Claude Code × n8n — Workflow Builder Template

Turn Claude Code into an expert n8n engineer for any project. Clone, open, say "hey" — Claude configures itself and starts building.

Built by AY Automate.

What This Is

A Claude Code environment pre-loaded with everything needed to build production-ready n8n workflows:

• Onboarding agent — asks 6 questions, configures the project, creates workflow stubs automatically
• Expert build agent — knows n8n architecture, patterns, validation, and best practices
• 7 n8n skills — expression syntax, node configuration, JS/Python code nodes, workflow patterns, validation
• n8n-mcp — Claude talks to your live n8n instance directly (no copy-pasting JSON)
• Project templates — CLAUDE.md, PRD.md, DESIGN.md pre-structured and ready to fill

This is what AY Automate uses internally to build n8n automation stacks for clients. We've shipped 234+ workflows with this setup — everything we've learned is in the skills.

Requirements

Quick Start

1. Clone or fork this repo

git clone https://github.com/walidboulanouar/n8n-claude-code-template.git my-project
cd my-project

Or click Use this template on GitHub.

2. Install n8n-atom (recommended for local development)

npx -y @atom8n/n8n@latest

Opens at http://localhost:5888 — a full n8n client embedded in your IDE. Build and debug workflows without switching to the browser.

GitHub: https://github.com/KhanhPham2411/n8n-atom

3. Open in Claude Code

claude

4. Say hey

hey

Claude detects the unconfigured project and runs the onboarding wizard. 6 questions, ~3 minutes.

5. Start building

After onboarding, Claude knows your project. Then:

fill out workflow 1 spec

→ Claude expands the workflow spec in PRD.md

build workflow 1

→ Claude builds it, saves JSON to workflows/, marks acceptance criteria done

design the architecture

→ Claude generates DESIGN.md from your tools and workflows

How It Works

The onboarding flow

You: hey

Claude: Hey! I'm your n8n workflow builder. Before we start building,
        I need 6 quick things to configure your project. Ready?

You: yes

Claude: [Question 1] What is your project?
You: [answer]

Claude: [Question 2] What tools are you connecting?
You: [answer]

... 4 more questions ...

Claude: Setup complete. 3 workflows queued.
        Say "fill out workflow 1 spec" to expand the first one.

After onboarding, Claude fills in:

• CLAUDE.md — your project context (read every session)
• PRD.md — workflow stubs ready to expand
• DESIGN.md — architecture template
• workflows/ — one stub JSON per workflow

The build loop

fill out workflow 1 spec  →  Claude expands PRD.md
build workflow 1          →  Claude builds + saves JSON to workflows/
[test it in n8n-atom]     →  you test locally
build workflow 2          →  repeat

n8n-mcp — Claude talks to n8n directly

Already configured in .claude/settings.json. Claude can:

• List your workflows
• Push new workflows into n8n
• Trigger test executions
• Read execution logs to debug

Docs: https://www.n8n-mcp.com

What's Included

n8n-claude-code-template/
├── README.md                        ← this file
├── CLAUDE.md                        ← project context (filled during onboarding)
├── PRD.md                           ← workflow specs (filled during onboarding + build)
├── DESIGN.md                        ← architecture decisions
│
├── .claude/
│   ├── settings.json                ← n8n-mcp pre-configured
│   │
│   ├── agents/
│   │   ├── onboarding.md            ← setup wizard (auto-triggers on "hey")
│   │   └── n8n-workflow-builder.md  ← expert build agent
│   │
│   └── skills/
│       ├── n8n-expression-syntax/   ← {{ }} expressions, $json, $node
│       ├── n8n-mcp-tools-expert/    ← interact with live n8n via MCP
│       ├── n8n-workflow-patterns/   ← waterfall, dedup, classification, batch
│       ├── n8n-validation-expert/   ← pre-production checklist
│       ├── n8n-node-configuration/  ← HTTP, Webhook, Schedule, IF, Switch, Code, Set
│       ├── n8n-code-javascript/     ← JS Code nodes with common patterns
│       └── n8n-code-python/         ← Python Code nodes
│
└── workflows/
    └── [your exported workflow JSONs go here]

What's in the skills

We've built 234+ n8n workflows across outbound automation, CRM sync, lead enrichment, AI classification, event processing, meeting intelligence, and more. Everything we've learned from those builds is distilled into the 7 skills in this template.

When you use this template, you're not starting from scratch — you're starting from 234 workflows worth of patterns, mistakes, and hard-won knowledge.

Skills Deep Dive

n8n-expression-syntax

Writes and explains n8n {{ }} expressions. Knows $json, $node, $items, $now, Luxon date operations, optional chaining, and common gotchas.

n8n-mcp-tools-expert

Uses the n8n-mcp server to interact with your live n8n instance from Claude Code. List, create, update, trigger, and debug workflows without leaving the terminal.

n8n-workflow-patterns

Pre-built patterns for: waterfall enrichment, multi-layer dedup, reply classification with Claude/GPT, batch processing with error recovery, scheduled digests, Fireflies transcript processing.

n8n-validation-expert

Pre-production checklist covering: structure (no orphaned nodes, error outputs connected), logic (dedup before write, correct intent gates), data (null handling, email validation), error handling, performance (batching, rate limits).

n8n-node-configuration

Correct configuration for every common node: HTTP Request, Webhook, Schedule Trigger, IF, Switch, Code, Set, Split In Batches, Merge, Send Email.

n8n-code-javascript

JavaScript Code node patterns: CSV parsing, domain extraction, waterfall status building, dedup check results, batch summary reporting, Fireflies transcript parsing.

n8n-code-python

Python Code node patterns: same as JS but in Python. Includes note on what's available in the n8n Python sandbox.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this work with n8n cloud? Yes. Set your n8n cloud URL in the onboarding flow and n8n-mcp connects to it.

Does this work with self-hosted n8n? Yes. Same setup — just use your self-hosted URL.

Do I need n8n-atom? No, it's optional. But it makes local development much faster — you get a full n8n client inside VS Code / Cursor without opening a browser.

Can I use this for non-automation projects? The skills and agents are n8n-specific. For other projects, the template structure (CLAUDE.md + onboarding agent + build agent) is reusable — swap out the skills.

Can multiple engineers use the same repo? Yes. Each engineer clones the repo, runs Claude Code, and has full context. Workflow JSONs in workflows/ are version-controlled so the team shares progress.

What if my workflow is too complex to describe in plain language? During onboarding, give a high-level description. Then use "fill out workflow [N] spec" to have a detailed conversation with Claude about the full spec before building.

Contributing

Found a pattern that should be in the skills? A node configuration that's always needed? Open a PR.

Built by AY Automate — we build AI-native automation stacks for companies scaling their operations.

Questions: walid@ayautomate.com