Use when building, editing, validating, testing, or debugging an n8n workflow through the n8n-mcp MCP server — designing a flow, configuring a node, writing an expression or Code node, wiring credentials, or fixing one that misbehaves. The entry-point skill for the n8n-mcp-skills pack: it routes you

Using the n8n mcp Skills This is a router , not a reference. It tells you which skill owns the rules for what you're about to do. The skill bodies hold the actual guidance — invoke them with the Skill tool. When in doubt, load more skills rather than fewer. The community n8n mcp server and n8n itself move faster than any model's training cutoff. Tool names, parameters, node typeVersion s, and default behaviors drift between releases. When you spot drift — a tool a skill names doesn't exist, a parameter shape doesn't match what get node returns, behavior differs from what a skill describes — trust the live tool , tell the user, and suggest updating the pack and the instance. Non negotiables Three rules with no exceptions. Each one prevents a class of workflow that looks correct but breaks in production. 1. Invoke the relevant skill before any n8n action — not just before MCP calls. Before writing an expression, configuring a node, designing a workflow, wiring a connection, or writing Code, invoke the matching skill. PreToolUse hooks remind you on the highest impact tool calls, but they exist only in the Claude Code plugin install . Everywhere else — Claude.ai skill uploads, and any client that loads this pack as an Agent Plugin (Codex, Cursor, Copilot and the rest) — nothing nudges you and it's on you. Assume you are un hooked unless you have seen a hook fire this session. 2. Validate AND verify before activating. Run validate workflow (or n8n validate workflow by id) before you activate, and call n8n get workflow after every create or update to inspect the connections object. Validation alone misses silently dropped wires, Merge index off by one, and error outputs that were never wired. Validation passing means the JSON is well formed — not that the workflow is correct. A green test run isn't proof either: JS errors inside {{ }} resolve silently to null (a Filter with a broken condition drops every item and still shows success), so inspect the output values. See n8n expression syntax . 3. Secrets never go in text fields. Tokens, API keys, and passwords always go through the n8n credential system. If no native node exists, use the HTTP Request node with the official credential type. A Set node holding a token referenced via {{ $json.token }} is a leak with extra steps. See n8n mcp tools expert . Lean on skills, not training data n8n changes constantly. "Remembered" parameter names are often silently wrong — they validate as plain strings and then do nothing at runtime. If a skill contradicts your memory, trust the skill. If get node contradicts a skill, trust the tool and flag the drift. Strong defaults These are the defaults; the Code exceptions below are a closed list. Native node first, Code last. Pick in this order: the service's own node (HTTP Request only when no node covers the operation), then a native node for the job, then a short expression inside that node, then Code. A function body or several statements inside {{ }} is code: it belongs in a Code node. Job Use Flag that only picks a route; dropping items conditions in IF / Switch / Filter Constant, error or return item Edit Fields (Set) Restore earlier context $('Node').item Pick rows after a Data Table get the get's order by + limit Group and sum Summarize Items to one array / array to items Aggregate / Split Out Join two lists Merge (combine by fields) Diff or sync two lists Compare Datasets Dedupe, also across runs Remove Duplicates Top N Sort + Limit Dates Date & Time, or a Luxon one liner XML / HTML / Markdown / CSV / XLSX XML, HTML, Markdown, Extract From File / Convert To File Paging an API (no service node) HTTP Request's pagination option Throttle calls HTTP Request's batching option, or Loop + Wait Hash, HMAC, UUID Crypto (+ Webhook raw body) Code is right only for: loops or recursion no node expresses, state across runs, parsing no node handles, libraries, heavy all items work on queue mode workers (thousands of items, stated or measured), or one short Code node (~15 lines) replacing 4+ glue nodes that only reshape data. Every Code or HTTP Request node that stays gets the note Why Code: <native node considered — <reason (or Why HTTP: ). See n8n node configuration and n8n code javascript . A Set that only re maps fields for the next node is the antipattern. Put those expressions in the next node. Edit Fields as a named step is fine. See n8n expression syntax . Per item iteration is automatic. Don't add a Loop Over Items node to "make it loop" when default per item execution already handles the case. Configure from the live schema, never from memory. get node before you set parameters. See n8n node configuration . Red flags: "about to " → invoke If you catch yourself thinking any of these, stop and invoke the named skill first. Thought Invoke "This workflow is simple, I'll just build it" n8n workflow patterns — most "simple" flows ship at 10+ nodes "I'll add a Set node to map these fields" n8n expression syntax — a Set that only re maps for the next node is the antipattern; named steps are fine "I'll just use a Code node, it's easier" the job table above, then n8n code javascript — Code only for the closed list, with a Why Code: note "The user mentioned data, I'll write Python" n8n code javascript — default JS; Python ( n8n code python ) only on explicit ask "I'm writing code an AI agent will call" n8n code tool — a different runtime contract from the Code node "I'll call this API with HTTP Request" n8n mcp tools expert — search nodes for the service's own