Can I use n8n-cli with AI agents?

Yes. It was built for AI agents. The meta schema command gives any LLM the full CLI reference in one shot. There is also a bundled Claude Code plugin with 7 specialized skills and a node explorer agent for guided workflow building.

Open Source · MIT License

Build n8n workflows
from the terminal. Free. Forever.

A JSON-first CLI designed for AI agents and automation pipelines. 45+ commands, 2 dependencies, zero cost.

Get Started Read the Docs

terminal

$ n8n-cli nodes search "send slack message"

{
  "query": "send slack message",
  "results": 3,
  "data": [
    { "n8nType": "n8n-nodes-base.slack", "score": 180 },
    { "n8nType": "n8n-nodes-base.slackTrigger", "score": 130 }
  ]
}

$ _

45+

Commands

420+

Tests Passing

Forever

Dependencies

Features

Everything you need. Nothing you don't.

Minimal dependencies. Maximum capability. Built for developers who automate.

JSON-First Output

Every response is valid JSON. Pipe to jq, feed to your AI, chain with Unix tools. No parsing, no surprises.

Node Discovery

Search node types by natural language. Get full parameter schemas before you build. Live data from your instance, not stale caches.

Multi-Instance Profiles

Switch between local, staging, and production with one flag. Per-project overrides with .n8nrc files.

AI-Native Design

Built-in meta commands give AI agents the full CLI schema in one shot. Recipes, templates, and credential guides included.

Debug & Retry

List failed executions, inspect full node I/O data, retry with the latest workflow version. All from the terminal.

Claude Code Plugin

7 skills + node explorer agent bundled. Install once, build n8n workflows conversationally from your IDE.

How It Works

From zero to deployed in 6 commands

Sync your instance

$ n8n-cli nodes sync

Discover nodes

$ n8n-cli nodes search "send slack message"

Get parameter schemas

$ n8n-cli nodes get n8n-nodes-base.slack

Check credentials

$ n8n-cli credentials list --fields id,name,type

Deploy the workflow

$ cat workflow.json | n8n-cli workflows create

Go live

$ n8n-cli workflows activate <id>

Compare

Why pay for what should be free?

See how n8n-cli stacks up against typical SaaS workflow builders.

Feature

n8n-cli

SaaS Tools

Price

Free forever

$34-67/mo

Node schemas

Live from your instance

Pre-cached, may be stale

Output format

JSON (pipe-friendly)

Web UI only

Multi-instance

✓

Credential management

Full CRUD + schema

Limited

AI integration

CLI + Claude Code plugin

Proprietary

Self-hosted

✓

Open source

MIT

Dependencies

Unknown

Works with

n8n Claude Code

Any Terminal

MCP Clients

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is n8n-cli?

A free, open-source command-line interface for the n8n REST API. It lets you manage workflows, credentials, executions, and more from the terminal. Every output is JSON, making it ideal for AI agents, CI/CD pipelines, and automation scripts.

Do I need coding experience?

Basic terminal familiarity is all you need. The CLI is designed to be intuitive: search nodes by describing what you want, get schema details, and build workflows step by step. The Claude Code plugin makes it even easier by letting you describe workflows in plain language.

How does it compare to web-based tools?

Web-based workflow builders charge $34-67/month and lock you into their platform. n8n-cli is free, open-source, runs locally, and gives you full control. It pulls live node schemas from your own instance instead of relying on pre-cached data that may be outdated.

Can I use it with AI agents?

Absolutely. It was built for AI agents. The meta schema command gives any LLM the full CLI reference in one shot. There's also a bundled Claude Code plugin with 7 specialized skills and a node explorer agent for guided workflow building.

Does it work with self-hosted n8n?

Yes. It works with any n8n instance that has API access enabled: self-hosted, Docker, n8n Cloud, or any custom deployment. Just point it at your base URL and API key.

Is it really free?

Yes. MIT License. No credits, no usage limits, no paywalls, no "free tier" with artificial restrictions. The full source code is on GitHub. Fork it, extend it, use it in production. Forever free.

Build n8n workflows from the terminal. Free. Forever.