MCP Directory

How to add n8n-MCP to Windsurf

Gives AI assistants deep knowledge of 2,000+ n8n nodes, plus optional workflow management on your own n8n instance. Paste the config into ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json and restart Windsurf.

Last updated June 14, 2026 · 22k★ · stdio · apikey

Windsurf config for n8n-MCP

npx n8n-mcp
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "n8n-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MCP_MODE": "stdio",
        "LOG_LEVEL": "error",
        "DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT": "true",
        "N8N_API_URL": "<your-n8n-instance-url>",
        "N8N_API_KEY": "<your-n8n-api-key>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Setup steps

  1. 1Open Windsurf → Cascade → the hammer/MCP icon → Configure (or edit ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json).
  2. 2Paste the n8n-MCP config below.
  3. 3Fill in placeholder secrets, then save.
  4. 4Click Refresh in the MCP panel.
  5. 5n8n-MCP's tools become available to Cascade.

Before you start

  • Node.js for npx (or Docker for the container image)
  • Optional: a self-hosted or cloud n8n instance for the management tools
  • Optional: n8n API key from Settings → API in your n8n instance

What n8n-MCP can do in Windsurf

tools_documentation

Get usage documentation for any n8n-MCP tool — the recommended first call

search_nodes

Full-text search across 2,063 core and community nodes, optionally with real config examples

get_node

Unified node info: properties at minimal/standard/full detail, docs mode, property search, version diffs

validate_node

Validate a node configuration — quick required-fields check or full profile-based validation

validate_workflow

Validate a complete workflow including connections, expressions, and AI Agent wiring

search_templates

Search 2,352 workflow templates by keyword, node types, task, or metadata (complexity, audience)

get_template

Fetch a template's full workflow JSON (nodes_only / structure / full modes)

n8n_create_workflow

Create a new workflow on your n8n instance (requires API key)

Security

Documentation tools run locally against a bundled database and need no credentials. With an N8N_API_KEY configured, the server can create, modify and delete workflows on your instance — the README explicitly warns never to let AI edit production workflows without copies and backups. For governance-sensitive setups, combine a read-only n8n API key with the DISABLED_TOOLS env var.

n8n-MCP + Windsurf FAQ

Where is the Windsurf config file?

Windsurf reads MCP servers from ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json. Paste the n8n-MCP config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.

Is n8n-MCP safe to use with Windsurf?

Documentation tools run locally against a bundled database and need no credentials. With an N8N_API_KEY configured, the server can create, modify and delete workflows on your instance — the README explicitly warns never to let AI edit production workflows without copies and backups. For governance-sensitive setups, combine a read-only n8n API key with the DISABLED_TOOLS env var.

Do I need a running n8n instance to use n8n-mcp?

No. Node search, documentation, templates and validation work standalone from a bundled database. You only need an n8n instance plus API key for the 15 management tools that create, update and execute workflows.

Is n8n-mcp free?

Yes — MIT-licensed and free to self-host via npx or Docker. The optional hosted service at dashboard.n8n-mcp.com has a free tier of 100 tool calls/day.

Is this the official n8n MCP server?

No. It's a community project by Romuald Czlonkowski, not n8n GmbH — though at 22k+ GitHub stars it's the de facto standard way to connect AI assistants to n8n. n8n itself also ships an MCP Client Tool node that can consume this server.

View repo Full n8n-MCP page