n8n workflow builder

Local 2025-08-31 23:49:25 0

Developer Tools @makafeli/n8n-workflow-builder

A server for programmatically creating and managing n8n workflows with a REST API interface, supporting workflow creation, validation, and export.

This project provides an MCP server for managing n8n workflows. It offers functionality to list, create, update, delete, activate, and deactivate workflows through a set of defined tools.

Important:
This version exclusively supports npm for package management and running the server. (npx support will be reintroduced in a future update.)

Requirements

Node.js (v14+ recommended)
npm

Extensive Installation Guide

1. Clone the Repository

Clone the repository from your preferred source. For example:

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

Then, navigate to the project directory:

cd /root/n8n-workflow-builder

2. Install Dependencies

Install the necessary dependencies using npm:

npm install

This command will download and install all required packages as defined in the package.json file.

3. Build and Test

For testing and getting the server online, use the following commands:

Build the project:
This compiles the TypeScript files and produces the executable JavaScript in the build directory.

npm run build

Start the MCP Server:
Launch the server using:

npm start

The server will start and connect via stdio. You can check the console to see messages confirming that the server has started correctly.

4. Deployment

For testing purposes and to get the server online, use the build and start commands mentioned above. This basic workflow (install, build, start) is currently the recommended method.

5. Additional Configuration

Server configuration is managed via the cline_mcp_settings.json file. Ensure that the following environment variables are correctly set:

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

Example configuration in cline_mcp_settings.json:

{
  "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

MCP Tools

The following tools are defined in the server and can be accessed through your MCP client:

Workflow Management

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

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 also provides the following resources for more efficient 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

Ensure you are using npm (this version does not support npx).
If you encounter any issues, try cleaning the build directory and rebuilding:
```
npm run clean && npm run build
```
Verify that your environment variables in cline_mcp_settings.json are correct.

Future Enhancements

Reintroduction of npx support.
Additional tools and workflow features.
Further enhancements to deployment and scaling.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

[
  {
    "description": "List all workflows from n8n",
    "enabled": true,
    "inputSchema": {
      "properties": {},
      "type": "object"
    },
    "name": "list_workflows"
  },
  {
    "description": "Create a new workflow in n8n",
    "enabled": true,
    "inputSchema": {
      "properties": {
        "connections": {
          "items": {
            "properties": {
              "source": {
                "type": "string"
              },
              "sourceOutput": {
                "default": 0,
                "type": "number"
              },
              "target": {
                "type": "string"
              },
              "targetInput": {
                "default": 0,
                "type": "number"
              }
            },
            "required": [
              "source",
              "target"
            ],
            "type": "object"
          },
          "type": "array"
        },
        "name": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "nodes": {
          "items": {
            "properties": {
              "name": {
                "type": "string"
              },
              "parameters": {
                "type": "object"
              },
              "type": {
                "type": "string"
              }
            },
            "required": [
              "type",
              "name"
            ],
            "type": "object"
          },
          "type": "array"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "nodes"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    },
    "name": "create_workflow"
  },
  {
    "description": "Get a workflow by ID",
    "enabled": true,
    "inputSchema": {
      "properties": {
        "id": {
          "type": "string"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "id"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    },
    "name": "get_workflow"
  },
  {
    "description": "Update an existing workflow",
    "enabled": true,
    "inputSchema": {
      "properties": {
        "connections": {
          "type": "array"
        },
        "id": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "nodes": {
          "type": "array"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "id",
        "nodes"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    },
    "name": "update_workflow"
  },
  {
    "description": "Delete a workflow by ID",
    "enabled": true,
    "inputSchema": {
      "properties": {
        "id": {
          "type": "string"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "id"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    },
    "name": "delete_workflow"
  },
  {
    "description": "Activate a workflow by ID",
    "enabled": true,
    "inputSchema": {
      "properties": {
        "id": {
          "type": "string"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "id"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    },
    "name": "activate_workflow"
  },
  {
    "description": "Deactivate a workflow by ID",
    "enabled": true,
    "inputSchema": {
      "properties": {
        "id": {
          "type": "string"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "id"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    },
    "name": "deactivate_workflow"
  },
  {
    "description": "List all executions from n8n with optional filters",
    "enabled": true,
    "inputSchema": {
      "properties": {
        "cursor": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "includeData": {
          "type": "boolean"
        },
        "limit": {
          "type": "number"
        },
        "projectId": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "status": {
          "enum": [
            "error",
            "success",
            "waiting"
          ],
          "type": "string"
        },
        "workflowId": {
          "type": "string"
        }
      },
      "type": "object"
    },
    "name": "list_executions"
  },
  {
    "description": "Get details of a specific execution by ID",
    "enabled": true,
    "inputSchema": {
      "properties": {
        "id": {
          "type": "number"
        },
        "includeData": {
          "type": "boolean"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "id"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    },
    "name": "get_execution"
  },
  {
    "description": "Delete an execution by ID",
    "enabled": true,
    "inputSchema": {
      "properties": {
        "id": {
          "type": "number"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "id"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    },
    "name": "delete_execution"
  }
]