n8n MCP Community

n8n MCP Community

A security-focused Model Context Protocol server for self-hosted n8n Community Edition

Give your AI client 44 tools for self-hosted n8n Community Edition. Manage workflows, nodes, runs, credentials, tags, users, and diagnostics. No paid n8n features. The server makes no external AI calls.

Install

You need Node.js 22 or 24, your n8n URL, and an n8n API key.

Install

npm install --global n8n-mcp-community@latest

--global installs the command once. Use npx below if you do not want a global install.

Connect

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n-community": {
      "command": "n8n-mcp-community",
      "env": {
        "N8N_API_URL": "https://n8n.example.com",
        "N8N_API_KEY": "replace-with-a-dedicated-api-key",
        "N8N_MCP_MODE": "read-only"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart your client. You should see 44 tools, 5 resources, and 4 prompts.

If the client cannot find the command, run command -v n8n-mcp-community on macOS/Linux or where n8n-mcp-community on Windows. Put that full path in "command".

Want no global install? Copy this command into the client configuration shown in the full guide:

npx --yes n8n-mcp-community@latest

Want the Claude Desktop app flow? Use the MCPB below. See the full installation guide for updates, rollback, and checks.

Claude Desktop: install the MCPB (no Node.js needed)

1. Open the latest GitHub release.
2. Download the file that ends in .mcpb.
3. In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Extensions → Advanced settings → Install Extension….
4. Pick the file. Enter your n8n URL, API key, and mode.

Anthropic's MCPB guide explains the same steps. Our installation guide explains how to check the download.

Install public builds only from npm or the latest GitHub release.

Read the demo transcript.

Why this project

• Community Edition first. The release surface is designed for self-hosted n8n Community Edition, without presenting paid-only capabilities as available.
• 44 useful tools, one explicit contract. Every tool has bounded inputs, documented side effects, MCP safety annotations, and contract tests.
• Safe by default. Read-only mode is the default. You choose when to allow writes or the full tool set.
• Deterministic Introspect. n8n_introspect runs a local 23-rule engine; it does not execute workflows, call an agent, or contact an external model.
• Surgical node updates. n8n_update_node changes one validated node path while preserving the rest of the workflow and disclosing the Public API's non-atomic limitation.
• Truthful discovery. n8n_list_node_types reports only types observed in accessible workflows. It does not claim to be a complete installed catalog.
• Data minimization. Credential values, raw execution values, pin data, and static workflow data are not returned by the generic public tools.

Current verification

The current source candidate has been verified with:

• exactly 44 tools, 5 resources, and 4 prompts over real stdio;
• 313 passing tests locally on Node.js 24.19.0; CI and release gates require the pinned Node.js 22.23.1 and 24.18.0 matrix;
• zero findings from Gitleaks, Semgrep, Trivy, and both project-root production/full npm audit runs; all three source scanners are reproduced in CI, with immutable scanner/action identities;
• a separate no-override consumer install that resolves the patched @hono/node-server 2.x line, requires a zero-finding production audit, and proves the stdio runtime and exact 44/5/4 inventory;
• a reproducible dependency-license gate covering 224 installed package paths;
• bounded same-origin HTTP contracts and zero-request policy-denial tests;
• all 44 compiled tool lifecycles on disposable n8n Community 2.30.5 and 2.30.7 instances with egress isolation, revoked keys, cleanup, and zero residue; and
• a reviewed offline npm-tarball installation under the project's committed dependency policy, plus a byte-reproducible unsigned MCPB with the same compiled runtime and complete production dependency notices.

Publication proceeds only through the reviewed release procedure: the repository-pinned MCPB signing identity, a human artifact-baseline receipt, tag-scoped protected-environment approval, and an externally signed MCPB handoff verified byte for byte against the reviewed unsigned candidate.

Safety modes

Mode	What it allows	Required configuration
Read-only	Read-only tools only	Default, or N8N_MCP_MODE=read-only
Write	Read-only and ordinary mutation tools	N8N_MCP_MODE=write
Unsafe	All tools, including destructive or external-contact operations	N8N_MCP_MODE=unsafe

Selecting unsafe mode is the complete server-side authorization gate for unsafe tools. MCP safety annotations remain accurate so compatible clients can apply their native approval UX, and the n8n API key remains the final upstream permission boundary.

Plain HTTP is accepted automatically only for loopback URLs. A non-loopback HTTP instance additionally requires N8N_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP=1, which accepts the risk of exposing the API key and data in transit.

Tool catalog

Every entry links to its complete input, output, endpoint, compatibility, failure, and security reference.

Workflows

Tool	Mode	Purpose
n8n_workflows_list	Read-only	List accessible workflows with bounded filters and pagination.
n8n_workflows_get	Read-only	Read one workflow while withholding pin and static data values.
n8n_workflows_create	Write	Create a validated workflow through the Public API.
n8n_workflows_update	Write	Guard and update selected fields while preserving omitted fields.
n8n_update_node	Write	Change one validated node property with non-atomic concurrency guards.
n8n_workflows_delete	Unsafe	Permanently delete one workflow.
n8n_workflows_activate	Unsafe	Activate one workflow.
n8n_workflows_deactivate	Unsafe	Deactivate one workflow.
n8n_workflows_get_version	Read-only	Retrieve one retained historical workflow version.
n8n_workflows_get_tags	Read-only	List tags assigned to a workflow.
n8n_workflows_update_tags	Write	Replace a workflow's complete tag assignment.
n8n_workflows_archive	Unsafe	Archive one workflow.
n8n_workflows_unarchive	Unsafe	Restore one archived workflow.
n8n_workflows_diff	Read-only	Compare nodes and connections without returning raw values.

