n8n-mcp-tools-expert

Name: n8n-mcp-tools-expert
Author: czlonkowski

6.0kinstalls983forks

How to install n8n-mcp-tools-expert?

czlonkowski/n8n-skills/n8n-mcp-tools-expert

$npx -y skills add czlonkowski/n8n-skills --skill n8n-mcp-tools-expert

Installs into the current project.

Summary

Expert guide for using n8n-mcp MCP tools effectively. Use when searching for nodes, validating configurations, accessing templates, managing workflows, managing credentials, auditing instance security, or using any n8n-mcp tool. Provides tool selection guidance, parameter formats

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SKILL.md

1	# n8n MCP Tools Expert
2
3	Master guide for using n8n-mcp MCP server tools to build workflows.
4
5	---
6
7	## Tool Categories
8
9	n8n-mcp provides tools organized into categories:
10
11	1. Node Discovery → [SEARCH_GUIDE.md](SEARCH_GUIDE.md)
12	2. Configuration Validation → [VALIDATION_GUIDE.md](VALIDATION_GUIDE.md)
13	3. Workflow Management → [WORKFLOW_GUIDE.md](WORKFLOW_GUIDE.md)
14	4. Template Library - Search and deploy 2,700+ real workflows
15	5. Data Tables - Manage n8n data tables and rows (`n8n_manage_datatable`)
16	6. Credential Management - Full credential CRUD + schema discovery (`n8n_manage_credentials`)
17	7. Security & Audit - Instance security auditing with custom deep scan (`n8n_audit_instance`)
18	8. Documentation & Guides - Tool docs, AI agent guide, Code node guides
19
20	---
21
22	## Quick Reference
23
24	### Most Used Tools (by success rate)
25
26	\| Tool \| Use When \| Speed \|
27	\|------\|----------\|-------\|
28	\| `search_nodes` \| Finding nodes by keyword \| <20ms \|
29	\| `get_node` \| Understanding node operations (detail="standard") \| <10ms \|
30	\| `validate_node` \| Checking configurations (mode="full") \| <100ms \|
31	\| `n8n_create_workflow` \| Creating workflows \| 100-500ms \|
32	\| `n8n_update_partial_workflow` \| Editing workflows (MOST USED!) \| 50-200ms \|
33	\| `validate_workflow` \| Checking complete workflow \| 100-500ms \|
34	\| `n8n_deploy_template` \| Deploy template to n8n instance \| 200-500ms \|
35	\| `n8n_manage_datatable` \| Managing data tables and rows \| 50-500ms \|
36	\| `n8n_manage_credentials` \| Credential CRUD + schema discovery \| 50-500ms \|
37	\| `n8n_audit_instance` \| Security audit (built-in + custom scan) \| 500-5000ms \|
38	\| `n8n_autofix_workflow` \| Auto-fix validation errors \| 200-1500ms \|
39
40	---
41
42	## Tool Selection Guide
43
44	### Finding the Right Node
45
46	Workflow:
47	```
48	1. search_nodes({query: "keyword"})
49	2. get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.name"})
50	3. [Optional] get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.name", mode: "docs"})
51	```
52
53	Example:
54	```javascript
55	// Step 1: Search
56	search_nodes({query: "slack"})
57	// Returns: nodes-base.slack
58
59	// Step 2: Get details
60	get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.slack"})
61	// Returns: operations, properties, examples (standard detail)
62
63	// Step 3: Get readable documentation
64	get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.slack", mode: "docs"})
65	// Returns: markdown documentation
66	```
67
68	Common pattern: search → get_node (18s average)
69
70	### Validating Configuration
71
72	Workflow:
73	```
74	1. validate_node({nodeType, config: {}, mode: "minimal"}) - Check required fields
75	2. validate_node({nodeType, config, profile: "runtime"}) - Full validation
76	3. [Repeat] Fix errors, validate again
77	```
78
79	Common pattern: validate → fix → validate (23s thinking, 58s fixing per cycle)
80
81	### Managing Workflows
82
83	Workflow:
84	```
85	1. n8n_create_workflow({name, nodes, connections})
86	2. n8n_validate_workflow({id})
87	3. n8n_update_partial_workflow({id, operations: [...]})
88	4. n8n_validate_workflow({id}) again
89	5. n8n_update_partial_workflow({id, operations: [{type: "activateWorkflow"}]})
90	```
91
92	Common pattern: iterative updates (56s average between edits)
93
94	### Critical: Node JSON Hygiene When Creating Workflows
95
96	Three structural mistakes in generated node JSON break the n8n UI even when the workflow validates:
97
98	1. Never emit a `credentials` block with a placeholder ID. A fake ID like `"id": "REPLACE_ME"` renders the credential selector permanently disabled and non-clickable in the n8n UI ("No credentials yet") — the user has to recreate the node from scratch. If you don't know the real credential ID, omit the `credentials` block entirely; an absent block shows a normal empty dropdown the user can click. Use `n8n_manage_credentials({action: "list"})` to discover real credential IDs first.
99
100	```javascript
101	// ❌ Breaks the credential selector
102	"credentials": {"httpHeaderAuth": {"id": "REPLACE_ME", "name": "My API Key"}}
103
104	// ✅ Unknown ID → omit credentials block; user picks in UI
105	// ✅ Known ID (from n8n_manage_credentials list) → use the real ID
106	```
107
108	2. Generate UUID v4 values for node `id` — not human-readable strings like `"http-list-node"`. n8n's frontend uses node IDs for form binding and credential component initialization; non-UUID IDs cause subtle UI breakage.
109
110	3. Use the current `typeVersion` for each node — check `get_node` rather than hardcoding remembered versions (e.g. httpRequest is at 4.4+, not 4.2).
111
112	---
113
114	## Critical: no

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Type

n8n-mcp-tools-expert

6.0kinstalls983forks

View on GitHub

How to install n8n-mcp-tools-expert?

czlonkowski/n8n-skills/n8n-mcp-tools-expert

$npx -y skills add czlonkowski/n8n-skills --skill n8n-mcp-tools-expert

Installs into the current project.

