feat: Add workflow activation/deactivation via diff operations

Implements workflow activation and deactivation as diff operations in
n8n_update_partial_workflow tool, following the pattern of other
configuration operations.

Changes:
- Add activateWorkflow/deactivateWorkflow API methods
- Add operation types to diff engine
- Update tool documentation
- Remove activation limitation

Resolves #399
Credits: ArtemisAI, cmj-hub for investigation and initial implementation
Conceived by Romuald Członkowski - www.aiadvisors.pl/en

src/mcp/handlers-n8n-manager.ts

@@ -1561,7 +1561,6 @@ export async function handleListAvailableTools(context?: InstanceContext): Promi
         maxRetries: config.maxRetries
       } : null,
       limitations: [
-        'Cannot activate/deactivate workflows via API',
         'Cannot execute workflows directly (must use webhooks)',
         'Cannot stop running executions',
         'Tags and credentials have limited API support'

src/mcp/handlers-workflow-diff.ts

@@ -245,15 +245,52 @@ export async function handleUpdatePartialWorkflow(
     // Update workflow via API
     try {
       const updatedWorkflow = await client.updateWorkflow(input.id, diffResult.workflow!);
-      
+
+      // Handle activation/deactivation if requested
+      let finalWorkflow = updatedWorkflow;
+      let activationMessage = '';
+
+      if (diffResult.shouldActivate) {
+        try {
+          finalWorkflow = await client.activateWorkflow(input.id);
+          activationMessage = ' Workflow activated.';
+        } catch (activationError) {
+          logger.error('Failed to activate workflow after update', activationError);
+          return {
+            success: false,
+            error: 'Workflow updated successfully but activation failed',
+            details: {
+              workflowUpdated: true,
+              activationError: activationError instanceof Error ? activationError.message : 'Unknown error'
+            }
+          };
+        }
+      } else if (diffResult.shouldDeactivate) {
+        try {
+          finalWorkflow = await client.deactivateWorkflow(input.id);
+          activationMessage = ' Workflow deactivated.';
+        } catch (deactivationError) {
+          logger.error('Failed to deactivate workflow after update', deactivationError);
+          return {
+            success: false,
+            error: 'Workflow updated successfully but deactivation failed',
+            details: {
+              workflowUpdated: true,
+              deactivationError: deactivationError instanceof Error ? deactivationError.message : 'Unknown error'
+            }
+          };
+        }
+      }
+
       return {
         success: true,
-        data: updatedWorkflow,
-        message: `Workflow "${updatedWorkflow.name}" updated successfully. Applied ${diffResult.operationsApplied} operations.`,
+        data: finalWorkflow,
+        message: `Workflow "${finalWorkflow.name}" updated successfully. Applied ${diffResult.operationsApplied} operations.${activationMessage}`,
         details: {
           operationsApplied: diffResult.operationsApplied,
-          workflowId: updatedWorkflow.id,
-          workflowName: updatedWorkflow.name,
+          workflowId: finalWorkflow.id,
+          workflowName: finalWorkflow.name,
+          active: finalWorkflow.active,
           applied: diffResult.applied,
           failed: diffResult.failed,
           errors: diffResult.errors,

