Windows Solution: n8n API Integration with Claude Desktop via Custom MCP Server #380

mapasgon · 2025-10-28T02:52:58Z

mapasgon
Oct 28, 2025

I successfully integrated n8n workflow management with Claude Desktop on Windows. The current n8n-mcp package provides great documentation tools, but doesn't include API workflow management. Here's a complete working solution that adds those capabilities.
GITHUB-SOLUTION-POST.md

Using n8n API with Claude Desktop on Windows - Complete Working Solution

Summary

This guide shows how to successfully integrate n8n workflow management with Claude Desktop on Windows using a custom MCP server that provides full API access (create, read, update, delete, activate/deactivate workflows).

Background

The n8n-mcp npm package provides excellent documentation and template tools, but it does not include actual n8n API workflow management capabilities. This solution creates a custom MCP server that connects directly to your n8n instance via the REST API.

What You'll Get

✅ List all n8n workflows
✅ Get workflow details
✅ Create new workflows
✅ Update existing workflows
✅ Delete workflows
✅ Activate/deactivate workflows
✅ Full integration with Claude Desktop

Prerequisites

Node.js installed
n8n instance running (local or remote)
n8n API key
Claude Desktop

Installation Steps

1. Create Project Directory

mkdir n8n-api-mcp
cd n8n-api-mcp

2. Create `package.json`

{
  "name": "n8n-api-mcp-server",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "n8n API MCP Server for Claude Desktop",
  "main": "index.js",
  "type": "commonjs",
  "dependencies": {
    "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk": "^1.0.0",
    "axios": "^1.7.0"
  }
}

3. Create `index.js`

See the full server code in the linked Gist or at the end of this post.

4. Install Dependencies

npm install

5. Get Your n8n API Key

Open n8n → Settings → API
Click "Create API Key"
Name it: "Claude MCP Integration"
Copy the generated key

6. Configure Claude Desktop

Edit: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

⚠️ Important: Use forward slashes (/) in Windows paths!

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n-api": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["C:/path/to/n8n-api-mcp/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "N8N_API_URL": "http://localhost:5678/api/v1",
        "N8N_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

For remote/tunneled n8n:

"N8N_API_URL": "https://your-domain.com/api/v1"

7. Test the Integration

Restart Claude Desktop
Go to Settings → Developer
Verify "n8n-api" shows as "running" ✅
In chat, ask: "List my n8n workflows"
Click "Always allow" when prompted
You should see your workflows!

Usage Examples

List Workflows

Show me all my n8n workflows

Get Workflow Details

Get details for workflow ID: abc123xyz

Create a Workflow

Create a new n8n workflow called "Email Processor" with a webhook trigger

Update a Workflow

Rename workflow abc123xyz to "New Name"

Activate/Deactivate

Activate workflow abc123xyz
Deactivate workflow abc123xyz

Troubleshooting

❌ "Command not found" or "Module not found"

Solution: Use forward slashes in path:

"args": ["C:/Users/YourName/n8n-api-mcp/index.js"]  // ✅ Correct
"args": ["C:\\Users\\YourName\\n8n-api-mcp\\index.js"]  // ❌ Wrong

❌ "No result received"

Possible causes:

n8n is not running
API key is incorrect
You didn't click "Allow" when prompted

Solution:

Verify n8n is accessible: curl http://localhost:5678
Check API key in n8n settings
Always click "Allow once" or "Always allow"

❌ Server shows "Failed" status

Solution:

# Check logs
type "%LOCALAPPDATA%\AnthropicClaude\logs\mcp-server-n8n-api.log"

# Test server manually
cd C:\path\to\n8n-api-mcp
set N8N_API_URL=http://localhost:5678/api/v1
set N8N_API_KEY=your-key
node index.js

Full Server Code

Click to expand complete index.js

#!/usr/bin/env node

const { Server } = require('@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/index.js');
const { StdioServerTransport } = require('@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/stdio.js');
const { CallToolRequestSchema, ListToolsRequestSchema } = require('@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/types.js');
const axios = require('axios');

const N8N_API_URL = process.env.N8N_API_URL || 'http://localhost:5678/api/v1';
const N8N_API_KEY = process.env.N8N_API_KEY;

if (!N8N_API_KEY) {
  console.error('Error: N8N_API_KEY environment variable is required');
  process.exit(1);
}

const n8nApi = axios.create({
  baseURL: N8N_API_URL,
  headers: { 'X-N8N-API-KEY': N8N_API_KEY, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
});

const server = new Server(
  { name: 'n8n-api-server', version: '1.0.0' },
  { capabilities: { tools: {} } }
);

