Using n8n-mcp Skills (Router)
The always-on router for the n8n-mcp-skills pack. Loaded into every session by the
plugin's SessionStart hook, it tells Claude which skill owns the task at hand,
gives working knowledge of every n8n-mcp tool from turn one, and states the
cross-cutting rules.
What This Skill Teaches
Core Concepts
- Route first — recognize which skill owns your task before the first MCP call
- Three non-negotiables — invoke the matching skill before any n8n action; validate AND verify connections before activating; secrets only via the credential system
- Lean on skills + live tools, not training data — n8n drifts faster than the model cutoff
- Strong defaults — Code node is a last resort; a Set node feeding ≤1 consumer is an antipattern; per-item iteration is automatic
- The n8n-mcp tool surface — a one-line summary of every tool, including the SHORT-vs-LONG node-type-form trap and the absence of an
execute_workflowtool
Skill Activation
This skill is loaded automatically at session start (via the SessionStart hook) when
the pack is installed as a Claude Code / Codex plugin. It also activates by description
whenever the user mentions n8n, workflows, nodes, or automation — which makes it work as
a plain skill on Claude.ai too, where hooks are not available.
Example queries:
- "Build me an n8n workflow that …"
- "Which n8n skill should I use for …?"
- "How do I edit a workflow with the n8n-mcp tools?"
File Structure
SKILL.md
The router itself — loaded every session.
- The three non-negotiables and strong defaults
- The "about to ___ → invoke ___" red-flags table
- The skill index (which skill owns what)
- A compact reference for every n8n-mcp tool
- The protocol, in order; and the common "when in doubt" cases
This skill has no reference files — it is intentionally a thin router. Depth lives in the skills it points to.
Integration with Other Skills
This skill points to every other skill in the pack. It does not duplicate their content;
it routes to them. The skills it most often hands off to first are
n8n-mcp-tools-expert (tool usage), n8n-workflow-patterns (architecture), and
n8n-node-configuration (node setup).
How It's Loaded
The plugin's hooks/session-start.sh reads this SKILL.md and injects it as
additionalContext at the start of every session, re-firing on resume/clear/compact so
the protocol survives compaction. If the file is missing or hooks aren't available, the
session proceeds normally and the skill still activates by its description.
Version
Version: 1.0.0 Compatibility: n8n-mcp MCP server; hooks require the Claude Code / Codex plugin install.
Credits
Part of the n8n-skills project.
Remember: this is a router. It names the skill that owns your task — then get out of the way and let that skill do the work.