src/mcp/tool-docs/workflow_management/n8n-update-partial-workflow.ts

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ export const n8nUpdatePartialWorkflowDoc: ToolDocumentation = {
   name: 'n8n_update_partial_workflow',
   category: 'workflow_management',
   essentials: {
-    description: 'Update workflow incrementally with diff operations. Types: addNode, removeNode, updateNode, moveNode, enable/disableNode, addConnection, removeConnection, rewireConnection, cleanStaleConnections, replaceConnections, updateSettings, updateName, add/removeTag. Supports smart parameters (branch, case) for multi-output nodes. Full support for AI connections (ai_languageModel, ai_tool, ai_memory, ai_embedding, ai_vectorStore, ai_document, ai_textSplitter, ai_outputParser).',
+    description: 'Update workflow incrementally with diff operations. Types: addNode, removeNode, updateNode, moveNode, enable/disableNode, addConnection, removeConnection, rewireConnection, cleanStaleConnections, replaceConnections, updateSettings, updateName, add/removeTag, activateWorkflow, deactivateWorkflow. Supports smart parameters (branch, case) for multi-output nodes. Full support for AI connections (ai_languageModel, ai_tool, ai_memory, ai_embedding, ai_vectorStore, ai_document, ai_textSplitter, ai_outputParser).',
     keyParameters: ['id', 'operations', 'continueOnError'],
     example: 'n8n_update_partial_workflow({id: "wf_123", operations: [{type: "rewireConnection", source: "IF", from: "Old", to: "New", branch: "true"}]})',
     performance: 'Fast (50-200ms)',
@@ -19,11 +19,12 @@ export const n8nUpdatePartialWorkflowDoc: ToolDocumentation = {
       'For AI connections, specify sourceOutput type (ai_languageModel, ai_tool, etc.)',
       'Batch AI component connections for atomic updates',
       'Auto-sanitization: ALL nodes auto-fixed during updates (operator structures, missing metadata)',
-      'Node renames automatically update all connection references - no manual connection operations needed'
+      'Node renames automatically update all connection references - no manual connection operations needed',
+      'Activate/deactivate workflows: Use activateWorkflow/deactivateWorkflow operations (requires activatable triggers like webhook/schedule)'
     ]
   },
   full: {
-    description: `Updates workflows using surgical diff operations instead of full replacement. Supports 15 operation types for precise modifications. Operations are validated and applied atomically by default - all succeed or none are applied.
+    description: `Updates workflows using surgical diff operations instead of full replacement. Supports 17 operation types for precise modifications. Operations are validated and applied atomically by default - all succeed or none are applied.
 
 ## Available Operations:
 
@@ -48,6 +49,10 @@ export const n8nUpdatePartialWorkflowDoc: ToolDocumentation = {
 - **addTag**: Add a workflow tag
 - **removeTag**: Remove a workflow tag
 
+### Workflow Activation Operations (2 types):
+- **activateWorkflow**: Activate the workflow to enable automatic execution via triggers
+- **deactivateWorkflow**: Deactivate the workflow to prevent automatic execution
+
 ## Smart Parameters for Multi-Output Nodes
 
 For **IF nodes**, use semantic 'branch' parameter instead of technical sourceIndex:

src/services/n8n-api-client.ts

@@ -170,6 +170,24 @@ export class N8nApiClient {
     }
   }
 
+  async activateWorkflow(id: string): Promise<Workflow> {
+    try {
+      const response = await this.client.post(`/workflows/${id}/activate`);
+      return response.data;
+    } catch (error) {
+      throw handleN8nApiError(error);
+    }
+  }
+
+  async deactivateWorkflow(id: string): Promise<Workflow> {
+    try {
+      const response = await this.client.post(`/workflows/${id}/deactivate`);
+      return response.data;
+    } catch (error) {
+      throw handleN8nApiError(error);
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Lists workflows from n8n instance.
    *

src/services/workflow-diff-engine.ts

@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ import {
   UpdateNameOperation,
   AddTagOperation,
   RemoveTagOperation,
+  ActivateWorkflowOperation,
+  DeactivateWorkflowOperation,
   CleanStaleConnectionsOperation,
   ReplaceConnectionsOperation
 } from '../types/workflow-diff';
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ import { Workflow, WorkflowNode, WorkflowConnection } from '../types/n8n-api';
 import { Logger } from '../utils/logger';
 import { validateWorkflowNode, validateWorkflowConnections } from './n8n-validation';
 import { sanitizeNode, sanitizeWorkflowNodes } from './node-sanitizer';
+import { isActivatableTrigger } from '../utils/node-type-utils';
 
 const logger = new Logger({ prefix: '[WorkflowDiffEngine]' });
 
@@ -214,12 +217,23 @@ export class WorkflowDiffEngine {
         }
 
         const operationsApplied = request.operations.length;
+
+        // Extract activation flags from workflow object
+        const shouldActivate = (workflowCopy as any)._shouldActivate === true;
+        const shouldDeactivate = (workflowCopy as any)._shouldDeactivate === true;
+
+        // Clean up temporary flags
+        delete (workflowCopy as any)._shouldActivate;
+        delete (workflowCopy as any)._shouldDeactivate;
+
         return {
           success: true,
           workflow: workflowCopy,
           operationsApplied,
           message: `Successfully applied ${operationsApplied} operations (${nodeOperations.length} node ops, ${otherOperations.length} other ops)`,
-          warnings: this.warnings.length > 0 ? this.warnings : undefined
+          warnings: this.warnings.length > 0 ? this.warnings : undefined,
+          shouldActivate: shouldActivate || undefined,
+          shouldDeactivate: shouldDeactivate || undefined
         };
       }
     } catch (error) {
@@ -262,6 +276,10 @@ export class WorkflowDiffEngine {
       case 'addTag':
       case 'removeTag':
         return null; // These are always valid
+      case 'activateWorkflow':
+        return this.validateActivateWorkflow(workflow, operation);
+      case 'deactivateWorkflow':
+        return this.validateDeactivateWorkflow(workflow, operation);
       case 'cleanStaleConnections':
         return this.validateCleanStaleConnections(workflow, operation);
       case 'replaceConnections':
@@ -315,6 +333,12 @@ export class WorkflowDiffEngine {
       case 'removeTag':
         this.applyRemoveTag(workflow, operation);
         break;
+      case 'activateWorkflow':
+        this.applyActivateWorkflow(workflow, operation);
+        break;
+      case 'deactivateWorkflow':
+        this.applyDeactivateWorkflow(workflow, operation);
+        break;
       case 'cleanStaleConnections':
         this.applyCleanStaleConnections(workflow, operation);
         break;
@@ -847,13 +871,46 @@ export class WorkflowDiffEngine {
 
