# Verification & Testing Guide
Comprehensive testing guide to verify your n8n MCP Workflow Builder installation is working correctly.
---
## Quick Health Check
Run these commands in Claude Desktop to verify basic functionality:
### Test 1: MCP Server Connection
```
What MCP tools do you have for n8n?
```
**Expected:** List of 17+ n8n workflow management tools
**If it fails:** See [Claude Desktop Integration](claude-desktop.md) troubleshooting
---
### Test 2: API Connectivity
```
List my n8n workflows
```
**Expected:** List of your workflows (or "No workflows found")
**If it fails:** Check [Configuration](../installation/configuration.md)
---
### Test 3: Read Operations
```
Show all tags
```
**Expected:** List of tags or "No tags found"
**If it fails:** Verify API key permissions
---
## Comprehensive Testing
### Test Suite Overview
| Test Category | Tests | Expected Duration |
|--------------|-------|-------------------|
| Connection | 3 tests | 1-2 minutes |
| Read Operations | 5 tests | 2-3 minutes |
| Write Operations | 6 tests | 3-5 minutes |
| Execution Tests | 3 tests | 2-3 minutes |
| Multi-Instance | 4 tests | 2-4 minutes |
**Total Time:** 10-17 minutes
---
## Connection Tests
### Test 1.1: MCP Server Discovery
**Command:**
```
What n8n tools can you use?
```
**Expected Output:**
- List of tool categories (Workflow, Execution, Tag, Credential)
- Total of 17+ tools
- Brief description of each category
**Troubleshooting:**
- If no tools appear → Check [Claude Desktop config](claude-desktop.md)
- If wrong tools appear → Verify server name is unique
---
### Test 1.2: API Connection
**Command:**
```
List workflows
```
**Expected Output:**
- Successful API call
- Workflow list (may be empty)
- No connection errors
**Troubleshooting:**
- Connection refused → Check n8n is running
- 401 Unauthorized → Verify API key
- 404 Not Found → Check N8N_HOST URL format
---
### Test 1.3: Multi-Instance Routing
*(Skip if using single instance)*
**Command:**
```
List workflows from production
```
**Expected Output:**
- Workflows from production environment
- Correct instance identified in response
**Troubleshooting:**
- Wrong instance → Check defaultEnv in .config.json
- Instance not found → Verify environment names
---
## Read Operation Tests
### Test 2.1: List Workflows
**Command:**
```
List all my workflows
```
**Expected Output:**
```
You have [N] workflows:
1. Workflow Name (ID: 1)
- Status: Active/Inactive
- Created: YYYY-MM-DD
- Nodes: N
[... more workflows ...]
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ Correct count
- ✅ All workflow names visible
- ✅ Status indicators accurate
---
### Test 2.2: Get Workflow Details
**Command:**
```
Get details for workflow 1
```
*(Replace 1 with an actual workflow ID)*
**Expected Output:**
```
Workflow: [Name] (ID: 1)
Status: Active/Inactive
Created: YYYY-MM-DD
Updated: YYYY-MM-DD
Nodes (N total):
1. [Node Name] - [Node Type]
2. [Node Name] - [Node Type]
...
Connections:
- [Node A] → [Node B]
...
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ Complete workflow information
- ✅ All nodes listed
- ✅ Connections shown correctly
---
### Test 2.3: List Executions
**Command:**
```
Show recent executions
```
**Expected Output:**
```
Recent Executions:
1. Workflow: [Name] (ID: X)
- Execution ID: Y
- Status: Success/Error/Running
- Started: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
- Finished: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
- Mode: trigger/manual
[... more executions ...]
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ Executions displayed
- ✅ Status indicators correct
- ✅ Timestamps accurate
---
### Test 2.4: Get Execution Details
**Command:**
```
Get execution [ID] details
```
*(Replace [ID] with actual execution ID)*
**Expected Output:**
```
Execution ID: [ID]
Workflow: [Name] (ID: X)
Status: Success/Error
Started: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
Finished: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
Duration: X.XX seconds
Node Results:
1. [Node Name]: Success
2. [Node Name]: Success
...
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ Detailed execution information
- ✅ Node-level results shown
- ✅ Error details if applicable
---
### Test 2.5: List Tags
**Command:**
```
List all tags
```
**Expected Output:**
```
Available Tags:
1. production (ID: 1)
- Workflows: 5
- Created: YYYY-MM-DD
2. development (ID: 2)
- Workflows: 3
- Created: YYYY-MM-DD
[... more tags ...]
