Build, Launch & Repair n8n with Claude Code
Feb 5, 2026
Connect Claude Code to your n8n workflows and trigger automations just by asking. No more clicking through menus, just tell Claude what you want, and it handles the rest.
What This Gives You
By the end of this guide, you'll be able to talk to Claude in plain English to run any of your n8n workflows. Think of prompts like:
"Start my lead enrichment automation for Acme Corp"
No webhook URLs to remember. No manual triggers. Just a conversation.
Step 1: Install Claude Code
Claude Code is a terminal tool that lets Claude take actions on your computer. It's the bridge between your natural language and your automations.
Open your Terminal. On Mac, search "Terminal" in Spotlight. On Windows, use WSL or PowerShell.
Run the installer. Copy and paste this command, then press Enter:
Start Claude Code. Type claude and press Enter. Sign in with your Claude account when prompted.
Note: You'll need Claude Max or API access. The free Claude.ai plan doesn't include Claude Code.
Step 2 — Connect Claude to n8n
Next, you need to add the n8n-mcp tool so Claude knows how to talk to your workflows.
Don't have n8n yet? You can start a free 14-day trial here.
Add the n8n-mcp server
Run this command in your terminal. Replace YOUR_N8N_URL and YOUR_API_KEY with your own values:
Or as a single line:
Find your n8n API key
In n8n, go to Settings → API → Create API Key. Copy the key and paste it into the command above.
Verify the connection
Start Claude Code and type /mcp — you should see n8n-mcp listed as a connected server.
Full setup instructions: github.com/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp
Step 3: Set Up Your n8n Workflow
Before Claude can trigger your automations, your workflows need a Webhook trigger. There are two approaches depending on your use case:
Method | When to use | Example |
|---|---|---|
GET | Your automation doesn't need any input data | "Run my daily report" |
POST | You need to pass information to the workflow | "Search jobs for 'SAP Developer'" |
How to set it up
Add a Webhook trigger. In your n8n workflow, add a Webhook node as the first step. Set the HTTP Method to GET or POST depending on your needs.
Activate your workflow. Toggle your workflow to Active so it's ready to receive triggers from Claude.
Enable MCP access. Go to Settings → Instance-level MCP and toggle it ON. Then select which workflows you want Claude to access.
Give it a clear name. Name your workflow something descriptive like "Lead Enrichment" or "Browser Use Job Search". Claude uses this name to understand what the workflow does, so make it count.
Step 4: Talk to Claude, Run Your Automations
Open Claude Code in your terminal and describe what you want in natural language. Be specific about what you need.
Example prompts
"Start my Browser Use automation and search SAP Jobs" → Triggers workflow with POST, passes "SAP Jobs" as the search term
"Run my weekly client report workflow" → Triggers workflow with GET, no data needed
"Enrich this lead: John Smith at Acme Corp, john@acme.com" → Triggers workflow with POST, passes lead details
"What workflows do I have available?" → Claude lists all your MCP-enabled n8n workflows
The magic here is that Claude figures out which workflow to run and what data to send — all based on your plain-language request.
Troubleshooting
Workflows don't appear in Claude? Make sure Instance-level MCP is enabled in your n8n Settings, and that you've selected which workflows to expose.
n8n-mcp fails to install? Try installing globally first: npm install -g n8n-mcp, then retry the claude mcp add command.
Webhook doesn't trigger? Check that your workflow is set to Active and that the webhook URL is publicly accessible (not localhost).
