MCP or Not?

Draft: research not yet reviewed. Hidden from search engines and production.

OfficialClaude connector: not verified

n8n MCP server & Claude connector

Does n8n have an official MCP server or Claude connector?

Official

As of October 2026, n8n has an official, built-in MCP server (instance-level MCP) that exposes workflows you opt in to any MCP client, using OAuth or a personal access token. Separately, a popular community project, czlonkowski/n8n-mcp, offers node documentation and workflow management tools. Caveat: the community server can edit or delete production workflows.

Last checked

Verdict and evidence

What we checked
n8n instance-level MCP server
Published by
n8n (official)
Runs
Built into the app
Sign-in
OAuth sign-in
Stage
unknown
Plan
Built into n8n (self-hosted or Cloud); an instance owner or admin must enable it. Plan or edition requirements are not stated in the docs.

Evidence

What an AI can do in n8n

Read

  • Search workflowssearch_workflows
  • Get full details of a workflowget_workflow_details
  • Search workflow executionssearch_workflow_executions
  • List credentials without secretslist_credentials

Update

  • Publish a workflow version to productionpublish_workflow
  • Unpublish (deactivate) a workflowunpublish_workflow

Run

  • Execute a workflowexecute_workflow
  • Test a workflow with pin datatest_workflow

From the publisher’s documentation for the version we checked. Not every tool is listed.

Setup

Claude Code

Add the instance MCP server with OAuth; replace the domain with your n8n domain.

claude mcp add --transport http n8n https://<your-n8n-domain>/mcp-server/http
Source

Claude (claude.ai / Desktop)

Claude Desktop with an API key uses supergateway; the claude.ai web client is listed in the in-app Connect a client dialog (OAuth).

"n8n-mcp": {
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["supergateway", "--streamableHttp", "https://<your-n8n-domain>/mcp-server/http", "--header", "Authorization:Bearer <YOUR_N8N_MCP_TOKEN>"]
}
Source

Cursor

Cursor config in ~/.cursor/mcp.json; the Connect a client dialog also offers one-click setup.

"n8n": {
  "type": "streamable-http",
  "url": "https://<your-n8n-domain>/mcp-server/http"
}
Source

VS Code

VS Code .vscode/mcp.json under servers.

"servers": {
  "n8n": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://<your-n8n-domain>/mcp-server/http"
  }
}
Source

Safety check

  • Pass

    Publisher verified

    Documented on docs.n8n.io and runs inside your own n8n instance; the endpoint is your instance URL ending in /mcp-server/http, so no third-party host is involved.

  • Pass

    Auth model

    OAuth recommended; alternative is a personal access token tied to the user (Authorization: Bearer). Admins can restrict OAuth callback URLs. Tokens can be rotated, and API-key clients do not appear in the connected clients list.

  • Flag

    Write and delete access

    Clients can execute, publish and unpublish workflows and, from n8n 2.13.0, create and edit workflows and data tables. Mitigation: nothing is accessible until a workflow is marked 'Available in MCP' (per workflow, project or folder); access is not scoped per client. No read-only mode documented.

  • Pass

    Tool-description injection scan

    Read the tools reference (first 100,000 of about 220,000 characters). Instruction-like text is usage guidance (for example call get_workflow_sdk_reference first) and one defensive note that credential descriptions are not instructions. Nothing hides actions or exfiltrates data. Remaining part of the page not read.

  • Pass

    Repo maintenance

    n8n-io/n8n: not archived, last push 2026-10-18, about 207,900 stars. The MCP server is part of the main product.

Community alternatives

Built and maintained by third parties, not n8n. Check the safety notes before connecting one to a real account.

n8n-MCP (community)

Romuald Czlonkowski (czlonkowski) · Runs locally · API key or token

Search n8n nodes · Validate a workflow · Create a workflow on your n8n instance · Update a workflow with partial diff operations · Delete a workflow permanently · List, get and delete executions

  • ⚠ Publisher verified: Community project owned by an individual GitHub user (czlonkowski), not n8n. It is not affiliated with n8n so far as verified.
  • ⚠ Auth model: Management tools use a long-lived N8N_API_KEY for your n8n instance; an optional separate N8N_MCP_ACCESS_TOKEN is used for n8n's own MCP features. A read-only n8n API key is recommended in the README.
  • ⚠ Write and delete access: Exposes create, update, delete workflow, credential and data table tools, enabled whenever the API key is set. The README warns 'NEVER edit your production workflows directly with AI!' and documents DISABLED_TOOLS and DISABLED_TOOL_OPERATIONS env vars for a read-only setup.

FAQ

Does n8n have an official MCP server?

Yes. n8n has a built-in instance-level MCP server, enabled by an instance owner or admin under Settings, Instance-level MCP, and documented on docs.n8n.io.

What is the difference between n8n's MCP and n8n-mcp?

n8n's built-in server is part of the product and acts on workflows in your instance. n8n-mcp (czlonkowski) is an independent community project focused on node documentation and building workflows via the n8n API; it is not published by n8n.

Does it work with Claude and Cursor?

Yes. n8n's docs show Claude Code (claude mcp add --transport http), Claude Desktop, claude.ai, Cursor and VS Code, using OAuth or a personal access token.

Can I limit what the AI can touch?

In n8n's built-in server, clients can only access workflows marked Available in MCP, but there is no per-client scoping or documented read-only mode. The community n8n-mcp lets you disable write tools with DISABLED_TOOLS and recommends a read-only API key.

Is the n8n MCP free?

The built-in server is part of n8n; the docs do not state a plan requirement. n8n-mcp is open source under MIT, with an optional hosted tier.

Last reviewed .

Get your badge

Work at n8n? Show that your MCP server is independently checked. The badge reflects this page: it updates when we re-check, and it links readers to the evidence.

MCP or Not: Official · Checked Oct 2026

Markdown (README)

[![MCP or Not: Official · Checked Oct 2026](https://mcpornot.com/badge/n8n.svg)](https://mcpornot.com/n8n)

HTML

<a href="https://mcpornot.com/n8n"><img src="https://mcpornot.com/badge/n8n.svg" alt="MCP or Not: Official · Checked Oct 2026" height="20"></a>

Compare n8n

Something changed?

Vendors ship MCP updates often. If n8n launched, changed or retired a server, tell us and we will re-check it against primary sources. Submit a correction.

New official MCP servers, weekly

One short email when vendors ship, change or retire an official server or Claude connector. Checked against primary sources, like every verdict here.