   private applyRemoveTag(workflow: Workflow, operation: RemoveTagOperation): void {
     if (!workflow.tags) return;
-    
+
     const index = workflow.tags.indexOf(operation.tag);
     if (index !== -1) {
       workflow.tags.splice(index, 1);
     }
   }
 
+  // Workflow activation operation validators
+  private validateActivateWorkflow(workflow: Workflow, operation: ActivateWorkflowOperation): string | null {
+    // Check if workflow has at least one activatable trigger
+    // Issue #351: executeWorkflowTrigger cannot activate workflows
+    const activatableTriggers = workflow.nodes.filter(
+      node => !node.disabled && isActivatableTrigger(node.type)
+    );
+
+    if (activatableTriggers.length === 0) {
+      return 'Cannot activate workflow: No activatable trigger nodes found. Workflows must have at least one enabled trigger node (webhook, schedule, email, etc.). Note: executeWorkflowTrigger cannot activate workflows as they can only be invoked by other workflows.';
+    }
+
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  private validateDeactivateWorkflow(workflow: Workflow, operation: DeactivateWorkflowOperation): string | null {
+    // Deactivation is always valid - any workflow can be deactivated
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  // Workflow activation operation appliers
+  private applyActivateWorkflow(workflow: Workflow, operation: ActivateWorkflowOperation): void {
+    // Set flag in workflow object to indicate activation intent
+    // The handler will call the API method after workflow update
+    (workflow as any)._shouldActivate = true;
+  }
+
+  private applyDeactivateWorkflow(workflow: Workflow, operation: DeactivateWorkflowOperation): void {
+    // Set flag in workflow object to indicate deactivation intent
+    // The handler will call the API method after workflow update
+    (workflow as any)._shouldDeactivate = true;
+  }
+
   // Connection cleanup operation validators
   private validateCleanStaleConnections(workflow: Workflow, operation: CleanStaleConnectionsOperation): string | null {
     // This operation is always valid - it just cleans up what it finds

src/types/workflow-diff.ts

@@ -114,6 +114,16 @@ export interface RemoveTagOperation extends DiffOperation {
   tag: string;
 }
 
+export interface ActivateWorkflowOperation extends DiffOperation {
+  type: 'activateWorkflow';
+  // No additional properties needed - just activates the workflow
+}
+
+export interface DeactivateWorkflowOperation extends DiffOperation {
+  type: 'deactivateWorkflow';
+  // No additional properties needed - just deactivates the workflow
+}
+
 // Connection Cleanup Operations
 export interface CleanStaleConnectionsOperation extends DiffOperation {
   type: 'cleanStaleConnections';
@@ -148,6 +158,8 @@ export type WorkflowDiffOperation =
   | UpdateNameOperation
   | AddTagOperation
   | RemoveTagOperation
+  | ActivateWorkflowOperation
+  | DeactivateWorkflowOperation
   | CleanStaleConnectionsOperation
   | ReplaceConnectionsOperation;
 
@@ -176,6 +188,8 @@ export interface WorkflowDiffResult {
   applied?: number[]; // Indices of successfully applied operations (when continueOnError is true)
   failed?: number[]; // Indices of failed operations (when continueOnError is true)
   staleConnectionsRemoved?: Array<{ from: string; to: string }>; // For cleanStaleConnections operation
+  shouldActivate?: boolean; // Flag to activate workflow after update (for activateWorkflow operation)
+  shouldDeactivate?: boolean; // Flag to deactivate workflow after update (for deactivateWorkflow operation)
 }
 
 // Helper type for node reference (supports both ID and name)