{
 "categories": [
  "rpa",
  "low-code",
  "developer-tools"
 ],
 "deployment": "hybrid",
 "evidence": [
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "homepage",
   "note": "Opened n8n.io. The page title presents n8n as an AI workflow automation platform.",
   "source": "https://n8n.io",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "license",
   "note": "n8n sells Cloud Starter, Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans and also offers a self-hosted Community Edition on GitHub.",
   "source": "https://n8n.io/pricing",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "deployment",
   "note": "n8n documents two primary deployments: fully managed n8n Cloud and self-hosted Community, Business, or Enterprise.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/choose-how-to-use-n8n",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "platforms",
   "note": "Cloud needs no install. Self-hosted setup is documented as npm, Docker, or a server, with the editor used as a web application.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/choose-how-to-use-n8n",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "modalities.api.exists",
   "note": "n8n documents a public REST API for programmatic access to many of the same tasks as the GUI. The API is not available during the Cloud free trial.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/n8n-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[0]",
   "note": "The documented public interface is an HTTP REST API with an endpoint reference generated from OpenAPI.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/n8n-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "modalities.api.auth[0]",
   "note": "n8n authenticates API calls with API keys sent in the X-N8N-API-KEY header. Enterprise keys can be limited with scopes.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/n8n-api/authentication",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "modalities.api.coverage",
   "note": "Documented scopes cover workflows, executions, credentials, data tables, projects, users, tags, variables, source control, and insights. Coverage is broad but not claimed as the entire editor.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/n8n-api/authentication",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "modalities.mcp.first_party",
   "note": "n8n documents a built-in instance-level MCP server. An owner or admin enables it under Settings > Instance-level MCP. It is distinct from the MCP Server Trigger node.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/connect-to-n8n-mcp-server",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "modalities.cli.exists",
   "note": "Official n8n CLI installs as @n8n/cli, authenticates with an API key, and lists workflow, execution, credential, project, and related commands.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/n8n-cli",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "modalities.extensibility.webhooks",
   "note": "The Webhook node creates test and production URLs that start a workflow from an external HTTP event and can return workflow output.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "modalities.data_access.export[0]",
   "note": "CLI commands support --format=json. workflow get and related API calls return structured workflow and execution JSON.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/n8n-cli",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "modalities.data_access.import[0]",
   "note": "n8n CLI creates a workflow from JSON on stdin. Package export/import (.n8np) is documented as Preview.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/n8n-cli",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "modalities.agent_docs.llms_txt",
   "note": "n8n publishes a genuine documentation index at docs.n8n.io/llms.txt covering API, CLI, MCP, deploy, and node docs.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/llms.txt",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.api",
   "note": "The REST API is documented, read/write, and paired with an official CLI. Cloud trial lockout and partial GUI coverage keep it in the practical-production tier rather than unusual completeness.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/n8n-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.mcp",
   "note": "Official tools include search_workflows, create_workflow_from_code, update_workflow, validate_workflow, execute_workflow, and data-table operations. Instance enablement, per-workflow exposure, version gates, and the 2026-04-29 Public Preview announcement keep the score at 7.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/connect-to-n8n-mcp-server/mcp-server-tools-reference",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.cli",
   "note": "Official CLI covers the public API surface, supports JSON output, and is documented for Claude Code and other agents. Package commands are Preview and the CLI requires a running instance.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/n8n-cli",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[0].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as n8n's current instance-level MCP setup, including OAuth versus API-key auth and the distinction from the MCP Server Trigger node.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/connect-to-n8n-mcp-server",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[1].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as the current instance MCP tool reference, including workflow build, validate, execute, agent, and data-table tools.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/connect-to-n8n-mcp-server/mcp-server-tools-reference",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[2].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as n8n's current public REST API introduction, including the Cloud free-trial exclusion.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/n8n-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[3].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as the 2026-04-29 vendor announcement that instance MCP can build and update workflows, is first-party in every edition, and shipped as a Public Preview.",
   "source": "https://blog.n8n.io/n8n-mcp-server/",
   "tier": "declared"
  }
 ],
 "freshness": {
  "last_verified": "2026-08-31",
  "volatility": "high",
  "watch": [
   {
    "type": "mcp",
    "url": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/connect-to-n8n-mcp-server"
   },
   {
    "type": "mcp",
    "url": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/connect-to-n8n-mcp-server/mcp-server-tools-reference"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/n8n-api"
   },
   {
    "type": "changelog",
    "url": "https://blog.n8n.io/n8n-mcp-server/"
   }
  ]
 },
 "homepage": "https://n8n.io",
 "id": "n8n",
 "license": "freemium",
 "modalities": {
  "agent_docs": {
   "llms_txt": true
  },
  "api": {
   "auth": [
    "api-key"
   ],
   "coverage": "partial",
   "docs": "https://docs.n8n.io/connect/n8n-api",
   "exists": true,
   "kinds": [
    "rest"
   ]
  },
  "cli": {
   "exists": true
  },
  "computer_use": {
   "issues": [],
   "viability": "unknown"
  },
  "data_access": {
   "export": [
    "json"
   ],
   "import": [
    "json"
   ]
  },
  "extensibility": {
   "scripting": [],
   "webhooks": true
  },
  "integrations": {
   "make": "unknown",
   "n8n": "unknown",
   "power_automate": "unknown",
   "zapier": "unknown"
  },
  "mcp": {
   "first_party": true,
   "third_party": [],
   "verdict": "official"
  },
  "rpa": {
   "drivability": "unknown",
   "notes": "No repeatable UI probe was run. n8n's public REST API, official n8n CLI, instance-level MCP server, and Webhook trigger cover practical workflow automation without browser control.\n",
   "ui_stack": [
    "web-dom"
   ],
   "vendor_support": []
  },
  "sdk": {
   "exists": "unknown",
   "languages": [],
   "official": "unknown"
  }
 },
 "name": "n8n",
 "platforms": [
  "web"
 ],
 "related": {
  "alternatives": [
   "uipath"
  ],
  "our_products": []
 },
 "schema_version": 1,
 "score_version": 1,
 "status": "active",
 "vendor": "n8n",
 "verdict": {
  "best_path": "api",
  "scores": {
   "api": 7,
   "cli": 7,
   "computer_use": null,
   "integrations": null,
   "mcp": 7,
   "overall": 7,
   "rpa": null
  },
  "summary": "n8n is automatable today through its public REST API. The API at /api/v1 authenticates with an X-N8N-API-KEY header and can create, update, activate, and delete workflows plus manage executions, credentials, projects, tags, variables, data tables, and users. Cloud free-trial tenants cannot use the API until the instance is upgraded. Enterprise keys can be scoped; other keys have full account access. Official n8n CLI (@n8n/cli) wraps the same API from any network-reachable machine, supports --format=json, and is documented for AI-agent use. A first-party instance-level MCP server, distinct from the MCP Server Trigger node, can search, build, validate, and run workflows after an instance owner enables MCP and marks workflows Available in MCP. Clients authenticate with OAuth or a bearer API token. n8n's 2026-04-29 blog called the workflow-building MCP update a Public Preview and recommended version 2.18.4 or higher; current setup docs add OAuth client dialogs from 2.33.0 and many tool behaviors are version-gated. This record excludes UiPath, Zapier, and Microsoft Power Automate. Computer-use viability is unassessed. API, MCP, and CLI all score 7; API is the best path because it does not require instance MCP enablement, per-workflow exposure, or a publicly reachable MCP endpoint.\n"
 }
}