What is N8n Mcp Tool

n8n-mcp-tool is a command-line interface (CLI) tool designed to facilitate the creation of workflows in a self-hosted n8n instance using the Model Context Protocol (MCP). It allows users to define workflows programmatically through JSON definitions.

Use cases

Use cases for n8n-mcp-tool include automating repetitive tasks, integrating various services and APIs, and enabling AI assistants to create and manage workflows dynamically.

How to use

To use n8n-mcp-tool, first install it globally using ‘npm install -g n8n-mcp-tool’ or as a project dependency. Set the required environment variables: ‘N8N_API_KEY’ for your n8n API key and ‘N8N_BASE_URL’ for your n8n instance URL. The tool is primarily invoked by MCP-compatible agents, which will call the ‘create_workflow’ tool with a JSON payload.

Key features

Key features of n8n-mcp-tool include the ability to create n8n workflows from JSON definitions, integration with MCP-compatible agents, and direct command-line usage for testing and development.

Where to use

n8n-mcp-tool is suitable for use in automation, workflow management, and integration scenarios, particularly where AI assistants that support MCP are involved.

n8n MCP Tool

A tool to create new workflows in a self-hosted n8n instance from a JSON definition using the Model Context Protocol.

Overview

This package provides a command-line interface (CLI) tool that allows you to programmatically create workflows in your self-hosted n8n instance. It leverages the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to expose a create_workflow tool, making it suitable for integration with AI assistants (like Claude) that support MCP.

Features

• Create n8n Workflows: Easily create new workflows in your n8n instance by providing a JSON definition.
• MCP Integration: Exposes a tool for Model Context Protocol compatible agents.
• CLI Usage: Can be used directly from the command line for testing and development.

Installation

To install this tool globally (recommended for CLI tools):

npm install -g n8n-mcp-tool

Or, if you prefer to use it as a project dependency:

npm install n8n-mcp-tool

Usage

Environment Variables

Before using the tool, you must set the following environment variables:

• N8N_API_KEY: Your n8n API key. You can generate one in your n8n instance under “Settings” > “User Management” > “API Keys”.
• N8N_BASE_URL: The base URL of your self-hosted n8n instance (e.g., https://your-n8n-instance.com/). Ensure it ends with a trailing slash if necessary for your n8n setup.

You can set these in your shell or use a .env file in the directory where you run the tool locally.

As an MCP Tool (e.g., with Claude)

This tool is primarily designed to be invoked by an MCP-compatible agent. When used with an agent like Claude, you will configure the server to use this tool. The agent will then call the create_workflow tool with a JSON payload defining the n8n workflow.

Example Claude config.json entry:

Replace YOUR_N8N_API_KEY and https://your-n8n-instance.com/ with your actual values.

Direct CLI Usage (for testing/development)

While primarily designed for MCP integration, you can technically test it directly by piping a JSON input to it if you need to.

First, ensure the tool is built (if running from source):

npm run build

Then, you can pipe a JSON string to the globally installed command:

echo '{"workflow_json": {"name": "Test Workflow from CLI", "nodes": [{"parameters": {}, "name": "Start", "type": "n8n-nodes-base.start", "typeVersion": 1, "id": "node1"}]}}' | mcp-n8n-create-workflow

(Note: Ensure your N8N_API_KEY and N8N_BASE_URL environment variables are set in your shell when running direct CLI commands.)

Development

To set up the project for local development:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone [https://github.com/YourUsername/n8n-mcp-tool.git](https://github.com/YourUsername/n8n-mcp-tool.git) # Replace YourUsername
   cd n8n-mcp-tool
   

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

3. Build the project:

   npm run build
   

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you find a bug or have an idea for an improvement, please:

1. Open an issue to discuss the proposed change.
2. Fork the repository and create a new branch for your feature or fix.
3. Submit a pull request with your changes.

License

This project is licensed under the ISC License. See the LICENSE file for details.

🚨 Note: A much more comprehensive n8n MCP server tool already exists here: https://github.com/leonardsellem/n8n-mcp-server. I built this project primarily as a personal learning exercise.