n8n MCP on GitHub: Simplify Workflow Custom Packages

Dev

As n8n continues to grow in popularity as a powerful workflow automation tool, its flexibility and extensibility are key reasons for developer adoption. One of its powerful features is MCP (Managed Custom Packages) — a system that allows you to manage and share custom-built functionality, such as custom nodes or modules, across different n8n instances.

When paired with GitHub, n8n MCP becomes a powerful way to collaborate, version, and deploy custom packages easily across your infrastructure.

In this article, we will explore:

What is n8n MCP?
Why use GitHub for MCP management?
How to configure MCP with GitHub
Best practices for maintaining MCP repositories

What is MCP in n8n?

MCP (Managed Custom Packages) is a feature in n8n that enables users to:

Develop and manage custom nodes or integrations
Reuse these packages across multiple n8n instances
Store packages in a centralized location (like GitHub)
Load and update these packages dynamically without modifying the core n8n code

This feature is ideal for enterprise or team environments where custom automation logic needs to be maintained centrally and deployed easily.

Why Use GitHub for n8n MCP?

Using GitHub as the central repository for your MCPs has several advantages:

Version Control: Track changes and collaborate with your team
CI/CD Integration: Automate testing and deployment of new package versions
Security: Control who has access to your custom packages
Backup and Reliability: GitHub ensures high availability and durability of your codebase

Additionally, n8n's MCP system supports pulling packages directly from GitHub repositories, making it the natural choice for developers already using Git-based workflows.

How to Set Up n8n MCP with GitHub

Here is a basic step-by-step guide to integrating n8n MCP with a GitHub repository.

Step 1: Prepare Your GitHub Repository

Create a new GitHub repository (e.g., n8n-custom-nodes) and structure it like this:

/custom-nodes
  /my-custom-node
    /node.js
    /credentials.js
    /package.json

Each custom node should include:

A valid package.json file
Node definitions (.node.js)
Optional credentials if your node integrates with third-party services

Step 2: Configure Your `package.json`

Here's a minimal example for package.json:

{
  "name": "n8n-custom-nodes",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "n8n": {
    "nodes": [
      "my-custom-node/myCustomNode.node.js"
    ]
  }
}

Step 3: Enable MCP in Your n8n Instance

In your config or .env file of your n8n deployment, set:

N8N_CUSTOM_EXTENSIONS=managed
N8N_MANAGED_PACKAGE_REPOS=https://github.com/your-org/n8n-custom-nodes.git

This tells n8n to pull custom packages from your GitHub repository during startup.

Note: Ensure that your GitHub repo is public or accessible via SSH token if private.

Step 4: Restart n8n

Restart your n8n instance. It will automatically fetch, install, and enable the custom nodes defined in your managed package.

Example Use Case: Sharing a Slack Alert Node

Imagine you’ve built a custom Slack Alert node that’s tailored for your internal alerting format. Instead of copying it manually across instances, you can:

Push it to your n8n-custom-nodes GitHub repo
Update the version in package.json
Restart all n8n instances using MCP
The node becomes available everywhere instantly

Best Practices for Managing n8n MCP on GitHub

Here are a few tips to help manage your MCP repositories effectively:

✅ Use Semantic Versioning

Stick to semver (e.g., 1.0.1) to make it easy to track updates and roll back if needed.

✅ Isolate Nodes by Function

Organize your custom nodes in logical folders by integration (e.g., /slack/, /jira/, /crm/)

✅ Use CI/CD

Automate linting, testing, and release packaging using GitHub Actions. This ensures code quality and reduces manual errors.

✅ Write Documentation

Each node should have a README.md with usage instructions. It helps others in your team understand and maintain the code.

✅ Protect Branches

Enable branch protection on GitHub to avoid accidental merges to production.

Troubleshooting Common MCP Issues

| Issue | Solution |
| -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| Nodes not showing up | Check the file paths in package.json and restart n8n |
| GitHub repo not accessible | Make sure the repo is public or your token has permissions |
| Package errors on startup | Validate package.json and syntax of custom nodes |

Use docker logs or n8n --tunnel logs to debug startup errors related to MCP.

Conclusion

The combination of n8n MCP and GitHub offers a scalable, maintainable way to extend your workflow automation capabilities. Whether you’re building custom integrations, internal tools, or just tweaking existing nodes, using GitHub to manage MCPs makes collaboration, deployment, and updates seamless.

Start small by building one custom node, push it to GitHub, and see how easily you can enhance your n8n automation stack.

FAQs about n8n MCP GitHub

❓ Can I use a private GitHub repo for MCP?

Yes. Just make sure your n8n instance has access via a GitHub token or SSH key.

❓ How often does n8n pull updates from MCP repos?

Currently, the update occurs during startup. Restart n8n after pushing new commits.

❓ Does MCP work with self-hosted n8n?

Absolutely. MCP is designed for self-hosted environments and is ideal for enterprise use cases.

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