makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder

What it is

The n8n Workflow Builder MCP Server bridges MCP-compatible AI assistants and an n8n instance. It exposes 15 tools covering workflow CRUD, activation, execution, execution records, tags and security audits. It connects to n8n via its official API using an API key, and can run via NPX, a manual build, or the hosted Smithery.ai option.

Who it's for

• Teams using n8n who want AI assistants to manage workflows
• Users of Claude Desktop, Cline or other MCP-compatible clients
• Developers who want to extend or customize an n8n MCP server

Requirements

Setup

1. Run with NPX

   Run the server locally with NPX.

   bashCopy

   npx @makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder

2. Set environment variables

   Set your n8n URL and API key (created under Settings → API Keys in n8n), then run the server.

   bashCopy

   # For local testing
   export N8N_HOST="http://localhost:5678"
   export N8N_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"
   
   # Then run the server
   npx @makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder

3. Configure Claude Desktop

   Add this configuration to your claude_desktop_config.json.

   jsonCopy

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "n8n-workflow-builder": {
         "command": "npx",
         "args": ["@makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder"],
         "env": {
           "N8N_HOST": "http://localhost:5678",
           "N8N_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
         }
       }
     }
   }

4. Manual installation (optional)

   For development or customization, clone, install, build and start.

   bashCopy

   # Clone the repository
   git clone https://github.com/makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder.git
   cd n8n-workflow-builder
   
   # Install dependencies
   npm install
   
   # Build the project
   npm run build
   
   # Start the server
   npm start

Examples

// List all workflows
await callTool("list_workflows", {});

// Get detailed information about a workflow
await callTool("get_workflow", { id: "workflow-123" });

// Execute a workflow manually
await callTool("execute_workflow", { id: "workflow-123" });

await callTool("create_workflow", {
  workflow: {
    name: "My Automation Workflow",
    nodes: [
      {
        id: "trigger",
        name: "Schedule Trigger",
        type: "n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger",
        typeVersion: 1,
        position: [240, 300],
        parameters: {
          interval: [{ field: "unit", value: "hours" }]
        }
      },
      {
        id: "action",
        name: "HTTP Request",
        type: "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
        typeVersion: 4,
        position: [460, 300],
        parameters: {
          url: "https://api.example.com/webhook",
          method: "POST"
        }
      }
    ],
    connections: {
      "Schedule Trigger": {
        "main": [[{ "node": "HTTP Request", "type": "main", "index": 0 }]]
      }
    }
  }
});

// List recent executions
await callTool("list_executions", {
  limit: 10,
  status: "error"
});

// Get detailed execution information
await callTool("get_execution", {
  id: "execution-123",
  includeData: true
});

await callTool("generate_audit", {
  additionalOptions: {
    daysAbandonedWorkflow: 30,
    categories: ["credentials", "database", "nodes"]
  }
});

Pros & cons

Images