n8n Ansible Deployment with AI Integration

This repository contains an Ansible role for deploying n8n workflow automation tool on CentOS/RHEL/Rocky Linux systems using Docker, with optional MCP (Model Context Protocol) server integration for Claude AI.

• Automated n8n Deployment: Complete Docker-based n8n installation
• AI-Powered Workflow Creation: Optional MCP server enables Claude to create and manage workflows
• Testing Infrastructure: Molecule tests for role validation
• Production Ready: Configurable authentication, databases, and security settings
• Autonomous Development: Perfect for AI-assisted automation development

If you're developing or testing this role, first set up your environment with Ansible, Molecule, and Docker:

# Make the bootstrap script executable
chmod +x bootstrap-testing-env.sh

# Run the bootstrap script
sudo ./bootstrap-testing-env.sh

# Log out and log back in (or run newgrp docker)
newgrp docker

Edit inventory.ini and add your target server(s):

[n8n_servers]
your-server.example.com ansible_user=root

Edit playbook.yml to customize n8n settings:

vars:
  n8n_version: "latest"
  n8n_port: 5678
  n8n_basic_auth_active: true
  n8n_basic_auth_user: "admin"
  n8n_basic_auth_password: "YourSecurePassword"
  n8n_timezone: "America/New_York"

Run the playbook:

ansible-playbook -i inventory.ini playbook.yml

Once deployed, access n8n in your browser:

http://your-server-ip:5678

This repository includes an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that enables Claude AI to create and manage n8n workflows through natural language!

MCP allows Claude to interact directly with n8n's API, enabling you to:

• Create workflows by describing what you want in plain English
• Modify existing workflows with simple instructions
• Execute and monitor workflows through conversation
• Discover nodes and capabilities without reading documentation

Add to your playbook:

vars:
  deploy_mcp_server: true
  mcp_server_repo: https://github.com/your-org/workflows.git

Then deploy:

ansible-playbook -i inventory.ini playbook.yml

After deployment, configure Claude Desktop with the generated config file from /opt/n8n-mcp-server/claude_desktop_config.json.

Example conversations:

You: "Create a workflow that sends me a Slack message every morning at 9 AM with the weather"

Claude: I'll create a daily weather notification workflow for you...
[Creates complete workflow with Schedule Trigger, Weather API, and Slack nodes]

See mcp-server-n8n/README.md for detailed setup and usage.

.
├── bootstrap-testing-env.sh    # Script to set up testing environment
├── inventory.ini                # Ansible inventory file
├── playbook.yml                 # Example playbook for deploying n8n
├── README.md                    # This file
├── mcp-server-n8n/              # MCP server for Claude AI integration
│   ├── README.md                # MCP server documentation
│   ├── src/                     # MCP server source code
│   ├── docs/                    # Examples and guides
│   ├── config/                  # Configuration templates
│   ├── Dockerfile               # Container image
│   └── docker-compose.yml       # Compose setup
└── roles/
    └── n8n/                     # n8n Ansible role
        ├── README.md            # Role documentation
        ├── defaults/            # Default variables
        ├── handlers/            # Handlers for service restarts
        ├── meta/                # Role metadata
        ├── molecule/            # Molecule test scenarios
        ├── tasks/               # Role tasks
        └── templates/           # Jinja2 templates

Molecule provides automated testing for the role:

# Navigate to role directory
cd roles/n8n

# Run full test suite
molecule test

# Run individual steps
molecule create      # Create test containers
molecule converge    # Apply the role
molecule verify      # Run verification tests
molecule login       # SSH into test container
molecule destroy     # Clean up test containers

This role was designed for autonomous AI development. The testing environment allows AI agents to:

1. Develop role features
2. Test changes automatically with Molecule
3. Verify functionality
4. Iterate based on test results

• Automated Docker Installation: Installs Docker and Docker Compose on target systems
• n8n Deployment: Deploys n8n using Docker containers
• Configurable: Extensive variables for customization
• Idempotent: Safe to run multiple times
• Tested: Includes Molecule tests for quality assurance
• Production-Ready: Supports authentication, custom ports, and external databases

n8n_version: "latest"           # n8n version
n8n_port: 5678                  # Port to expose
n8n_basic_auth_active: true     # Enable basic auth
n8n_basic_auth_user: "admin"    # Username
n8n_basic_auth_password: "pass" # Password

n8n_db_type: "postgresdb"       # Database type
n8n_webhook_url: "https://..."  # Webhook URL
n8n_env_vars:                   # Custom variables
  N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY: "key"
  DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST: "db.example.com"

See roles/n8n/README.md for all available variables.

• Ansible: 2.9 or higher
• Target OS: CentOS/RHEL/Rocky Linux 8 or 9
• Python: 3.6 or higher on target systems
• Internet: Required for downloading packages and images

1. Change Default Passwords: Always use strong, unique passwords
2. Enable Authentication: Set n8n_basic_auth_active: true
3. Use HTTPS: Deploy a reverse proxy with SSL/TLS
4. Firewall Rules: Restrict access to n8n port
5. Encryption Key: Set N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY for credential encryption
6. Regular Updates: Keep n8n and Docker updated
7. Backup Data: Regularly backup /opt/n8n/data

sudo systemctl status docker
sudo systemctl start docker

# Check container status
docker ps -a

# View logs
docker logs n8n

# Restart container
docker restart n8n

# Fix data directory permissions
sudo chown -R 1000:1000 /opt/n8n/data

Change n8n_port in your playbook to an available port.

To upgrade n8n to a newer version:

1. Update n8n_version variable in playbook
2. Re-run the playbook
3. Molecule will pull the new image and restart the container

vars:
  n8n_version: "1.22.0"  # Specify version or use "latest"

Contributions are welcome! To contribute:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test with Molecule
5. Submit a pull request

• n8n Documentation
• Ansible Documentation
• Molecule Documentation
• Docker Documentation

MIT

For issues and questions:

• Role Issues: Check roles/n8n/README.md
• n8n Issues: Visit n8n Community
• Ansible Issues: Check Ansible Documentation

Created by AI Assistant for autonomous workflow automation deployment.