n8n MCP Server

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init-n8n

Establish connection to an n8n automation platform instance using URL and API key credentials to enable workflow management and execution.

Instructions

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.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`url`	Yes
`apiKey`	Yes

Implementation Reference

src/index.ts:858-885 (handler)

The handler for the 'init-n8n' tool. It creates an N8nClient instance using the provided URL and API key, tests the connection by calling listWorkflows(), generates a unique clientId from the URL, stores the client in the global 'clients' Map, and returns a success message with the clientId or an error.

case "init-n8n": {
  const { url, apiKey } = args as { url: string; apiKey: string };
  try {
    const client = new N8nClient(url, apiKey);
    
    // Test connection by listing workflows
    await client.listWorkflows();
    
    // Generate a unique client ID
    const clientId = Buffer.from(url).toString('base64');
    clients.set(clientId, client);

    return {
      content: [{
        type: "text",
        text: `Successfully connected to n8n at ${url}. Use this client ID for future operations: ${clientId}`,
      }]
    };
  } catch (error) {
    return {
      content: [{
        type: "text",
        text: error instanceof Error ? error.message : "Unknown error occurred",
      }],
      isError: true
    };
  }
}

src/index.ts:400-411 (schema)

The tool schema definition including name, description, and inputSchema specifying required 'url' and 'apiKey' string properties.

{
  name: "init-n8n",
  description: "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.",
  inputSchema: {
    type: "object",
    properties: {
      url: { type: "string" },
      apiKey: { type: "string" }
    },
    required: ["url", "apiKey"]
  }
},

src/index.ts:397-851 (registration)

The ListToolsRequestSchema handler registers all tools, including 'init-n8n' as the first entry in the tools array.

server.setRequestHandler(ListToolsRequestSchema, async () => {
  return {
    tools: [
      {
        name: "init-n8n",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            url: { type: "string" },
            apiKey: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["url", "apiKey"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "list-workflows",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "get-workflow",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            id: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "id"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "create-workflow",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            name: { type: "string" },
            nodes: { type: "array" },
            connections: { type: "object" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "name"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "update-workflow",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            id: { type: "string" },
            workflow: {
              type: "object",
              properties: {
                name: { type: "string" },
                active: { type: "boolean" },
                nodes: { type: "array" },
                connections: { type: "object" },
                settings: { type: "object" }
              }
            }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "id", "workflow"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "delete-workflow",
        description: "Delete a workflow by ID. This action cannot be undone. IMPORTANT: Arguments must be provided as compact, single-line JSON without whitespace or newlines.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            id: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "id"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "activate-workflow",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            id: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "id"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "deactivate-workflow",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            id: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "id"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "list-projects",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "create-project",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            name: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "name"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "delete-project",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            projectId: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "projectId"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "update-project",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            projectId: { type: "string" },
            name: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "projectId", "name"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "list-users",
        description: "Retrieve all users from your instance. Only available for the instance owner.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "create-users",
        description: "Create one or more users in your instance.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            users: {
              type: "array",
              items: {
                type: "object",
                properties: {
                  email: { type: "string" },
                  role: { 
                    type: "string",
                    enum: ["global:admin", "global:member"]
                  }
                },
                required: ["email"]
              }
            }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "users"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "get-user",
        description: "Get user by ID or email address.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            idOrEmail: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "idOrEmail"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "delete-user",
        description: "Delete a user from your instance.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            idOrEmail: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "idOrEmail"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "list-variables",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "create-variable",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            key: { type: "string" },
            value: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "key", "value"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "delete-variable",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            id: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "id"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "create-credential",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            name: { type: "string" },
            type: { type: "string" },
            data: { type: "object" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "name", "type", "data"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "delete-credential",
        description: "Delete a credential by ID. You must be the owner of the credentials.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            id: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "id"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "get-credential-schema",
        description: "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.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            credentialTypeName: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "credentialTypeName"]
        }
      },
      // Execution Management Tools
      {
        name: "list-executions",
        description: "Retrieve all executions from your instance with optional filtering.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            includeData: { type: "boolean" },
            status: { 
              type: "string",
              enum: ["error", "success", "waiting"]
            },
            workflowId: { type: "string" },
            limit: { type: "number" }
          },
          required: ["clientId"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "get-execution",
        description: "Retrieve a specific execution by ID.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            id: { type: "number" },
            includeData: { type: "boolean" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "id"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "delete-execution",
        description: "Delete a specific execution by ID.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            id: { type: "number" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "id"]
        }
      },
      // Tag Management Tools
      {
        name: "create-tag",
        description: "Create a new tag in your instance.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            name: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "name"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "list-tags",
        description: "Retrieve all tags from your instance.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            limit: { type: "number" }
          },
          required: ["clientId"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "get-tag",
        description: "Retrieve a specific tag by ID.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            id: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "id"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "update-tag",
        description: "Update a tag's name.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            id: { type: "string" },
            name: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "id", "name"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "delete-tag",
        description: "Delete a tag by ID.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            id: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "id"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "get-workflow-tags",
        description: "Get tags associated with a workflow.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            workflowId: { type: "string" }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "workflowId"]
        }
      },
      {
        name: "update-workflow-tags",
        description: "Update tags associated with a workflow.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            workflowId: { type: "string" },
            tagIds: {
              type: "array",
              items: {
                type: "object",
                properties: {
                  id: { type: "string" }
                },
                required: ["id"]
              }
            }
          },
          required: ["clientId", "workflowId", "tagIds"]
        }
      },
      // Security Audit Tool
      {
        name: "generate-audit",
        description: "Generate a security audit for your n8n instance.",
        inputSchema: {
          type: "object",
          properties: {
            clientId: { type: "string" },
            daysAbandonedWorkflow: { type: "number" },
            categories: {
              type: "array",
              items: {
                type: "string",
                enum: ["credentials", "database", "nodes", "filesystem", "instance"]
              }
            }
          },
          required: ["clientId"]
        }
      }
    ]
  };
});

