n8n Workflow Builder
AI-powered n8n workflow automation through natural language. MCP server enabling Claude AI & Cursor IDE to create, manage, and monitor workflows via Model Context Protocol. Multi-instance support, 17 tools, comprehensive docs. Build workflows convers
What is n8n Workflow Builder?
n8n Workflow Builder is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to ai-powered n8n workflow automation through natural language. mcp server enabling claude ai & cursor ide to create, manage, and monitor workflows via model context protocol. multi-instance support, 17 ...
AI-powered n8n workflow automation through natural language. MCP server enabling Claude AI & Cursor IDE to create, manage, and monitor workflows via Model Context Protocol. Multi-instance support, 17 tools, comprehensive docs. Build workflows convers
This server falls under the Business Applications category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- AI-powered n8n workflow automation through natural language.
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx n8n-workflow-builder-mcp-serverConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use n8n Workflow Builder
The n8n Workflow Builder MCP Server is an AI-powered bridge between natural language instructions and n8n workflow automation, exposing 15 tools that cover the full workflow lifecycle: creating, reading, updating, activating, deactivating, deleting, and executing workflows, plus execution history management, tag organization, and security auditing. It connects to any n8n instance (cloud or self-hosted) via the n8n REST API and supports multiple n8n instances simultaneously, making it suitable for managing complex automation environments from Claude Desktop or Cursor IDE.
Prerequisites
- Node.js v18.0.0 or higher
- A running n8n instance — either n8n Cloud (cloud.n8n.io) or self-hosted at a known URL
- An n8n API key generated from your n8n instance (Settings → API → Create API Key)
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop or Cursor IDE
Obtain your n8n API key
Log in to your n8n instance, navigate to Settings → API, and generate a new API key. Copy the key — you will need it for the environment variable configuration.
Test the server locally
Run the MCP server with npx to confirm it can connect to your n8n instance. You should see no errors if the N8N_HOST and N8N_API_KEY values are correct.
N8N_HOST=http://localhost:5678 N8N_API_KEY=n8n_api_yourkey npx @makafeli/n8n-workflow-builderAdd the server to Claude Desktop
Edit your Claude Desktop configuration file and add the n8n-workflow-builder server entry with your instance URL and API key as environment variables.
Restart Claude Desktop
Quit and reopen Claude Desktop. The n8n MCP server will start automatically and the 15 workflow tools will be available in your conversations.
Create your first workflow via natural language
In a Claude Desktop conversation, describe the automation you want to build. Claude will use the create_workflow tool to generate the workflow definition and activate_workflow to enable it.
n8n Workflow Builder Examples
Client configuration
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json. Replace the N8N_HOST with your actual n8n instance URL and N8N_API_KEY with the key you generated.
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n-workflow-builder": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder"],
"env": {
"N8N_HOST": "http://localhost:5678",
"N8N_API_KEY": "n8n_api_your_key_here"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Use these prompts in Claude Desktop to manage your n8n workflows conversationally.
- "List all my n8n workflows and show which ones are active."
- "Create a new workflow that sends a Slack notification when a new row is added to a Google Sheet."
- "Show me the last 10 failed executions for the 'Daily Report' workflow."
- "Activate the 'Lead Sync' workflow and then immediately trigger a test execution."
- "Run a security audit on my n8n instance and summarize the findings."Troubleshooting n8n Workflow Builder
Authentication error: '401 Unauthorized' when calling workflow tools
Verify your N8N_API_KEY is correct and has not expired. Regenerate the key from n8n Settings → API if needed. Also confirm the N8N_HOST URL matches exactly what is shown in your browser address bar when logged into n8n (no trailing slash).
Connection refused or network error reaching the n8n instance
For self-hosted n8n running locally, confirm n8n is running and listening on the expected port (default 5678). For Docker deployments, ensure the container is up with 'docker ps'. For n8n Cloud, use your cloud instance URL (e.g., https://yourworkspace.app.n8n.cloud).
npx command not found or '@makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder' package not found
Ensure Node.js v18+ is installed. Run 'node --version' to check. If the package name has changed, check the latest release at https://github.com/makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder for the current npm package name.
Frequently Asked Questions about n8n Workflow Builder
What is n8n Workflow Builder?
n8n Workflow Builder is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that ai-powered n8n workflow automation through natural language. mcp server enabling claude ai & cursor ide to create, manage, and monitor workflows via model context protocol. multi-instance support, 17 tools, comprehensive docs. build workflows convers It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install n8n Workflow Builder?
Follow the installation instructions on the n8n Workflow Builder GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with n8n Workflow Builder?
n8n Workflow Builder works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is n8n Workflow Builder free to use?
Yes, n8n Workflow Builder is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Browse More Business Applications MCP Servers
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