activate_workflow
Activate a workflow by ID
LABSCO SUMMARY
The same workflow call can be aimed at staging or production by name.
Multi-instance routing is the reason to pick this one: each environment carries its own host and API key, the instance argument picks between them per call, and defaultEnv decides where an unqualified call lands — which makes promoting a workflow a conversation rather than an export and an import. Worth knowing before you plan around it: n8n's API does not support partial workflow updates or reading credentials back, so updates replace the whole workflow and a credential change is a delete followed by a create; the tools say so rather than pretending otherwise.
What it is
A management layer over the n8n public API. Every tool takes an optional instance argument, so one server addresses several n8n environments configured side by side rather than one per connection.
What you get
- Workflows created from nodes and connections, read, updated, deleted, activated and deactivated by id
- list_workflows returns metadata only — id, name, status, dates, node count, tags — with an active filter, so listing a large instance does not drag the whole payload back
- execute_workflow runs one by id with optional runData, for testing without waiting on its trigger
- Executions listed with status, workflow and project filters and a cursor, read individually with or without their data, and deleted
- retry_execution starts a new run from a failed one, and refuses executions that did not end in error
- Tags created, listed, read, renamed and deleted, which is what keeps workflow lists navigable at scale
- list_credentials returns credential metadata — id, name, type, node access, timestamps — and never the secrets themselves
- create_credential and delete_credential manage credentials for external services; get_credential_schema returns the field definitions, types and validation rules for a type such as httpBasicAuth or googleDriveOAuth2Api
- Tools whose n8n endpoints do not exist answer with guidance instead of failing silently: patch_workflow points at update_workflow, and credential reads and updates explain the delete-and-recreate path
Requirements
An n8n instance with the public API enabled and an API key for it — tested against n8n v1.82.3 and later. Node.js v14 or higher (v18+ recommended) and npm v7+; it runs as npx @kernel.salacoste/n8n-workflow-builder. One instance is configured with N8N_HOST and N8N_API_KEY in a .env file; several go in a .config.json listing each environment with its own n8n_host and n8n_api_key, plus defaultEnv to decide which one a call without an instance argument reaches. MIT.
Setup effort
One command plus a key — npm install -g @kernel.salacoste/n8n-workflow-builder, then supply credentials
USE CASES
01
Building a workflow from a description instead of the canvas
Create it with its nodes and connections, run it once by hand to see what it does, and activate it when the run looks right.
02
Finding out why last night's run failed
List the executions filtered to errors, read the failing one with its data, and start a fresh run from it once the cause is fixed.
03
Moving a workflow from staging to production
Read it from one environment and create it in the other by naming the instance — same call, different target.
04
Tidying an instance that has grown past readability
List workflows by active status with their node counts and tags, create the tags you need, and take stale workflows out of service without deleting them.
05
Setting up access to a new external service
Ask what fields that credential type requires, create it with those fields, and confirm it appears with the right type and node access.
24 tools
Counted once with only startup setup. Other versions, modes or optional credentials may expose a different list.
create_credential
Create a new credential for external service authentication. Supports multiple credential types (httpBasicAuth, httpHeaderAuth, OAuth2, etc.). Use get_credential_schema to understand required fields for each type. Sensitive data is automatically encrypted by n8n.
create_tag
Create a new tag
create_workflow
Create a new workflow in n8n
deactivate_workflow
Deactivate a workflow by ID
delete_credential
Delete a credential by ID. Removes the credential from n8n permanently. Workflows using this credential will need to be updated.
delete_execution
Delete an execution by ID
delete_tag
Delete a tag
delete_workflow
Delete a workflow by ID
execute_workflow
Manually execute a workflow by ID
get_credential
Get credential by ID (returns guidance - GET not supported by n8n API for security). Credentials contain sensitive data and cannot be read through REST API.
get_credential_schema
Get JSON schema for a specific credential type (e.g., httpBasicAuth, googleDriveOAuth2Api). Returns field definitions, types, required fields, and validation rules to help create credentials programmatically.
get_execution
Get details of a specific execution by ID
get_tag
Get a tag by ID
get_tags
Get all tags
get_workflow
Get a workflow by ID
list_credentials
List all credentials (metadata only, sensitive data excluded for security). Returns credential ID, name, type, nodes access information, and timestamps. Actual credential data (passwords, tokens, keys) is never returned.
list_executions
List all executions from n8n with optional filters
list_workflows
List all workflows from n8n with essential metadata only (ID, name, status, dates, node count, tags). Supports filtering by active status. Optimized for performance to prevent large data transfers.
patch_workflow
Partially update workflow (returns guidance - PATCH not supported by n8n API). Use update_workflow for actual updates.
retry_execution
Retry a failed workflow execution (creates new execution). Only works for executions with status "error".
update_credential
Update credential (returns guidance - PUT not supported by n8n API for security). Use delete + create pattern instead.
update_tag
Update a tag
update_workflow
Update an existing workflow
BEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
24 tools when we connected. The documentation still advertises 17 tools, a figure from before the credential tools were added; the workflow group has nine tools, one more than documented.
Requires
- npx on PATH
- Node.js v14 or later
- N8N_API_KEY in your environment
CONTEXT COST
Light Standing cost
Rated by the size of the 24 tool definitions that ride along on every turn, not by how many there are
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
Server setup
TERMINAL
npm install -g @kernel.salacoste/n8n-workflow-builderMCP Clients
Claude Desktop
Add the server to Claude Desktop's config (~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS), with your n8n host and API key in its env block:
CLAUDE DESKTOP · JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n-workflow-builder": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"@kernel.salacoste/n8n-workflow-builder"
],
"env": {
"N8N_HOST": "<YOUR_N8N_HOST>",
"N8N_API_KEY": "<YOUR_N8N_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}Cursor
Option 1: Multi-Instance (Recommended). Option 2, a single instance: create a .env file with N8N_HOST=<YOUR_N8N_HOST> and N8N_API_KEY=your_api_key instead.
Create .config.json in your project root
CURSOR · JSON
{
"environments": {
"production": {
"n8n_host": "<YOUR_N8N_HOST>",
"n8n_api_key": "<YOUR_N8N_API_KEY>"
},
"staging": {
"n8n_host": "<YOUR_N8N_HOST>",
"n8n_api_key": "<YOUR_N8N_API_KEY>"
},
"development": {
"n8n_host": "http://localhost:5678",
"n8n_api_key": "<YOUR_N8N_API_KEY>"
}
},
"defaultEnv": "development"
}Add the server to .cursor/mcp.json in your workspace
CURSOR · JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n-workflow-builder": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"@kernel.salacoste/n8n-workflow-builder"
]
}
}
}
