n8n MCP Server
n8n workflow automation access via natural language commands for AI assistants.
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Overview
This server bridges the gap between AI assistants and n8n, enabling programmatic control over workflow automation. Users can manage and execute n8n tasks directly from their AI interface, facilitating a more integrated approach to workflow management. It supports multiple installation methods, including npm, building from source, and Docker deployment. Configuration requires providing your specific n8n API URL and credentials to allow the assistant to communicate with your local or hosted n8n instance.
Our verdict
With a security score of 23/100, this server is classified as high risk. The lack of an authentication method means that anyone with access to the configuration can use it, and the absence of a read-only mode grants every install full write access to your n8n environment. Given that it is a community-maintained project and not an official vendor tool, it should only be used in highly trusted, non-production, or isolated environments.
- Supports Docker and npm for flexible deployment
- Small supply-chain footprint with only 4 dependencies
- Provides documented instructions for installation and setup
- High security risk due to lack of authentication
- No read-only mode restricts access control
- Community-maintained rather than official vendor support
- Stale codebase with no commits in over a year
Setup
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n-mcp-server": {
"args": [
"-y",
"@leonardsellem/n8n-mcp-server"
],
"command": "npx"
}
}
}Paste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows), then restart Claude Desktop. Some servers require API keys or tokens as environment variables — check the project's README and add an "env" object if needed.
- No read-only mode — running this grants full read/write access.
- No built-in authentication — anyone with access to this config can invoke every tool it exposes.
Tools
| Tool | Description | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| run_webhook | Execute a workflow via a webhook. | medium |
| workflow_list | List all workflows | low |
| workflow_get | Get details of a specific workflow | low |
| workflow_create | Create a new workflow | medium |
| workflow_update | Update an existing workflow | medium |
| workflow_delete | Delete a workflow | high |
| workflow_activate | Activate a workflow | medium |
| workflow_deactivate | Deactivate a workflow | medium |
| execution_run | Execute a workflow via the API | medium |
| execution_get | Get details of a specific execution | low |
| execution_list | List executions for a workflow | low |
| execution_stop | Stop a running execution | medium |
Compatibility
| Client | Local | Docker | Remote | Read-only |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | ||||
| Claude Desktop | ||||
| Cursor | ||||
| VS Code | ||||
| Windsurf |
Frequently asked questions
›What are the system requirements to run the n8n MCP server?
You must have Node.js 20 or later installed and an n8n instance with API access enabled.
›How do I configure the server's connection to my n8n instance?
You must create a .env file and set the N8N_API_URL and N8N_API_KEY environment variables, along with webhook credentials if needed.
›Where can I generate the API key required for authentication?
Navigate to Settings, then API, and finally API Keys within your n8n browser instance to create a new key.
›Can I run this server using Docker?
Yes, you can pull the image from Docker Hub and run it by providing the required environment variables for your n8n API configuration.
›What information is needed for webhook authentication?
If you are using webhooks, you must configure the N8N_WEBHOOK_USERNAME and N8N_WEBHOOK_PASSWORD environment variables.
Alternatives
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