n8n Workflow Builder MCP Server
An MCP server for n8n: an assistant creates, runs and deletes workflows through the API, checks executions and tags and requests a security audit
- 550 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Broad access
Why this level
- The n8n key lets an assistant create, overwrite and permanently delete workflows and execution records
- Workflows it runs can send HTTP requests and use connected services through your credentials
- Execution data the assistant reads may contain personal data and secrets
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add mcp/n8n-workflow-builder-mcp-serverDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewBroad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.
- The n8n key lets an assistant create, overwrite and permanently delete workflows and execution records
- Workflows it runs can send HTTP requests and use connected services through your credentials
- Execution data the assistant reads may contain personal data and secrets
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
The server connects an AI assistant to your n8n instance, cloud or self-hosted, through the official API with a key. Instead of clicking through the editor, the assistant gets 15 tools. It lists workflows and details of one, creates a workflow with nodes and connections, updates it and deletes it. Separate tools switch automatic execution on and off, and create_workflow_and_activate creates a workflow and activates it right away. Beyond workflows, executions and tags are available. The assistant lists executions filtered by status, workflow and project, reads one execution with its data and deletes an execution record. Tags can be listed and created. The generate_audit tool builds an n8n security report: you set the number of days after which a workflow counts as abandoned and the audit categories, such as credentials, database and nodes. The server runs over stdio and starts with npx. A Smithery option exists, but then you hand the n8n address and key to that host.
Who it is for. For teams on n8n who want to manage workflows, executions and tags from Claude Desktop or Cline in plain phrases.
Good fit when
- You need a workflow with a schedule trigger and an HTTP request: the assistant sends the node and connection description through create_workflow
- You want to find executions with status error from recent days and inspect the data of one of them
- You need to rename a workflow or change node parameters without opening the n8n editor
- Before a review you want a generate_audit report on abandoned workflows and weak spots in credentials
- You are tidying up: create a production tag and list all tags page by page
Not a fit when
- You need a reference for n8n nodes and node configuration checks: the server passes a workflow object to the API and has no node hints
- You have no n8n API key or no access to its settings: without N8N_API_KEY the server cannot connect
- A production n8n instance serves business processes and you cannot trust an assistant with deletes and overwrites: delete_workflow and update_workflow act immediately
- You want a library of ready-made scenarios: the server manages your own workflows and has no template collection
- The agent runs on Node.js below version 18
Example request
Show executions with status error from the last few days, take the most recent one, read its data and tell me which node it failed inMCP
- Transport
- stdio
- Authentication
- API key
Environment variables
N8N_HOSTrequired- The address of the n8n instance, for example http://localhost:5678
N8N_API_KEYrequired, secret- The n8n API key from Settings, API Keys
Limitations
You need Node.js 18 or later, an n8n instance and an API key with enough permissions. The address goes into N8N_HOST, for example http://localhost:5678. Create the key in n8n under Settings, then API Keys.
Deleting workflows and execution records cannot be undone. The README calls delete_workflow permanent, so restrict the key's permissions if you want to protect production workflows. The tools include no separate workflow schema check, so a malformed object comes back as an API error.
The last commit dates from March 2026. The documentation lists Claude Desktop and Cline; for other clients the author points to the same configuration pattern. The author does not say whether it works from Russia.
How to disable. Remove the n8n-workflow-builder entry from your MCP configuration, for example from claude_desktop_config.json. To revoke access completely, delete the key in n8n under Settings, API Keys.
FAQ
How do I connect n8n to Claude Desktop through MCP?
Create an API key in n8n, then add a server to claude_desktop_config.json with the command npx and the argument @makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder. In the env block set N8N_HOST to the instance address and N8N_API_KEY. After restarting Claude Desktop, the assistant gets 15 tools.
What can the server do in n8n?
Create, read, update and delete workflows, run them manually, and switch automatic execution on and off. It also lists executions and reads one, deletes an execution record, lists and creates tags and builds a security audit report.
How does n8n Workflow Builder differ from n8n-mcp?
Here the assistant manages your workflows through the API: create, run, delete. n8n-mcp instead adds node documentation and configuration checks. Choose this server for operations on workflows and executions, and n8n-mcp for help configuring nodes.
Do I need n8n Cloud for this?
No. Both a cloud and a self-hosted instance work: the README allows an address like http://localhost:5678 or https://your-n8n.com/api/v1. All it needs is a reachable API and a key.
What does the generate_audit report show?
An n8n security report for the chosen categories, such as credentials, database and nodes. The daysAbandonedWorkflow parameter sets how many days without runs make a workflow abandoned; the README example uses 30 days.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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Comparison with similar tools
Entries that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Entry | Official | Authentication | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n8n Workflow Builder MCP Server (this entry) | no | API key | 550 | |
| n8n-MCP | no | key is optional | 23,121 | n8n node documentation, templates and node configuration checks |
| n8n MCP Server | no | API key | 1,630 | another MCP server that manages n8n workflows through the API |
README in short
The document explains that the server bridges an AI assistant and n8n and lists requirements: Node.js 18, an n8n instance and a key. It then covers launch through Smithery, NPX and a manual build, a table of variables, Claude Desktop and Cline setup and tables of every tool with parameters. It ends with call examples, a walkthrough of common connection errors and links to separate guides: quick start, use cases, a comparison with Zapier and Make and deeper troubleshooting.