Add the n8n MCP server to Windsurf

Config last verified Jun 1, 2026

The exact config to run n8n in Windsurf — paste it in, restart, and the tools load.

Prerequisites

Windsurf installed.
MCP_MODE — Transport mode; set to 'stdio' for MCP clients.

Setup

1. Open `~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json`

On Windows the file lives at %USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json.

2. Add this configuration

Add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "n8n-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MCP_MODE": "<MCP_MODE>",
        "LOG_LEVEL": "<LOG_LEVEL>",
        "DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT": "<DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT>",
        "N8N_API_URL": "<N8N_API_URL>",
        "N8N_API_KEY": "<N8N_API_KEY>"
      }
    }
  }
}

3. Restart Windsurf and confirm the n8n tools load.

Gotchas

Windsurf's Cascade reads MCP servers from an "mcpServers" object in ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json. Unlike most clients, remote servers are configured with the "serverUrl" field rather than "url", so a config that uses "url" silently fails to connect. Native remote transport is supported without an OAuth flow.

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