🤖 n8n MCP Server - Control n8n with Claude AI

Give Claude AI full control over your n8n workflows through natural conversation

🎯 What This Does (In Plain English)

Instead of clicking through n8n's web interface, you can now talk to Claude and have it manage your workflows:

You say: "Show me all my workflows" Claude does: Lists all your n8n workflows with their status

You say: "Activate my Daily Report workflow" Claude does: Turns on that workflow for you

You say: "What workflows failed today?" Claude does: Shows you failed executions with error details

It's like having an AI assistant that knows how to use n8n for you.

✨ What You'll Be Able To Do

Once set up, you can ask Claude to:

📋 Workflow Management

• ✅ List all your workflows

• ✅ Create new workflows

• ✅ Activate/deactivate workflows

• ✅ Update workflow settings

• ✅ Delete workflows

• ✅ Organize workflows with tags

⚡ Execution Monitoring

• ✅ See which workflows ran successfully

• ✅ Find failed executions

• ✅ Retry failed workflows

• ✅ Get detailed error information

• ✅ Track execution history

🔧 Advanced Features

• ✅ Manage environment variables

• ✅ Handle credentials securely

• ✅ Manage users and projects

• ✅ Generate security audits

• ✅ Health check your n8n instance

Total: 42 different operations - all through natural conversation with Claude.

🤔 Before You Start: What Are These Things?

What is MCP (Model Context Protocol)?

Think of it as a "universal connector" that lets Claude AI talk to other software. It's like teaching Claude how to use n8n by giving it a specialized plugin.

Official docs: https://modelcontextprotocol.io/

What is n8n?

n8n is a workflow automation tool (like Zapier, but self-hosted). It connects different apps and automates tasks. For example: "When I get an email, save it to Google Sheets and notify me on Slack."

n8n website: https://n8n.io/

What is Docker?

Docker packages software so it runs the same way on any computer. Think of it as a "container" for software - it includes everything needed to run, so you don't have to install dependencies manually.

Docker website: https://www.docker.com/

📋 Prerequisites (What You Need First)

Before starting, make sure you have:

1. Docker Desktop (Required)

• Download: https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop

• Install it and make sure it's running (you'll see the Docker icon in your system tray)

• Test it works: Open terminal/command prompt and type:

  docker --version

  You should see something like: Docker version 24.0.0

2. n8n Instance with API Access (Required)

You need:

• ✅ A running n8n instance (self-hosted or cloud)

• ✅ The URL to your n8n (e.g., https://your-n8n.com)

• ✅ An API key from n8n

How to get your n8n API key:

1. Log into your n8n instance

2. Click your profile icon (top right)

3. Go to "Settings" → "API"

4. Click "Create API Key"

5. Copy the key (starts with eyJ...) - you'll need this later

3. Claude Desktop (Required)

• Download: https://claude.ai/download

• Install the desktop app (not just the web version)

4. Docker MCP Gateway (Required)

This is the "bridge" between Claude and Docker containers.

Install it:

# On macOS/Linux
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/docker/mcp-gateway/main/install.sh | sh

# On Windows (PowerShell as Administrator)
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/docker/mcp-gateway/main/install.ps1 | iex

Verify it installed:

docker mcp --version

Official docs: https://github.com/docker/mcp-gateway

5. Basic Terminal Knowledge (Helpful but not required)

You'll need to copy-paste commands into a terminal. Don't worry - we'll guide you through each one.

🚀 Installation Guide (Step-by-Step)

Follow these steps exactly in order. Each step has a "✅ Success Check" so you know it worked.

Step 0: Enable Docker MCP Toolkit (IMPORTANT!)

Before anything else, you need to enable MCP support in Docker Desktop:

1. Open Docker Desktop

2. Click the Settings icon (gear icon, top right)

3. Go to Beta features (in the left sidebar)

4. Find "Enable Docker MCP Toolkit"

5. Check the box to enable it

6. Click "Apply & Restart"

7. Wait for Docker Desktop to restart

✅ Success Check: After restart, open terminal and run:

docker mcp --version

You should see version information (not an error).

