Provides access to n8n workflows, executions, credentials, and tags. Enables listing, viewing, executing, and managing workflows, generating security audits, and handling credentials. Enterprise features include project management, variable management, and advanced user management.
Planned integration with Sage to provide access to n8n workflows and functionality through the Smithery.ai marketplace.
Click on "Deploy Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type @ followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@MCP- N8N list my workflows and show the last 5 executions"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
An MCP server that provides access to n8n workflows, executions, credentials, and more through the Model Context Protocol. This allows Large Language Models (LLMs) to interact with n8n instances in a secure and standardized way.
Log into your n8n instance
Click your user icon in the bottom left
Go to Settings
Select API
Click "Create API Key"
Copy your API key (you won't be able to see it again)
npm install -g @illuminaresolutions/n8n-mcp-serverClone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/illuminaresolutions/n8n-mcp-server.git
cd n8n-mcp-serverInstall dependencies and build:
npm install
npm run buildStart the server in the background:
nohup npm start > n8n-mcp.log 2>&1 &To stop the server:
pkill -f "node build/index.js"Note: When installing from npm, the server will be available as n8n-mcp-server in your PATH.
Related MCP server: n8n-workflow-builder-mcp
Open your Claude Desktop configuration:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.jsonAdd the n8n configuration:
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n": {
"command": "n8n-mcp-server",
"env": {
"N8N_HOST": "https://your-n8n-instance.com",
"N8N_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}Install the server (follow Installation steps above)
Open VS Code
Open the Cline extension from the left sidebar
Click the 'MCP Servers' icon at the top of the pane
Scroll to bottom and click 'Configure MCP Servers'
Add to the opened settings file:
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n": {
"command": "n8n-mcp-server",
"env": {
"N8N_HOST": "https://your-n8n-instance.com",
"N8N_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}Save the file
Ensure the MCP toggle is enabled (green) and the status indicator is green
Start using MCP commands in Cline
Coming soon! The n8n MCP server will be available through:
Smithery.ai marketplace
Import from Claude Desktop
For now, please use Claude Desktop or Cline.
After configuration:
Restart your LLM application
Ask: "List my n8n workflows"
You should see your workflows listed
If you get an error:
Check that your n8n instance is running
Verify your API key has correct permissions
Ensure N8N_HOST has no trailing slash
List and manage workflows
View workflow details
Execute workflows
Manage credentials
Handle tags and executions
Generate security audits
Manage workflow tags
These features require an n8n Enterprise license:
Project management
Variable management
Advanced user management
"Client not initialized"
Check N8N_HOST and N8N_API_KEY are set correctly
Ensure n8n instance is accessible
Verify API key permissions
"License required"
You're trying to use an Enterprise feature
Either upgrade to n8n Enterprise or use core features only
Connection Issues
Verify n8n instance is running
Check URL protocol (http/https)
Remove trailing slash from N8N_HOST
API Key Management
Use minimal permissions necessary
Rotate keys regularly
Never commit keys to version control
Instance Access
Use HTTPS for production
Enable n8n authentication
Keep n8n updated
Activate a workflow by ID. This will enable the workflow to run. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: clientId (required), id (required).
Create a credential that can be used by nodes of the specified type. The credential type name can be found in the n8n UI when creating credentials (e.g., 'cloudflareApi', 'githubApi', 'slackOAuth2Api'). Use get-credential-schema first to see what fields are required for the credential type you want to create.
Inputs: clientId (required), data (required), name (required), type (required).
Create a new project in n8n. NOTE: Requires n8n Enterprise license with project management features enabled. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: clientId (required), name (required).
Create a new tag in your instance.
Inputs: clientId (required), name (required).
Create one or more users in your instance.
Inputs: clientId (required), users (required).
Create a new variable in n8n. NOTE: Requires n8n Enterprise license with variable management features enabled. Variables can be used across workflows to store and share data. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: clientId (required), key (required), value (required).
Create a new workflow in n8n. Use to set up a new workflow with optional nodes and connections. IMPORTANT: 1) Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines. 2) Must provide full workflow structure including nodes and connections arrays, even if empty. The 'active' property should not be included as it is read-only.
Inputs: clientId (required), name (required), connections, nodes.