Summary

Files · 1

View on GitHub

SKILL.md

1	# n8n MCP Tools Expert
2
3	Master guide for using n8n-mcp MCP server tools to build workflows.
4
5	---
6
7	## Tool Categories
8
9	n8n-mcp provides tools organized into categories:
10
11	1. Node Discovery → [SEARCH_GUIDE.md](SEARCH_GUIDE.md)
12	2. Configuration Validation → [VALIDATION_GUIDE.md](VALIDATION_GUIDE.md)
13	3. Workflow Management → [WORKFLOW_GUIDE.md](WORKFLOW_GUIDE.md)
14	4. Template Library - Search and deploy 2,700+ real workflows
15	5. Data Tables - Manage n8n data tables and rows (`n8n_manage_datatable`)
16	6. Credential Management - Full credential CRUD + schema discovery (`n8n_manage_credentials`)
17	7. Security & Audit - Instance security auditing with custom deep scan (`n8n_audit_instance`)
18	8. Documentation & Guides - Tool docs, AI agent guide, Code node guides
19
20	---
21
22	## Quick Reference
23
24	### Most Used Tools (by success rate)
25
26	\| Tool \| Use When \| Speed \|
27	\|------\|----------\|-------\|
28	\| `search_nodes` \| Finding nodes by keyword \| <20ms \|
29	\| `get_node` \| Understanding node operations (detail="standard") \| <10ms \|
30	\| `validate_node` \| Checking configurations (mode="full") \| <100ms \|
31	\| `n8n_create_workflow` \| Creating workflows \| 100-500ms \|
32	\| `n8n_update_partial_workflow` \| Editing workflows (MOST USED!) \| 50-200ms \|
33	\| `validate_workflow` \| Checking complete workflow \| 100-500ms \|
34	\| `n8n_deploy_template` \| Deploy template to n8n instance \| 200-500ms \|
35	\| `n8n_manage_datatable` \| Managing data tables and rows \| 50-500ms \|
36	\| `n8n_manage_credentials` \| Credential CRUD + schema discovery \| 50-500ms \|
37	\| `n8n_audit_instance` \| Security audit (built-in + custom scan) \| 500-5000ms \|
38	\| `n8n_autofix_workflow` \| Auto-fix validation errors \| 200-1500ms \|
39
40	---
41
42	## Tool Selection Guide
43
44	### Finding the Right Node
45
46	Workflow:
47	```
48	1. search_nodes({query: "keyword"})
49	2. get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.name"})
50	3. [Optional] get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.name", mode: "docs"})
51	```
52
53	Example:
54	```javascript
55	// Step 1: Search
56	search_nodes({query: "slack"})
57	// Returns: nodes-base.slack
58
59	// Step 2: Get details
60	get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.slack"})
61	// Returns: operations, properties, examples (standard detail)
62
63	// Step 3: Get readable documentation
64	get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.slack", mode: "docs"})
65	// Returns: markdown documentation
66	```
67
68	Common pattern: search → get_node (18s average)
69
70	### Validating Configuration
71
72	Workflow:
73	```
74	1. validate_node({nodeType, config: {}, mode: "minimal"}) - Check required fields
75	2. validate_node({nodeType, config, profile: "runtime"}) - Full validation
76	3. [Repeat] Fix errors, validate again
77	```
78
79	Common pattern: validate → fix → validate (23s thinking, 58s fixing per cycle)
80
81	### Managing Workflows
82
83	Workflow:
84	```
85	1. n8n_create_workflow({name, nodes, connections})
86	2. n8n_validate_workflow({id})
87	3. n8n_update_partial_workflow({id, operations: [...]})
88	4. n8n_validate_workflow({id}) again
89	5. n8n_update_partial_workflow({id, operations: [{type: "activateWorkflow"}]})
90	```
91
92	Common pattern: iterative updates (56s average between edits)
93
94	### Critical: Node JSON Hygiene When Creating Workflows
95
96	Three structural mistakes in generated node JSON break the n8n UI even when the workflow validates:
97
98	1. Never emit a `credentials` block with a placeholder ID. A fake ID like `"id": "REPLACE_ME"` renders the credential selector permanently disabled and non-clickable in the n8n UI ("No credentials yet") — the user has to recreate the node from scratch. If you don't know the real credential ID, omit the `credentials` block entirely; an absent block shows a normal empty dropdown the user can click. Use `n8n_manage_credentials({action: "list"})` to discover real credential IDs first.
99
100	```javascript
101	// ❌ Breaks the credential selector
102	"credentials": {"httpHeaderAuth": {"id": "REPLACE_ME", "name": "My API Key"}}
103
104	// ✅ Unknown ID → omit credentials block; user picks in UI
105	// ✅ Known ID (from n8n_manage_credentials list) → use the real ID
106	```
107
108	2. Generate UUID v4 values for node `id` — not human-readable strings like `"http-list-node"`. n8n's frontend uses node IDs for form binding and credential component initialization; non-UUID IDs cause subtle UI breakage.
109
110	3. Use the current `typeVersion` for each node — check `get_node` rather than hardcoding remembered versions (e.g. httpRequest is at 4.4+, not 4.2).
111
112	---
113
114	## Critical: no

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6 picks

Type