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ All tags listed
- ✅ Workflow counts accurate
- ✅ Metadata displayed
---
## Write Operation Tests
!!! warning "Caution"
These tests create, modify, and delete data. Use a test environment if possible.
### Test 3.1: Create Tag
**Command:**
```
Create a tag called "test-tag-verification"
```
**Expected Output:**
```
✅ Successfully created tag!
Tag Details:
- ID: [new ID]
- Name: test-tag-verification
- Created: YYYY-MM-DD
You can now use this tag to organize your workflows.
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ Tag created successfully
- ✅ New ID assigned
- ✅ Name stored correctly
**Cleanup:**
```
Delete tag "test-tag-verification"
```
---
### Test 3.2: Create Simple Workflow
**Command:**
```
Create a test workflow called "Verification Test Workflow" with:
- A manual trigger
- A Set node that creates a message "Hello World"
```
**Expected Output:**
```
✅ Successfully created workflow!
Workflow Details:
- ID: [new ID]
- Name: Verification Test Workflow
- Status: Inactive
- Nodes: 2
1. Manual Trigger
2. Set Node (message)
The workflow has been created but is not active.
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ Workflow created
- ✅ Both nodes present
- ✅ Initially inactive
**Save the workflow ID for subsequent tests**
---
### Test 3.3: Update Workflow
**Command:**
```
Update workflow [ID] to add description "This is a test workflow"
```
*(Use ID from previous test)*
**Expected Output:**
```
✅ Successfully updated workflow!
Updated Fields:
- Description: "This is a test workflow"
Workflow: Verification Test Workflow (ID: [ID])
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ Update successful
- ✅ Description saved
---
### Test 3.4: Activate Workflow
**Command:**
```
Activate workflow [ID]
```
**Expected Output:**
```
✅ Workflow "Verification Test Workflow" (ID: [ID]) has been activated!
Note: This workflow has a manual trigger and cannot be executed
automatically. You'll need to trigger it manually in the n8n interface.
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ Activation successful
- ✅ Status changed to active
- ✅ Appropriate trigger warning shown
---
### Test 3.5: Deactivate Workflow
**Command:**
```
Deactivate workflow [ID]
```
**Expected Output:**
```
✅ Workflow "Verification Test Workflow" (ID: [ID]) has been deactivated!
The workflow will no longer run automatically.
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ Deactivation successful
- ✅ Status changed to inactive
---
### Test 3.6: Delete Workflow
**Command:**
```
Delete workflow [ID]
```
**Expected Output:**
```
✅ Successfully deleted workflow "Verification Test Workflow" (ID: [ID])
The workflow and all its execution history have been removed.
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ Deletion successful
- ✅ Workflow no longer appears in list
---
## Execution Tests
### Test 4.1: Execute Workflow
**Command:**
```
Execute workflow [ID] manually
```
*(Use a workflow with non-manual trigger)*
**Expected Behavior:**
- Manual execution attempted
- Guidance provided if not supported
**Note:** Most trigger types (except webhook/manual) cannot be executed via API.
---
### Test 4.2: Retry Failed Execution
*(Skip if no failed executions)*
**Command:**
```
Retry execution [failed-execution-ID]
```
**Expected Output:**
```
✅ Successfully queued execution retry!
Original Execution: [old-ID]
New Execution: [new-ID]
Status: Running
The workflow will rerun with the same data.
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ Retry initiated
- ✅ New execution ID created
- ✅ Links to original execution
---
### Test 4.3: Delete Execution
**Command:**
```
Delete execution [old-execution-ID]
```
**Expected Output:**
```
✅ Successfully deleted execution [ID]
The execution record has been removed from history.
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ Deletion successful
- ✅ Record no longer in list
---
## Multi-Instance Tests
*(Skip if using single instance)*
### Test 5.1: List Instances
**Command:**
```
What n8n instances do you have access to?
```
**Expected Output:**
```
I have access to the following n8n environments:
1. production (default)
- Host: https://prod.n8n.example.com
- Status: Connected
2. staging
- Host: https://staging.n8n.example.com
- Status: Connected
3. development
- Host: http://localhost:5678
- Status: Connected
```
**Pass Criteria:**
- ✅ All instances listed
- ✅ Default marked correctly
- ✅ Connection status shown
---
### Test 5.2: Query Specific Instance
**Command:**
```
List workflows from staging
```
**Expected Output:**
- Workflows from staging environment
- Correct instance identification
---
### Test 5.3: Create in Specific Instance
**Command:**
```
Create a tag called "multi-instance-test" in development
```
**Expected Output:**
```
✅ Successfully created tag in development instance!