Step 1: Download This Project

Option A: Using Git (if you have it)

cd ~/Desktop
git clone https://github.com/Shravan1610/n8n-mcp-server.git
cd n8n-mcp-server

Option B: Download ZIP

1. Go to https://github.com/Shravan1610/n8n-mcp-server

2. Click the green "Code" button

3. Click "Download ZIP"

4. Unzip it to your Desktop

5. Open terminal and navigate to it:

   cd ~/Desktop/n8n-mcp-server-main

✅ Success Check: Run ls - you should see files like README.md, package.json, Dockerfile

Step 2: Configure Your n8n Connection

Create your environment file:

cp .env.example .env

Edit the .env file:

1. On Mac/Linux:

   nano .env

2. On Windows:

   notepad .env

3. Fill in your n8n details:

   N8N_API_KEY=paste_your_actual_n8n_api_key_here
   N8N_BASE_URL=https://your-n8n-instance.com/api/v1

   Important notes:

   • Replace paste_your_actual_n8n_api_key_here with the API key you got from n8n

   • Replace https://your-n8n-instance.com with your actual n8n URL

   • DO NOT add a trailing slash at the end of the URL

   • Keep /api/v1 at the end

4. Save the file:

   • In nano: Press Ctrl+O, then Enter, then Ctrl+X

   • In notepad: File → Save

Example .env file (with YOUR actual values):

N8N_API_KEY=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.your_actual_key_here
N8N_BASE_URL=https://your-actual-n8n-url.com/api/v1

✅ Success Check: Run cat .env (Mac/Linux) or type .env (Windows) - you should see your API key and URL (not the placeholder text)

Step 3: Build the Docker Container

This packages everything needed to run the MCP server.

Run the build script:

On Mac/Linux:

chmod +x build.sh
./build.sh

On Windows:

docker build -t n8n-mcp-server:latest .

This will take 2-3 minutes. You'll see lots of output - that's normal.

✅ Success Check: Run docker images | grep n8n-mcp-server - you should see the image listed with "latest" tag

Step 4: Test the Server (Optional but Recommended)

Let's make sure it can connect to your n8n instance.

Run the test:

On Mac/Linux:

chmod +x test.sh
./test.sh

On Windows:

docker run --rm -i --env-file .env n8n-mcp-server:latest

Then paste this and press Enter:

{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"initialize","params":{"protocolVersion":"2024-11-05","capabilities":{},"clientInfo":{"name":"test","version":"1.0.0"}}}

Press Ctrl+C to exit.

✅ Success Check: You should see a JSON response (not an error). If you see "Unexpected token" or connection errors, check your .env file.

Step 5: Set Up Docker MCP Gateway

Now we tell Docker MCP Gateway about our n8n server.

Initialize the gateway (first time only):

docker mcp catalog init

Add the n8n server configuration:

1. Edit the Docker MCP config file:

   On Mac/Linux:

   nano ~/.docker/mcp/docker-mcp.yaml

   On Windows:

   notepad %USERPROFILE%\.docker\mcp\docker-mcp.yaml

2. Add this configuration at the end:

   n8n-server:
     image: n8n-mcp-server:latest
     environment:
       N8N_API_KEY: paste_your_actual_n8n_api_key_here
       N8N_BASE_URL: https://your-n8n-instance.com/api/v1
     description: "n8n workflow automation MCP server"

3. Replace the placeholder values:

   • Use the same API key from your .env file

   • Use the same n8n URL from your .env file

4. Save the file

Enable the server:

docker mcp server enable n8n-server

✅ Success Check: Run docker mcp server list - you should see n8n-server with status "enabled"

Step 6: Connect to Claude Desktop

Option A: Automatic (Docker MCP Gateway handles it)

The Docker MCP Gateway should automatically configure Claude Desktop. Just completely quit and restart Claude Desktop.

Option B: Manual Configuration (if automatic doesn't work)

1. Find your Claude Desktop config file:

   • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

   • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

2. Edit the file:

   On Mac:

   nano ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

   On Windows:

   notepad %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

3. Add or update the configuration:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "docker-mcp-gateway": {
         "command": "docker",
         "args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "docker-mcp-gateway"]
       }
     }
   }

4. Save the file

Restart Claude Desktop:

• Don't just close the window - fully quit the app:

  • Mac: Claude Desktop → Quit Claude Desktop (or Cmd+Q)

  • Windows: Right-click the system tray icon → Exit

• Start Claude Desktop again

✅ Success Check: Open Claude Desktop and start a new conversation. Type "What n8n tools do you have?" - Claude should list the 42 available tools. If not, see troubleshooting below.