Executions

Tool	Mode	Purpose
n8n_executions_list	Read-only	List execution metadata with value-free data-presence summaries.
n8n_executions_get	Read-only	Read one execution's metadata without returning workflow payloads.
n8n_executions_delete	Unsafe	Permanently delete a saved execution.
n8n_executions_retry	Unsafe	Retry an eligible saved execution.
n8n_executions_stop	Unsafe	Stop one stoppable execution and bind identity from validated input.

Credentials

Tool	Mode	Purpose
n8n_credentials_create	Write	Create a credential without returning its values.
n8n_credentials_delete	Unsafe	Permanently delete one credential.
n8n_credentials_schema	Read-only	Read the public schema for a credential type.
n8n_credentials_list	Read-only	List credential metadata verified on n8n 2.30.5 and 2.30.7.
n8n_credentials_get	Read-only	Read one credential's public metadata.
n8n_credentials_update	Write	Update credential metadata or values without echoing secrets.
n8n_credentials_test	Unsafe	Test a stored credential, potentially contacting its external service.
n8n_credentials_usage	Read-only	Find exact credential-ID references in one bounded workflow page.

Tags

Tool	Mode	Purpose
n8n_tags_list	Read-only	List workflow tags.
n8n_tags_get	Read-only	Read one tag.
n8n_tags_create	Write	Create a tag with the live 1–24 character bound.
n8n_tags_update	Write	Rename a tag with the live 1–24 character bound.
n8n_tags_delete	Unsafe	Permanently delete one tag.

Users

Tool	Mode	Purpose
n8n_users_list	Read-only	List users visible to the API key.
n8n_users_get	Read-only	Read one user by stable ID or exact email.
n8n_users_create	Unsafe	Invite a member or admin.
n8n_users_delete	Unsafe	Delete one API-eligible user without unsupported transfer claims.

Diagnostics and instance metadata

Tool	Mode	Purpose
n8n_health	Read-only	Perform a bounded same-origin health check.
n8n_insights_summary	Read-only	Read the official insights summary with optional date filters.
n8n_audit_generate	Unsafe	Generate n8n's instance security audit.
n8n_search_workflows	Read-only	Search one workflow page locally by name, node type, or tag.
n8n_get_node_docs	Read-only	Read one of four immutable offline core-node references.
n8n_list_node_types	Read-only	Inventory node types observed in bounded accessible workflow pages.
n8n_introspect	Read-only	Run deterministic local workflow and execution diagnostics.
n8n_community_packages_list	Read-only	List installed community-package metadata without mutation paths.

Resources and prompts

The server also exposes five static resources:

• n8n://usage-guide
• n8n://node-docs/webhook
• n8n://node-docs/code
• n8n://node-docs/http-request
• n8n://node-docs/if

Four prompts guide safe workflow creation, debugging, optimization, and credential management: create-workflow, debug-workflow, optimize-workflow, and manage-credentials.

Security model in one minute

• The server uses local stdio; it does not expose an inbound HTTP listener.
• Connected requests are same-origin and limited to the configured n8n host.
• Redirects are rejected; request and response bodies are bounded to 2 MiB.
• Generic output is validated, sanitized, bounded to 256 KiB, and wrapped as { "data": ..., "redacted": boolean, "untrusted": true }.
• Raw credential values and generic execution payload values are never returned.
• n8n_introspect uses fixed local rules and has no external-model code path.
• Security controls reduce risk; they do not make untrusted n8n content safe to execute or authorize broader API-key permissions.

Read the complete security model and use SECURITY.md to report a vulnerability privately.

Documentation

• Documentation map
• Getting started
• Installation and upgrades
• Configuration
• Complete tool reference
• Tested examples
• FAQ
• Client configuration
• Architecture
• Security model
• Compatibility
• Troubleshooting
• Provenance
• Roadmap
• Changelog

Development

npm ci
npm run verify:contributor
npm run sbom > sbom.cdx.json

npm run verify:contributor runs the complete keyless contributor gate, including formatting, dependency licenses/notices, strict TypeScript, all tests, the compiled runtime, and documentation inventory parity. See CONTRIBUTING.md before opening a change.

Scope and non-affiliation

This project is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by n8n GmbH. “n8n” is used only to identify compatibility with the n8n product and Public API. The project does not redistribute the n8n-nodes-base catalog and does not use browser cookies, interactive session routes, or runtime package downloads to construct one.

The v0.3.0 candidate surface intentionally excludes arbitrary workflow execution, credential/workflow transfer, folders, data tables, beta evaluation endpoints, and execution annotations. See the roadmap for the annotation proposal retained outside the release target.

License and maintainer

The project is released under the MIT License. Third-party dependencies retain their own licenses.

Created and maintained by Dr. Walter Zamarian Jr..