", { id: "execution-123" });
// List all workflow tags
await callTool("list_tags", { limit: 50 });
// Create a new tag for organization
await callTool("create_tag", { name: "production" });
// Generate comprehensive security audit
await callTool("generate_audit", {
additionalOptions: {
daysAbandonedWorkflow: 30,
categories: ["credentials", "database", "nodes"]
}
});
N8N_HOST is correct and n8n is runningN8N_API_KEY is correctlist_workflows to get valid workflow IDsnode --versionnpm cache clean --forcenpm install && npm run buildFor detailed logging, set the debug environment variable:
DEBUG=n8n-workflow-builder npx @makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder
We welcome contributions!
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE{:target=“_blank”} file for details.
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