Deactivate a workflow by ID. This will prevent the workflow from running. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: clientId (required), id (required).
Delete a credential by ID. You must be the owner of the credentials.
Inputs: clientId (required), id (required).
Delete a specific execution by ID.
Inputs: clientId (required), id (required).
Delete a project by ID. NOTE: Requires n8n Enterprise license with project management features enabled. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: clientId (required), projectId (required).
Delete a tag by ID.
Inputs: clientId (required), id (required).
Delete a user from your instance.
Inputs: clientId (required), idOrEmail (required).
Delete a variable by ID. NOTE: Requires n8n Enterprise license with variable management features enabled. Use after list-variables to get the ID of the variable to delete. This action cannot be undone. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: clientId (required), id (required).
Delete a workflow by ID. This action cannot be undone. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: clientId (required), id (required).
Generate a security audit for your n8n instance.
Inputs: clientId (required), categories, daysAbandonedWorkflow.
Show credential data schema for a specific credential type. The credential type name can be found in the n8n UI when creating credentials (e.g., 'cloudflareApi', 'githubApi', 'slackOAuth2Api'). This will show you what fields are required for creating credentials of this type.
Inputs: clientId (required), credentialTypeName (required).
Retrieve a specific execution by ID.
Inputs: clientId (required), id (required), includeData.
Retrieve a specific tag by ID.
Inputs: clientId (required), id (required).
Get user by ID or email address.
Inputs: clientId (required), idOrEmail (required).
Retrieve a workflow by ID. Use after list-workflows to get detailed information about a specific workflow. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: clientId (required), id (required).
Get tags associated with a workflow.
Inputs: clientId (required), workflowId (required).
Initialize connection to n8n instance. Use this tool whenever an n8n URL and API key are shared to establish the connection. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: apiKey (required), url (required).
Retrieve all executions from your instance with optional filtering.
Inputs: clientId (required), includeData, limit, status, +1 more.
List all projects from n8n. NOTE: Requires n8n Enterprise license with project management features enabled. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: clientId (required).
Retrieve all tags from your instance.
Inputs: clientId (required), limit.
Retrieve all users from your instance. Only available for the instance owner.
Inputs: clientId (required).
List all variables from n8n. NOTE: Requires n8n Enterprise license with variable management features enabled. Use after init-n8n to see available variables. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: clientId (required).
List all workflows from n8n. Use after init-n8n to see available workflows. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: clientId (required).
Update a project's name. NOTE: Requires n8n Enterprise license with project management features enabled. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: clientId (required), name (required), projectId (required).
Update a tag's name.
Inputs: clientId (required), id (required), name (required).
Update an existing workflow in n8n. Use after get-workflow to modify a workflow's properties, nodes, or connections. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.
Inputs: clientId (required), id (required), workflow (required).
Update tags associated with a workflow.
Inputs: clientId (required), tagIds (required), workflowId (required).
Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
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Scored across 33 tools
Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose targeting specific resources and actions (e.g., create-workflow vs. activate-workflow, get-user vs. list-users). The descriptions reinforce these distinctions, making it easy for an agent to select the correct tool without confusion. No overlapping or ambiguous tools exist in the set.
Tool names follow a consistent verb-noun pattern with hyphens throughout (e.g., create-workflow, list-users, update-tag). All tools adhere to this convention without deviations, making the naming predictable and readable. The pattern is uniformly applied across all 33 tools.
With 33 tools, the count is borderline high for the n8n automation domain, which involves workflows, credentials, users, tags, variables, projects, and executions. While the tools cover many aspects comprehensively, the number may feel heavy and could overwhelm agents, though it's not extreme. A more streamlined set might improve usability.
The tool set provides complete CRUD/lifecycle coverage for all key n8n resources: workflows (create, get, list, update, activate/deactivate, delete), credentials (create, get-schema, delete), users (create, get, list, delete), tags (create, get, list, update, delete), variables (create, list, delete), projects (create, list, update, delete), and executions (get, list, delete). No obvious gaps exist, and tools like init-n8n and generate-audit add essential setup and security functions.
Open-source Zapier/n8n alternative as an MCP server: agents build, run and debug your workflows.
LLM Orchestration MCP Agent
LLM Orchestration Agent (Mcp)