using-n8n-mcp-skills – skill Agent & Tự động hóa cho agent AI

Using the n8n-mcp Skills

When to Use

Use this router at the start of any n8n MCP workflow design, inspection, edit, validation, test, deployment, credential, execution, or troubleshooting task so the relevant specialist guidance is loaded first.

Begin with read-only discovery and live schema inspection. Never copy secrets into prompts or workflow fields, never infer the target instance, and obtain approval before tests with side effects, activation, deletion, credential mutation, or other externally visible changes.

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 typeVersions, 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. The PreToolUse hooks remind

you on the highest-impact tool calls *only when the plugin bundle is installed*; on

Claude.ai (plain skill uploads, no hooks) the responsibility is entirely yours.

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.

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. Trust the skills and the live

tools (get_node, search_nodes, tools_documentation) over recollection. Treat a skill as versioned guidance; verify consequential behavior against current schemas and owning documentation. If get_node contradicts a skill, trust the

tool and flag the drift.

Strong defaults

Each skill owns its own exceptions; these are the defaults.

• The Code node is a last resort. Expression first, then an arrow function inside Edit

Fields, then a Code node only when neither can do the job. See n8n-code-javascript.

• A Set node feeding 0–1 consumers is almost always wrong. Inline the expression at

the consumer instead. 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 — choose the smallest correct graph, not an arbitrary node-count target |

| "I'll add a Set node to map these fields" | n8n-expression-syntax — Set feeding ≤1 consumer is the #1 antipattern |

| "I'll just use a Code node, it's easier" | n8n-code-javascript — the bar is high; most reaches are expressions or Edit Fields |

| "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 |

| "Date math — I'll drop in a DateTime node" | n8n-expression-syntax — Luxon inline is almost always right |

| "I'll wire a Merge with 3 sources" | n8n-node-configuration — Merge defaults to 2 inputs; 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 — every call hits the currently-targeted instance; reads misroute silently, and an ambiguous credential write fails closed with INSTANCE_AMBIGUOUS |

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; standard-library limits |

| 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 multiple instances (the n8n_instances tool is present); switching the target instance; verifying before credential writes; recovering from an unexpected NOT_FOUND, wrong/empty reads, or an INSTANCE_AMBIGUOUS credential-write fail-close |

n8n-mcp tools — working knowledge from turn one

Qualified names look like mcp__<server>__<tool> (<server> is usually n8n-mcp). This

closes the gap where a tool's full description isn't loaded until first use.

Discovery & docs

• tools_documentation — meta-docs for every tool; {topic:"ai_agents_guide", depth:"full"} for the agent guide.
• 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 — incr

… (nội dung đầy đủ có trong gói tải về)