n8n Workflow Builder MCP

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for building and manipulating n8n workflows. Build n8n workflows just by prompting with AI — works with Claude Code, VS Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible client.

Is this the right MCP server for you?

This server writes n8n workflow JSON files locally. It doesn't need a running n8n instance, and it picks node versions from a bundled catalog that covers n8n 1.86.0 – 2.6.2.

Use this server if you:

• want to generate workflow files offline and import them yourself (or commit them to git)

• are on an older self-hosted n8n and need workflows whose node typeVersions your instance actually supports. Set N8N_VERSION to match it.

Consider an alternative if you:

• want the AI to build, test and run workflows directly in your n8n instance. Use n8n's built-in instance-level MCP server.

• want a large node documentation and template library with deployment through the n8n API. Use czlonkowski/n8n-mcp.

• need nodes added in n8n after 2.6.2. They aren't in the bundled catalog yet.

DEMO VIDEO:

Related MCP server: mcp-n8n-builder

Cursor rules

• File with rules is in rules/n8n-mcp-server-rules.mdc

Key Features

• Workflow Management: Create, update, and execute n8n workflows programmatically (execute is not implemented yet)

• Node Discovery: Explore available n8n nodes and their capabilities

• Connection Management: Create connections between workflow nodes

• AI Integration: Special tools for connecting AI components in workflows

• AI-Friendly Interface: Designed specifically for interaction with AI agents

• N8N Version Management: Automatic version detection and compatibility handling - supports 184+ n8n versions (1.86.0 – 2.6.2) with dynamic node filtering and "closest lower version" matching for backward compatibility

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v18 or higher)

• npm (for npx command)

• An MCP-compatible client (Claude Code, VS Code, Cursor, etc.)

Installation & Setup

Getting your n8n API Key

The API key is optional. The server only uses N8N_API_URL/N8N_API_KEY to detect your n8n version. To work fully offline, skip them and set N8N_VERSION (e.g. N8N_VERSION=1.123.2) instead.

1. Open your n8n instance in a browser

2. Go to Settings > API Keys

3. Click Create API Key

4. Copy the generated key and use it in your configuration

Claude Code (Recommended)

Add the MCP server using the Claude Code CLI:

claude mcp add n8n-workflow-builder -- npx -y n8n-workflow-builder-mcp

Then set the environment variables:

claude mcp add n8n-workflow-builder \
  -e N8N_API_URL=http://localhost:5678 \
  -e N8N_API_KEY=your-n8n-api-key-here \
  -- npx -y n8n-workflow-builder-mcp

N8N_VERSION is optional — the server auto-detects it from the API.

VS Code / Cursor

Add to your MCP config file (.vscode/mcp.json for VS Code, .cursor/mcp.json for Cursor):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n-workflow-builder": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "n8n-workflow-builder-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "N8N_API_URL": "http://localhost:5678",
        "N8N_API_KEY": "your-n8n-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart your IDE for changes to take effect.

Development Installation

For development or local testing, clone and build from source:

git clone https://github.com/ifmelate/n8n-workflow-builder-mcp.git
cd n8n-workflow-builder-mcp
npm install
npm run build

Then point your MCP client to the built entry point:

# Claude Code
claude mcp add n8n-workflow-builder -- node /absolute/path/to/n8n-workflow-builder-mcp/dist/index.js

# VS Code / Cursor — use the same JSON config above with "command": "node" and "args": ["/absolute/path/to/dist/index.js"]

For development with auto-rebuild:

npm run dev

Available MCP Tools

The server provides the following tools for working with n8n workflows:

Core Workflow Management

Node Management

Connection Management

Workflow Planning & Composition

Parameter Management

Templates & Discovery

Validation behavior

validate_workflow promotes warnings to errors and additionally fails when any enabled node is not connected (directly or via AI ports) to the main chain starting at the inferred startNode. Use connect_from/connect_to or add_ai_connections to fix connectivity.

Troubleshooting

General

1. Check your MCP config — make sure JSON is valid and the server name matches.

2. Update Node.js to the latest LTS version.

3. Clear npm cache if npx fails: npm cache clean --force

4. Try global install as a fallback: npm install -g n8n-workflow-builder-mcp

Claude Code

• Run claude mcp list to verify the server is registered.

• Check logs with claude mcp logs n8n-workflow-builder.

VS Code / Cursor

• Check the Output panel — select "MCP" from the dropdown to see server logs.

• Make sure the server is enabled in Settings > Features > MCP Servers.

• Restart the IDE after config changes.

Project Structure

• /src: Main source code

• /src/tools: MCP tools implementation

• /src/models: Data models

• /src/utils: Utility functions

• /src/middleware: Authentication and middleware

• /config: Configuration files

• /tests: Test files

• /workflow_nodes: n8n node definitions

• /docs: Additional documentation

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

1. Fork the repository

2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)

3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature')

4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)

5. Open a Pull Request

License

MIT License