list_workflowsLABSCO SUMMARY
The whole n8n edit-run-inspect loop, without leaving the chat.
Reading a workflow, changing it, running it and then reading the execution that came out are four separate tools here, which is what makes it useful for debugging rather than just triggering. The one deliberate limit is credentials: you can see which ones exist, never what is in them.
What it is
An MCP server that talks to your own n8n instance over its REST API. Workflows can be listed, read, created, updated, activated and run; executions can be inspected and retried.
What you get
- list_workflows, get_workflow and search_workflows to find a workflow by status, tag or name
- create_workflow, update_workflow and delete_workflow to change a workflow from its JSON
- activate_workflow and deactivate_workflow to switch one on or off
- execute_workflow to run one with input data
- get_executions, get_execution, retry_execution and delete_execution for history and reruns
- get_workflow_webhooks for a workflow's webhook URLs
- get_tags, create_tag, update_tag and delete_tag for organising workflows
- get_credentials, which returns credential names only and never their contents
Requirements
An n8n instance with the API enabled and an API key generated under Settings → API, supplied as N8N_URL and N8N_API_KEY. Node.js 18 or higher. Cloud instances work the same way, with the subdomain URL. The server can do whatever the key can, so a restricted key is worth the extra minute.
Setup effort
Build from source — git clone https://github.com/nikolausm/n8n-mcp-server.git
USE CASES
01
Finding out why last night's run failed
Pull the execution history for the workflow, open the failing run, then retry it once the cause is fixed.
02
Changing a workflow and testing the change
Read the workflow JSON, update it, then run it with sample input.
03
Taking a misbehaving workflow out of service
Find it by name and deactivate it without deleting anything.
04
Wiring something up to a workflow's webhook
Ask for the workflow's webhook URLs instead of digging through the editor.
05
Tidying a workspace that has grown
List what exists, then group workflows under tags you create.
19 tools
Listed in project docs. Your client may show a different list.
get_workflowcreate_workflowupdate_workflowdelete_workflowactivate_workflowdeactivate_workflowexecute_workflowget_executionsget_executiondelete_executionretry_executionget_tagscreate_tagupdate_tagdelete_tagget_credentialssearch_workflowsget_workflow_webhooksBEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
19 tools named in the project's documentation.
Requires
- npm on PATH
- Node.js 18 or later
- N8N_API_KEY in your environment
Where it runs
The documented client runs the server on your machine.
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
You clone and build this one yourself.
Server setup
TERMINAL
git clone https://github.com/nikolausm/n8n-mcp-server.git
cd n8n-mcp-server
npm install
npm run buildMCP Clients
Claude Desktop
CLAUDE DESKTOP · JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n": {
"command": "node",
"args": [
"<YOUR_PATH_TO_N8N_MCP_SERVER>/dist/index.js"
],
"env": {
"N8N_URL": "<YOUR_N8N_URL>",
"N8N_API_KEY": "<YOUR_N8N_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}<YOUR_PATH_TO_N8N_MCP_SERVER> is the folder the clone step created (dist/index.js exists after npm run build). Set N8N_URL to your n8n instance's address and N8N_API_KEY to a key generated under Settings → API in n8n.
