---
id: 1d8200b3-2413-41c0-86a7-26e246ff22ac
type: configuration
title: "n8n-mcp server setup for Claude Code via mcp-manager"
tags: [n8n, mcp, claude-code, automation, configuration]
importance: 0.7
confidence: 0.8
created: "2026-02-20T03:37:30.277147+00:00"
updated: "2026-03-02T00:38:13.696694+00:00"
relations:
  - target: 230a1d01-d47b-46ee-91f1-7388e3255b19
    type: RELATED_TO
    direction: incoming
    strength: 0.58
    edge_id: 0916a224-717d-48cc-8486-21492c68f4df
---

## Setup

Added `n8n-mcp` (czlonkowski/n8n-mcp v2.35.3) as an on-demand MCP server managed by the mcp-manager skill.

### Architecture Decision
- Runs **locally via `npx n8n-mcp`** in stdio mode (not on the n8n Docker host)
- Rationale: The bundled node docs/templates (1,084 nodes, 2,709 templates) are in a local SQLite DB — no need to be near n8n. The n8n API at `http://10.10.0.210:5678` is fast over LAN. Running remotely would require HTTP transport + port exposure for no benefit.

### Config Files
- `~/.claude/.mcp.json` — active MCP config (cognitive-memory always loaded, n8n-mcp added on demand)
- `~/.claude/.mcp-full.json` — full registry with all MCP definitions including credentials
- `~/.claude/.mcp.json.backup` — auto-created before changes
- `~/.claude/secrets/n8n_api_key` — n8n REST API key (JWT)

### n8n-mcp Entry
```json
{
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["n8n-mcp"],
  "env": {
    "MCP_MODE": "stdio",
    "N8N_API_URL": "http://10.10.0.210:5678",
    "N8N_API_KEY": "<from ~/.claude/secrets/n8n_api_key>",
    "N8N_MCP_TELEMETRY_DISABLED": "true",
    "DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT": "true",
    "LOG_LEVEL": "error"
  }
}
```

### mcp-manager Integration
- Trigger keywords: `n8n`, `workflow`, `automation`, `webhook`, `n8n node`, `n8n template`
- Cleaned out Daniel Miessler's personal MCPs from the skill registry
- Updated registry to reflect Cal's actual MCPs: `cognitive-memory` (always loaded) + `n8n-mcp` + `playwright` (on demand)

### Activation Flow
1. mcp-manager detects n8n keywords → merges n8n-mcp from `.mcp-full.json` into `.mcp.json`
2. User restarts Claude Code
3. n8n MCP tools available (node search, template browsing, workflow CRUD)
4. When done, "unload n8n-mcp" removes it from `.mcp.json`

### n8n Instance
- LXC 210, IP 10.10.0.210, n8n v2.0.3
- API enabled, key generated via Settings > API
- 2 active workflows (including Ko-fi → Paper Dynasty)