Tag Details:
- ID: [ID]
- Name: multi-instance-test
- Instance: development
```
**Cleanup:**
```
Delete tag "multi-instance-test" from development
```
---
### Test 5.4: Switch Default Instance
*(Test configuration only - don't actually change)*
**Verification:**
```
cat .config.json | grep defaultEnv
```
**Expected:** Shows current default environment
---
## Performance Tests
### Test 6.1: Large Workflow List
*(If you have 10+ workflows)*
**Command:**
```
List all workflows with their details
```
**Expected:**
- Response within 5 seconds
- All workflows displayed
- No timeout errors
---
### Test 6.2: Execution History
**Command:**
```
Show last 50 executions
```
**Expected:**
- Response within 10 seconds
- Pagination working correctly
- No memory issues
---
## Security Tests
### Test 7.1: API Key Validation
**Test with invalid key:**
1. Temporarily change API key in configuration
2. Restart Claude Desktop
3. Try: `List workflows`
**Expected:** Authorization error (401)
**Restore correct API key after test**
---
### Test 7.2: Permission Scope
**Command:**
```
Get credential schema for httpBasicAuth
```
**Expected:**
- Schema returned successfully
- Security note about credential protection
**Note:** Actual credential data should never be returned by API
---
## Test Results Summary
Use this checklist to track your test results:
### Connection Tests
- [ ] 1.1 MCP Server Discovery
- [ ] 1.2 API Connection
- [ ] 1.3 Multi-Instance Routing *(optional)*
### Read Operations
- [ ] 2.1 List Workflows
- [ ] 2.2 Get Workflow Details
- [ ] 2.3 List Executions
- [ ] 2.4 Get Execution Details
- [ ] 2.5 List Tags
### Write Operations
- [ ] 3.1 Create Tag
- [ ] 3.2 Create Workflow
- [ ] 3.3 Update Workflow
- [ ] 3.4 Activate Workflow
- [ ] 3.5 Deactivate Workflow
- [ ] 3.6 Delete Workflow
### Execution Tests
- [ ] 4.1 Execute Workflow
- [ ] 4.2 Retry Execution *(if applicable)*
- [ ] 4.3 Delete Execution
### Multi-Instance *(if applicable)*
- [ ] 5.1 List Instances
- [ ] 5.2 Query Specific Instance
- [ ] 5.3 Create in Specific Instance
- [ ] 5.4 Verify Default Instance
### Performance
- [ ] 6.1 Large Workflow List
- [ ] 6.2 Execution History
### Security
- [ ] 7.1 API Key Validation
- [ ] 7.2 Permission Scope
---
## Automated Testing
For automated testing, use the test scripts:
```bash
# Run comprehensive MCP tool tests
node test-mcp-tools.js
# Expected output:
# ✅ Workflow Tests: 8/8 passed
# ✅ Tag Tests: 5/5 passed
# ✅ Execution Tests: 4/4 passed
# ✅ Total: 17/17 tests passed
```
---
## Common Issues
### Issue: "No tools available"
**Cause:** MCP server not configured correctly
**Solution:** Reconfigure [Claude Desktop Integration](claude-desktop.md)
---
### Issue: "Connection refused"
**Cause:** n8n instance not running or unreachable
**Solution:**
1. Check n8n is running: `curl https://your-n8n-host.com`
2. Verify firewall settings
3. Test API manually
---
### Issue: "401 Unauthorized"
**Cause:** Invalid or expired API key
**Solution:**
1. Regenerate API key in n8n
2. Update configuration
3. Restart Claude Desktop
---
### Issue: "Slow responses"
**Cause:** Large workflow/execution datasets or network latency
**Solution:**
1. Use filters to limit results
2. Paginate large lists
3. Check network connection
4. Consider local n8n instance for development
---
## Next Steps
After completing verification:
1. **[Workflow Examples](../../examples/basic/webhook-workflow.md)** - Build real workflows
2. **[API Reference](../../api/workflows-api.md)** - Deep dive into all tools
3. **[Features Guide](../../features/workflows-management.md)** - Explore all capabilities
---
!!! success "Verification Complete! ✅"
If all tests pass, your installation is working correctly and you're ready to build production workflows!
!!! question "Tests Failed?"
- Review [Troubleshooting Guide](../../troubleshooting/error-reference.md)
- Check [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/salacoste/mcp-n8n-workflow-builder/issues)
- Report a [new issue](https://github.com/salacoste/mcp-n8n-workflow-builder/issues/new)