🎉 You're Done! Now What?

Try asking Claude these things:

Basic Commands

"List all my n8n workflows"
"Show me the details of workflow [name]"
"What's the health status of my n8n instance?"

Workflow Management

"Activate my [workflow name] workflow"
"Deactivate the [workflow name] workflow"
"Show me all inactive workflows"

Execution Monitoring

"Show me all failed executions from today"
"What went wrong with execution [id]?"
"Retry execution [id]"

Advanced Operations

"List all environment variables"
"Create a variable named API_URL with value https://api.example.com"
"Show me all users in my n8n instance"

🆘 Troubleshooting (Common Issues)

Issue 1: "Docker MCP command not found"

Symptoms: docker mcp: command not found

Solution:

1. Make sure Docker MCP Toolkit is enabled:

   • Open Docker Desktop

   • Settings → Beta Features → Enable Docker MCP Toolkit

   • Apply & Restart

2. Reinstall Docker MCP Gateway:

   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/docker/mcp-gateway/main/install.sh | sh

Issue 2: "Tools not showing in Claude"

Symptoms: Claude says it doesn't have n8n tools available

Solutions:

1. Verify Docker MCP Gateway is running:

   docker mcp server list

   Make sure n8n-server shows as "enabled"

2. Enable the server if it's disabled:

   docker mcp server enable n8n-server

3. Completely restart Claude Desktop:

   • Quit (don't just close)

   • Wait 5 seconds

   • Start again

4. Check Docker is running:

   • Look for Docker icon in system tray

   • Should show "Docker Desktop is running"

Issue 3: "Cannot connect to n8n" or "401 Unauthorized"

Symptoms: Claude says it can't reach your n8n instance or authentication fails

Solutions:

1. Verify your API key works:

   curl -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: your_api_key" "https://your-n8n.com/api/v1/workflows?limit=1"

   Replace with your actual values. You should get JSON response, not an error.

2. Check your .env file:

   cat .env

   Make sure:

   • API key is correct (starts with eyJ)

   • URL has no trailing slash

   • URL ends with /api/v1

3. Check the Docker MCP config:

   cat ~/.docker/mcp/docker-mcp.yaml

   Make sure the values match your .env file

4. Rebuild the server:

   ./build.sh
   docker mcp server disable n8n-server
   docker mcp server enable n8n-server

Issue 4: "Unexpected non-whitespace character" Error

Symptoms: JSON parsing errors when testing

This should be fixed in this version. If you still see it:

1. Make sure you're using the latest code:

   git pull origin main
   ./build.sh

2. Verify the image was rebuilt:

   docker images | grep n8n-mcp-server

   Check the "CREATED" date - should be recent

Issue 5: "Permission Denied" Errors

On Mac/Linux:

chmod +x build.sh test.sh
./build.sh

On Windows: Run PowerShell as Administrator

🤔 Common Mistakes (Learn from Others!)

❌ Mistake 1: Forgetting to Enable Docker MCP Toolkit

The #1 issue! You MUST enable this in Docker Desktop Settings → Beta Features before anything will work.

❌ Mistake 2: Adding Trailing Slash to URL

Wrong:

N8N_BASE_URL=https://n8n.example.com/api/v1/

Correct:

N8N_BASE_URL=https://n8n.example.com/api/v1

❌ Mistake 3: Forgetting to Quit Claude Desktop

Closing the window isn't enough - you must fully quit the app for config changes to take effect.

❌ Mistake 4: Using Wrong API Key

Make sure you're using an n8n API key, not your login password. Get it from: n8n Settings → API → Create API Key

❌ Mistake 5: Docker Not Running

The Docker icon must be in your system tray and show "running" status. If Docker isn't running, nothing will work.

❌ Mistake 6: Not Enabling the Server

After editing docker-mcp.yaml, you must run:

docker mcp server enable n8n-server

🎓 How It Works (For the Curious)

Here's what happens behind the scenes:

1. You talk to Claude in natural language

2. Claude understands what you want to do with n8n

3. Claude calls the Docker MCP Gateway

4. The Gateway launches your n8n MCP server container

5. The MCP server makes API calls to your n8n instance

6. n8n responds with the data

7. The response flows back through Gateway → Claude → You

It's like having a translator that speaks "Human" on one side and "n8n API" on the other.

