n8n Workflow Builder MCP server for AI agents

This MCP server helps you manage n8n workflows through a set of defined tools, allowing you to list, create, update, delete, activate, and deactivate workflows programmatically.

Installation

Prerequisites

Node.js (v14+ recommended)
npm

Step-by-Step Installation

Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder.git
cd /root/n8n-workflow-builder

Install Dependencies
```
npm install
```
Build the Project
```
npm run build
```
Start the MCP Server
```
npm start
```

Configuration

The server configuration is managed through the cline_mcp_settings.json file. You'll need to set the following environment variables:

N8N_HOST: Your n8n API host URL
N8N_API_KEY: Your n8n API key

Example configuration:

{
  "n8n-workflow-builder": {
    "command": "node",
    "args": ["/root/n8n-workflow-builder/build/index.js"],
    "env": {
      "N8N_HOST": "https://n8n.io/api/v1/",
      "N8N_API_KEY": "YOUR_N8N_API_KEY_HERE"
    },
    "disabled": false,
    "alwaysAllow": [
      "create_workflow",
      "create_workflow_and_activate",
      "update_workflow",
      "activate_workflow",
      "deactivate_workflow",
      "get_workflow",
      "delete_workflow"
    ],
    "autoApprove": []
  }
}

Available Features

Workflow Management Tools

list_workflows: Lists all workflows from n8n
create_workflow: Creates a new workflow in n8n
get_workflow: Retrieves a workflow by its ID
update_workflow: Updates an existing workflow
delete_workflow: Deletes a workflow by its ID
activate_workflow: Activates a workflow by its ID
deactivate_workflow: Deactivates a workflow by its ID

Execution Management Tools

list_executions: Lists all workflow executions with optional filters
get_execution: Retrieves details of a specific execution by its ID
delete_execution: Deletes an execution by its ID

MCP Resources

The server provides the following resources for context access:

Static Resources

/workflows: List of all available workflows in the n8n instance
/execution-stats: Summary statistics about workflow executions

Dynamic Resource Templates

/workflows/{id}: Detailed information about a specific workflow
/executions/{id}: Detailed information about a specific execution

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues while using the MCP server:

Ensure you are using npm (npx is not supported in this version)
If the server doesn't start properly, try cleaning and rebuilding:
```
npm run clean && npm run build
```
Verify that your environment variables in cline_mcp_settings.json are correct
Check the console output for any error messages when starting the server

How to add this MCP server to Cursor

There are two ways to add an MCP server to Cursor. The most common way is to add the server globally in the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file so that it is available in all of your projects.

If you only need the server in a single project, you can add it to the project instead by creating or adding it to the .cursor/mcp.json file.

Adding an MCP server to Cursor globally

To add a global MCP server go to Cursor Settings > MCP and click "Add new global MCP server".

When you click that button the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file will be opened and you can add your server like this:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "cursor-rules-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "cursor-rules-mcp"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Adding an MCP server to a project

To add an MCP server to a project you can create a new .cursor/mcp.json file or add it to the existing one. This will look exactly the same as the global MCP server example above.

How to use the MCP server

Once the server is installed, you might need to head back to Settings > MCP and click the refresh button.

The Cursor agent will then be able to see the available tools the added MCP server has available and will call them when it needs to.

You can also explictly ask the agent to use the tool by mentioning the tool name and describing what the function does.