n8n-workflow-builder

name	n8n-workflow-builder
description	Build n8n automation workflows using MCP tools. Use when creating workflows, configuring nodes, validating configurations, deploying templates, or integrating n8n with Rails apps. Supports Israeli market (Hebrew, WhatsApp Business, NIS payments).

n8n Workflow Builder

Build production-ready n8n workflows using the available MCP tools.

MCP Tool Decision Tree

Discovery Phase

Need	Tool	Example
Find a node	search_nodes	search_nodes({query: "slack"})
Find workflow templates	search_templates	search_templates({searchMode: "by_task", task: "ai_automation"})
Find templates using specific nodes	search_templates	search_templates({searchMode: "by_nodes", nodeTypes: ["n8n-nodes-base.slack"]})
Get a specific template	get_template	get_template({templateId: 123, mode: "full"})

Configuration Phase

Need	Tool	Example
How to configure a node	get_node	get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.httpRequest", detail: "standard"})
Node documentation	get_node	get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.slack", mode: "docs"})
Find specific property	get_node	get_node({nodeType: "...", mode: "search_properties", propertyQuery: "auth"})
Real-world examples	get_node	get_node({..., detail: "standard", includeExamples: true})

Validation Phase

Need	Tool	Example
Validate node config	validate_node	validate_node({nodeType: "...", config: {...}, mode: "full"})
Validate full workflow	validate_workflow	validate_workflow({workflow: {...}})

Deployment Phase (requires API)

Need	Tool
Create workflow	n8n_create_workflow
Update workflow	n8n_update_partial_workflow
Deploy template	n8n_deploy_template
Test workflow	n8n_test_workflow
Get execution results	n8n_executions

Common Workflow Patterns

Pattern 1: Webhook -> Process -> Respond

Webhook -> Code (validate) -> HTTP Request -> Respond

Template: assets/templates/workflows/webhook-processor.json

Pattern 2: Lead Capture -> CRM -> Notify

Webhook -> IF (validate) -> CRM -> Slack -> Rails callback

Template: assets/templates/workflows/lead-capture-crm.json

Pattern 3: AI Agent with Tools

Chat Trigger -> AI Agent <- OpenAI Model
                   ^
                   |- HTTP Request Tool
                   |- Code Tool

Template: assets/templates/workflows/ai-agent-basic.json

Pattern 4: WhatsApp Bot (Israeli Market)

Webhook -> Code (parse) -> Switch (msg type) -> HTTP Request (WhatsApp API)

Template: assets/templates/workflows/whatsapp-bot.json

Pattern 5: Scheduled Reports

Schedule Trigger -> HTTP (fetch data) -> Code (format) -> Email/Slack

Template: assets/templates/workflows/scheduled-report.json

Pattern 6: Rails Integration

Rails App -> Webhook -> Process -> HTTP (callback to Rails)

Template: assets/templates/workflows/rails-webhook-handler.json

MCP Tool Usage Examples

search_nodes - Finding Nodes

// Find database nodes
search_nodes({query: "database"})

// Fuzzy search (typo-tolerant)
search_nodes({query: "slak", mode: "FUZZY"})

// With real examples
search_nodes({query: "webhook", includeExamples: true})

get_node - Node Configuration

// Standard detail (recommended starting point)
get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.httpRequest", detail: "standard"})

// With real-world examples
get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.slack", detail: "standard", includeExamples: true})

// Documentation mode
get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.webhook", mode: "docs"})

// Search specific properties
get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.httpRequest", mode: "search_properties", propertyQuery: "header"})

// Version comparison
get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.httpRequest", mode: "compare", fromVersion: "1.0", toVersion: "2.0"})

validate_node - Pre-build Validation

// Full validation with suggestions
validate_node({
  nodeType: "nodes-base.slack",
  config: {resource: "channel", operation: "create"},
  mode: "full",
  profile: "strict"
})

// Quick check
validate_node({
  nodeType: "nodes-base.httpRequest",
  config: {method: "POST", url: "https://api.example.com"},
  mode: "minimal"
})

validate_workflow - Full Workflow Validation

validate_workflow({
  workflow: myWorkflowJson,
  options: {
    validateNodes: true,
    validateConnections: true,
    validateExpressions: true,
    profile: "strict"
  }
})

search_templates - Finding Templates

// By task type
search_templates({searchMode: "by_task", task: "ai_automation"})
search_templates({searchMode: "by_task", task: "webhook_processing"})

// By nodes used
search_templates({searchMode: "by_nodes", nodeTypes: ["n8n-nodes-base.openAi", "n8n-nodes-langchain.agent"]})

// By complexity
search_templates({searchMode: "by_metadata", complexity: "simple", maxSetupMinutes: 15})

// Keyword search
search_templates({query: "slack notification"})

AI Agent Workflows

Connection Types (CRITICAL)

AI connections flow TO the consumer node:

Connection Type	From	To	Purpose
ai_languageModel	Language Model	AI Agent	REQUIRED - provides LLM
ai_tool	Tool Node	AI Agent	Gives agent capabilities
ai_memory	Memory Node	AI Agent	Conversation history
ai_outputParser	Parser	Chain	Structured output