📚 Available Tools (All 42 of Them)

Workflow Management (10 tools)

• n8n_list_workflows - List all workflows with pagination

• n8n_get_workflow - Get detailed workflow information

• n8n_create_workflow - Create new workflows

• n8n_update_workflow - Modify existing workflows

• n8n_delete_workflow - Delete workflows

• n8n_activate_workflow - Enable workflows

• n8n_deactivate_workflow - Disable workflows

• n8n_transfer_workflow - Transfer workflows between projects

• n8n_get_workflow_tags - Get workflow tags

• n8n_update_workflow_tags - Update workflow tags

Execution Management (4 tools)

• n8n_list_executions - List executions with filtering

• n8n_get_execution - Get detailed execution information

• n8n_delete_execution - Delete execution records

• n8n_retry_execution - Retry failed executions

Credentials Management (4 tools)

• n8n_create_credential - Create new credentials

• n8n_delete_credential - Delete credentials

• n8n_get_credential_schema - Get credential schemas

• n8n_transfer_credential - Transfer credentials

Variables Management (4 tools)

• n8n_list_variables - List environment variables

• n8n_create_variable - Create new variables

• n8n_update_variable - Update existing variables

• n8n_delete_variable - Delete variables

Tags Management (5 tools)

• n8n_list_tags - List all tags

• n8n_create_tag - Create new tags

• n8n_get_tag - Get tag details

• n8n_update_tag - Update tag names

• n8n_delete_tag - Delete tags

Users Management (5 tools)

• n8n_list_users - List all users

• n8n_create_user - Create new users

• n8n_get_user - Get user details

• n8n_delete_user - Delete users

• n8n_update_user_role - Update user roles

Projects Management (7 tools)

• n8n_list_projects - List all projects

• n8n_create_project - Create new projects

• n8n_update_project - Update project details

• n8n_delete_project - Delete projects

• n8n_add_user_to_project - Add users to projects

• n8n_remove_user_from_project - Remove users

• n8n_update_user_in_project - Update user roles

Audit & Monitoring (3 tools)

• n8n_generate_audit - Generate security audits

• n8n_pull_source_control - Pull from source control

• n8n_health_check - Check instance health

🔒 Security & Privacy

What data does this share?

• Only the data you ask Claude to fetch from n8n

• Your n8n API key stays on your computer (in .env file)

• No data is sent to third parties

Best practices:

• ✅ Never commit .env file to Git (it's in .gitignore)

• ✅ Use read-only API keys if possible

• ✅ Rotate your API keys periodically

• ✅ Don't share your .env file with anyone

Docker security:

• ✅ Runs as non-root user

• ✅ No privileged access required

• ✅ Isolated container environment

💡 Pro Tips

Tip 1: Create Shortcuts

Save common commands as Claude conversations for quick access.

Tip 2: Combine Operations

You can ask Claude to do multiple things at once: "Show me all failed workflows from today, then retry each one"

Tip 3: Use Descriptive Workflow Names

Claude works better when your workflows have clear names like "Daily Email Report" instead of "Workflow 1"

Tip 4: Ask for Explanations

Claude can explain what workflows do: "Explain what my 'Customer Onboarding' workflow does"

Tip 5: Monitor in Real-Time

Ask Claude to check execution status while workflows are running

🚀 Next Steps

Now that you have it working:

1. ⭐ Star this repo if it helped you!

2. 🔁 Share with other n8n users

3. 💬 Give feedback - what features do you want added?

4. 🐛 Report bugs via GitHub Issues

5. 🤝 Contribute - PRs welcome!

📞 Need Help?

• GitHub Issues: https://github.com/Shravan1610/n8n-mcp-server/issues

• n8n API Docs: https://docs.n8n.io/api/

• MCP Documentation: https://modelcontextprotocol.io/

• Docker MCP Gateway: https://github.com/docker/mcp-gateway

🙏 Acknowledgments

Built with:

• Anthropic MCP SDK

• n8n API

• Docker MCP Gateway

🎯 About This Project

This is Day 1 of my 30-day challenge to build useful AI integrations.

Built in one session. Open sourced for the community.

More projects coming! Follow for daily updates.

⭐ If this saved you time, drop a star on GitHub!

Built with Model Context Protocol | 42 Tools | Production Ready