# ⚡ Quick Start - n8n Workflow Builder
Get started in 5 minutes! 🚀
## 1️⃣ Get API Key (2 Min)
1. Go to your n8n instance (e.g., `https://your-n8n-instance.com`)
2. **Settings** (bottom left) > **API**
3. Click **"Create New API Key"**
4. Copy the key (looks like: `n8n_api_...`)
## 2️⃣ Setup (1 Min)
```bash
# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt
# Create .env file
cat > .env << EOF
N8N_API_URL=https://your-n8n-instance.com
N8N_API_KEY=YOUR_KEY_HERE
EOF
```
## 3️⃣ Test (30 Sec)
```bash
python -m n8n_workflow_builder.server
# No errors? → Perfect!
# Errors? → Check .env
```
## 4️⃣ Claude Config (1 Min)
**macOS**: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
**Windows**: `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n-workflow-builder": {
"command": "python",
"args": ["-m", "n8n_workflow_builder.server"],
"cwd": "/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/n8n-workflow-builder",
"env": {
"N8N_API_URL": "https://your-n8n-instance.com",
"N8N_API_KEY": "YOUR_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
```
**IMPORTANT**: Use absolute path! Use `pwd` in terminal.
## 5️⃣ Ready! (30 Sec)
1. **Quit Claude Desktop completely**
2. **Restart**
3. **Test**:
```
You: "Show me all my n8n workflows"
```
## 🎉 That's it!
### First Steps:
**Node Suggestions:**
```
"Suggest nodes for a workflow that fetches daily sales data from Postgres and sends it via Telegram"
```
**Generate Workflow:**
```
"Generate a workflow template for an API endpoint that validates and stores data"
```
**Analyze Workflow:**
```
"Analyze my workflow 'Daily Report' for issues"
```
**Explain Node:**
```
"Explain the HTTP Request node with best practices"
```
**Update Workflow (Smart Merge):**
```
"Update the 'API Handler' workflow - change the HTTP Request node URL to https://api.example.com"
```
**Delete Workflow:**
```
"Delete the test workflow with ID abc123"
```
**Template Recommendations:**
```
"Recommend templates for building a customer notification system"
```
---
## 💥 Troubleshooting
### Claude can't find the server
- **Completely quit** Claude (including background processes!)
- Check config file for **syntax errors** (valid JSON?)
- Use **absolute path**, not relative!
- Restart Claude
### Authentication Error
- **Generate a new** API key in n8n
- No **spaces** in the key
- `.env` file correctly formatted?
### Server crashed
```bash
# Check logs
python -m n8n_workflow_builder.server
# Reinstall dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt --force-reinstall
```
---
**Happy n8n Building! 🚀**