Minimal AI Agent Setup

1. Add Chat Trigger (or Manual Trigger)
2. Add Language Model (OpenAI Chat Model / Anthropic)
3. Add AI Agent
4. Connect: Chat Trigger -> AI Agent (main connection)
5. Connect: Language Model -> AI Agent (ai_languageModel type)

Adding Tools to Agent

// HTTP Request Tool - for API calls
{
  "name": "Call API Tool",
  "type": "@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.toolHttpRequest",
  "parameters": {
    "description": "Calls external API to fetch data"  // REQUIRED: 15+ chars
  }
}
// Connect: HTTP Tool -> AI Agent (ai_tool type)

Tool Description Requirements

• Minimum 15 characters
• Must clearly describe what the tool does
• Agent uses this to decide when to use the tool

See references/ai-agents-guide.md for advanced patterns.

Israeli Market Integration

WhatsApp Business API

// Send text message
{
  "method": "POST",
  "url": "https://graph.facebook.com/v18.0/{{PHONE_ID}}/messages",
  "headers": {"Authorization": "Bearer {{ACCESS_TOKEN}}"},
  "body": {
    "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
    "to": "972501234567",
    "type": "text",
    "text": {"body": "\u200F" + hebrewText}  // RTL marker for Hebrew
  }
}

Hebrew RTL Handling

// Add RTL marker for Hebrew text
const rtlText = "\u200F" + hebrewContent;  // Right-to-Left Mark

// Mixed content
const mixed = `\u200F${hebrewPart}\u200E${englishPart}`;  // LTR mark for English

Rate Limits by Tier

Tier	Messages/day	Messages/sec
Unverified	250	80
Verified	1,000	80
Business	10,000+	80

See references/israeli-market-integrations.md for WhatsApp templates and payment patterns.

Rails Integration

Triggering n8n from Rails

# app/services/n8n_service.rb
def trigger_webhook(webhook_url, payload)
  HTTParty.post(webhook_url, {
    body: payload.to_json,
    headers: {'Content-Type' => 'application/json', 'X-Webhook-Secret' => ENV['N8N_SECRET']}
  })
end

Receiving n8n Callbacks

# Verify signature
signature = request.headers['X-N8N-Signature']
expected = OpenSSL::HMAC.hexdigest('sha256', ENV['N8N_SECRET'], request.raw_post)
unless ActiveSupport::SecurityUtils.secure_compare(signature.to_s, expected)
  render json: {error: 'Unauthorized'}, status: 401
end

Selling Automations

• Automation model with workflow_json, price, demo_webhook_url
• Purchase model with Stripe integration
• Delivery: JSON download, hosted deploy, or embedded viewer

See references/rails-integration-patterns.md for full implementation.

Validation Checklist

Before Building

• Run search_nodes to find correct node type
• Run get_node with detail: "standard" to understand config
• Check for required credentials

Node Level

• validate_node({..., mode: "full"}) passes
• All required fields populated
• Credentials configured (not hardcoded)
• Error handling configured

Workflow Level

• validate_workflow({...}) passes
• All nodes connected (no orphans)
• Error Trigger node present
• Webhook paths unique

AI Workflows

• Language model connected BEFORE AI Agent
• All tools have descriptions (15+ chars)
• Memory node if conversation history needed
• Streaming: no main outputs from AI Agent

Pre-Deployment

• Test with sample data
• Environment variables for sensitive data
• Rate limiting considered

Workflow JSON Structure

{
  "name": "Workflow Name",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "uuid",
      "name": "Node Name",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [250, 300],
      "parameters": {}
    }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Node Name": {
      "main": [[{"node": "Next Node", "type": "main",  
    
  
   
     
  

Scripts

Validate Before Deploy

python scripts/validate_before_deploy.py workflow.json

Generate Workflow Skeleton

python scripts/generate_workflow_skeleton.py --type webhook --name "My Workflow"
python scripts/generate_workflow_skeleton.py --type ai-agent --name "Support Bot"

References

Topic	File
MCP Tools (all 19)	references/mcp-tools-guide.md
AI Agent Patterns	references/ai-agents-guide.md
Rails Integration	references/rails-integration-patterns.md
Israeli Market	references/israeli-market-integrations.md
Node Configs	references/node-configuration-patterns.md
Code Patterns	references/code-node-patterns.md
Validation	references/validation-checklist.md

Templates

Workflows

• assets/templates/workflows/webhook-processor.json
• assets/templates/workflows/lead-capture-crm.json
• assets/templates/workflows/whatsapp-bot.json
• assets/templates/workflows/ai-agent-basic.json
• assets/templates/workflows/scheduled-report.json
• assets/templates/workflows/rails-webhook-handler.json

Nodes

• assets/templates/nodes/webhook-trigger.json
• assets/templates/nodes/http-request-auth.json
• assets/templates/nodes/code-transform.json
• assets/templates/nodes/if-conditions.json
• assets/templates/nodes/error-handler.json

Israeli Market

• assets/templates/israel/whatsapp-message-types.json
• assets/templates/israel/hebrew-templates.json
• assets/templates/israel/payment-webhook.json