server.setRequestHandler(ListToolsRequestSchema, async () => ({
  tools: [
    { name: 'n8n_list_workflows', description: 'List all workflows', inputSchema: { type: 'object', properties: {} } },
    { name: 'n8n_get_workflow', description: 'Get workflow by ID', inputSchema: { type: 'object', properties: { workflowId: { type: 'string' } }, required: ['workflowId'] } },
    { name: 'n8n_create_workflow', description: 'Create new workflow', inputSchema: { type: 'object', properties: { name: { type: 'string' }, nodes: { type: 'array' }, connections: { type: 'object' }, active: { type: 'boolean', default: false } }, required: ['name', 'nodes'] } },
    { name: 'n8n_update_workflow', description: 'Update workflow', inputSchema: { type: 'object', properties: { workflowId: { type: 'string' }, name: { type: 'string' }, nodes: { type: 'array' }, connections: { type: 'object' }, active: { type: 'boolean' } }, required: ['workflowId'] } },
    { name: 'n8n_delete_workflow', description: 'Delete workflow', inputSchema: { type: 'object', properties: { workflowId: { type: 'string' } }, required: ['workflowId'] } },
    { name: 'n8n_activate_workflow', description: 'Activate workflow', inputSchema: { type: 'object', properties: { workflowId: { type: 'string' } }, required: ['workflowId'] } },
    { name: 'n8n_deactivate_workflow', description: 'Deactivate workflow', inputSchema: { type: 'object', properties: { workflowId: { type: 'string' } }, required: ['workflowId'] } },
  ]
}));

server.setRequestHandler(CallToolRequestSchema, async (request) => {
  const { name, arguments: args } = request.params;
  try {
    switch (name) {
      case 'n8n_list_workflows':
        return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: JSON.stringify((await n8nApi.get('/workflows')).data, null, 2) }] };
      case 'n8n_get_workflow':
        return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: JSON.stringify((await n8nApi.get(`/workflows/${args.workflowId}`)).data, null, 2) }] };
      case 'n8n_create_workflow':
        return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: JSON.stringify((await n8nApi.post('/workflows', { name: args.name, nodes: args.nodes, connections: args.connections || {}, active: args.active || false, settings: {} })).data, null, 2) }] };
      case 'n8n_update_workflow':
        const updateData = {};
        if (args.name) updateData.name = args.name;
        if (args.nodes) updateData.nodes = args.nodes;
        if (args.connections) updateData.connections = args.connections;
        if (args.active !== undefined) updateData.active = args.active;
        return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: JSON.stringify((await n8nApi.patch(`/workflows/${args.workflowId}`, updateData)).data, null, 2) }] };
      case 'n8n_delete_workflow':
        await n8nApi.delete(`/workflows/${args.workflowId}`);
        return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: `Workflow ${args.workflowId} deleted` }] };
      case 'n8n_activate_workflow':
        await n8nApi.patch(`/workflows/${args.workflowId}`, { active: true });
        return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: `Workflow ${args.workflowId} activated` }] };
      case 'n8n_deactivate_workflow':
        await n8nApi.patch(`/workflows/${args.workflowId}`, { active: false });
        return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: `Workflow ${args.workflowId} deactivated` }] };
      default:
        throw new Error(`Unknown tool: ${name}`);
    }
  } catch (error) {
    return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: `Error: ${error.response?.data?.message || error.message}` }], isError: true };
  }
});

async function main() {
  const transport = new StdioServerTransport();
  await server.connect(transport);
  console.error('n8n API MCP server running');
}

main().catch(console.error);

Features

✅ Full CRUD operations on workflows
✅ Activate/deactivate workflows
✅ Clean error handling
✅ Works with local and remote n8n instances
✅ Secure API key authentication
✅ Debug logging to stderr

Comparison with n8n-mcp Package

Feature	This Solution	n8n-mcp Package
Node Documentation	❌	✅
Template Search	❌	✅
Workflow Management	✅	❌
Create Workflows	✅	❌
Update Workflows	✅	❌
Delete Workflows	✅	❌
Activate/Deactivate	✅	❌

Recommendation: Use both together! Use n8n-mcp for documentation/templates and this custom server for workflow management.

Contributing

Feel free to extend this server with additional n8n API endpoints:

Workflow executions
Credentials management
Webhook endpoints
Workflow tags
etc.

License

MIT

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Windows Solution: n8n API Integration with Claude Desktop via Custom MCP Server #380

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Windows Solution: n8n API Integration with Claude Desktop via Custom MCP Server #380

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mapasgon Oct 28, 2025

Using n8n API with Claude Desktop on Windows - Complete Working Solution

Summary

Background

What You'll Get

Prerequisites

Installation Steps

1. Create Project Directory

2. Create package.json

3. Create index.js

4. Install Dependencies

5. Get Your n8n API Key

6. Configure Claude Desktop

7. Test the Integration

Usage Examples

List Workflows

Get Workflow Details

Create a Workflow

Update a Workflow

Activate/Deactivate

Troubleshooting

❌ "Command not found" or "Module not found"

❌ "No result received"

❌ Server shows "Failed" status

Full Server Code

Features

Comparison with n8n-mcp Package

Contributing

License

Related

Replies: 0 comments

mapasgon
Oct 28, 2025

2. Create `package.json`

3. Create `index.js`