src/index.ts:394-394 (helper)
Global Map to store N8nClient instances keyed by clientId, used by init-n8n and all other tools.
```
const clients = new Map<string, N8nClient>();
```

src/index.ts:99-106 (helper)

N8nClient class constructor used by init-n8n to instantiate the API client.

class N8nClient {
  constructor(
    private baseUrl: string,
    private apiKey: string
  ) {
    // Remove trailing slash if present
    this.baseUrl = baseUrl.replace(/\/$/, '');
  }

Tool Definition Quality

A3.8/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden. It discloses that this establishes a connection, which implies it's a setup/mutation operation (though not explicitly stated as destructive). It doesn't mention authentication requirements beyond needing URL and API key, rate limits, or what happens on failure. The description adds some context about argument format requirements, which is useful behavioral information.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is extremely concise and well-structured. The first sentence states the purpose, the second provides usage guidance, and the third gives critical formatting requirements. Every sentence earns its place with no wasted words, and the most important information (the tool's function) is front-loaded.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given this is a 2-parameter initialization tool with no annotations and no output schema, the description does an adequate job. It explains what the tool does and when to use it, but doesn't cover what happens after initialization (e.g., does it return a session token?), error conditions, or prerequisites. For a connection tool, more detail about the expected outcome would be helpful.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description must compensate. While it doesn't explicitly name the parameters, it clearly indicates that 'n8n URL and API key' are needed, which maps directly to the 'url' and 'apiKey' parameters in the schema. The description adds important semantic context about what these parameters represent (connection credentials) that the bare schema doesn't provide.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool's purpose: 'Initialize connection to n8n instance.' It specifies the verb ('Initialize') and resource ('connection to n8n instance'), making it clear this is an initialization/connection tool. However, it doesn't explicitly differentiate from siblings like 'activate-workflow' or 'create-credential', which are distinct operations rather than connection setup.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description provides clear usage context: 'Use this tool whenever an n8n URL and API key are shared to establish the connection.' This gives explicit guidance on when to use it (when credentials are available). It doesn't specify when NOT to use it or name alternatives, but the context implies this is a prerequisite for other operations, which is helpful.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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