node first; a kept HTTP node gets Why HTTP: "I'll wire a Merge with 3 sources" n8n node configuration — Merge defaults to 2 inputs ( numberInputs ); the 3rd silently drops "Validation passed, I'm ready to activate" n8n validation expert + n8n workflow patterns — run the antipattern scan "Validation threw an error I don't understand" n8n validation expert — what each error and warning means, and which are must fix vs. best practice advice "I'll reference $json.x here" n8n expression syntax — prefer $('Node').item.json.x in branchy workflows "This webhook/scheduled flow is happy path only" n8n error handling — wire an error branch on every fallible node; 4xx caller faults, 5xx yours "I'll pass this file/image through as JSON" n8n binary and data — file contents live in $binary , and can't cross the agent tool boundary "I'll wire up an AI agent and give the model some tools" n8n agents — tool names & descriptions ARE the prompt; memory, structured output, and topology have traps "I'll copy this logic into another workflow" / "this is getting big" n8n subworkflows — extract a reusable sub workflow; search before building "I'll create that credential / open that workflow" (account has 1 instance) n8n multi instance — name the target with instance: "<name " ; unnamed calls hit a default other chats can move Skill index Skill Reach for it when using n8n mcp skills This router (auto loaded). Names the skill that owns your task. n8n mcp tools expert Choosing or calling any n8n mcp tool; node discovery; credentials; data tables; security audit; templates n8n workflow patterns Designing or building a workflow; picking an architecture (webhook / HTTP API / database / AI agent / scheduled / batch) n8n node configuration Configuring any node; operation aware required fields; property dependencies; surgical field edits n8n expression syntax Writing {{ }} , $json / $node / $now ; mapping data between nodes; the transform gatekeeper; Set node discipline n8n validation expert Interpreting validation errors/warnings; false positives; the validation loop; auto fix; reviewing an existing workflow n8n code javascript Any Code node in JavaScript; data access; this.helpers ; DateTime; SplitInBatches loop patterns n8n code python A Code node specifically requested in Python; native runtime ( items / item only, imports blocked by default, legacy input code fails) n8n code tool The AI agent callable Custom Code Tool ( toolCode ) — returns a string, no $fromAI / $input n8n error handling Webhook/API or unattended workflows; wiring error outputs; retries; 4xx/5xx response shapes; silent failures n8n binary and data Files, images, PDFs, attachments, uploads/downloads, vision; passing a file to/from an agent tool n8n subworkflows Reusable / multi step builds; Execute Workflow; extracting shared logic; Define Below inputs; all vs each; exposing a workflow as an agent tool n8n agents AI Agent / LLM with tools / Text Classifier; tool design & $fromAI ; system prompts; structured output; memory; RAG; human review; chat bots n8n multi instance Accounts with several instances ( n8n instances present); the per call instance argument; parallel agents; switch ; credential writes; an unexpected NOT FOUND , wrong/empty reads, INSTANCE errors n8n self hosting Deployment, not workflow building — self hosting / installing / deploying n8n on a VM (Docker Compose + Caddy, single vs queue mode), or updating / backing up / hardening it. Triggers on its own; not part of the build flow above. n8n mcp tools — working knowledge from turn one Qualified names look like mcp <server <tool ( <server is usually n8n mcp ). Two tiers, and how to tell which one you have. The documentation and validation tools below work offline and are always present. The n8n management tools talk to a live n8n instance and appear only once one is connected . If they are absent, nothing is broken and nothing needs a retry — say so and point the user at the fix for their install: Hosted ( https://api.n8n mcp.com/mcp ) — sign in through the client's OAuth prompt on first use, then connect the n8n instance in the dashboard. No env vars or API keys in config. Self hosted ( npx n8n mcp , Docker) — the server needs N8N API URL and N8N API KEY in its environment, exported before the client starts. n8n health check confirms a working connection and returns the resolved instance. Discovery & docs tools documentation — meta docs for every tool; {topic, depth:"full"} with ai agents guide or (n8n mcp 2.97+) expression helpers . search nodes — find nodes by keyword. get node — node info. Takes a single SHORT form nodeType ( nodes base.httpRequest , nodes langchain.agent ), plus detail (minimal/standard/full) and mode (info/docs/search properties/versions). validate node — validate one node's config in isolation (profiles: minimal/runtime/ai friendly/strict). search templates / get template — the template library (by keyword, nodes, task, metadata). Build & edit n8n create workflow — create from full workflow JSON. n8n update partial workflow — incremental diff ops ( {id, operations:[…]} ): addNode, updateNode, patchNodeField, addConnection, setNodeGroups, activateWorkflow, etc. Preferred for edits. Canvas groups (n8n 2.28+) survive your edits; adjustments show in details.warnings . Create or change them with the setNodeGroups op. See n8n mcp tools expert . n8n update full workflow — full replacement. n8n autofix workflow — auto fix common issues. n8n deploy template — deploy a template to the instance. Validate (necessary, not sufficient — always pair with the antipattern scan) validate workflow — full JSON in, errors/warnings/fixes out. Node types here are LONG form ( n8n nodes base.set ). n8n validate workflow — validate a deployed workflow by {id} (no node JSON to inspect). Inspect & lif

using-n8n-mcp-skills