fix: resolve Claude Desktop stdio communication issues and update documentation

- Fixed console output interference with stdio JSON-RPC protocol:
  - Modified logger to suppress ALL output in stdio mode
  - Added DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT environment variable support
  - Updated error handlers to respect stdio mode

- Updated Claude Desktop configuration documentation:
  - Added required environment variables for clean stdio communication
  - Promoted local installation as recommended method
  - Fixed remote connection instructions (removed broken mcp-remote)
  - Added troubleshooting section for common issues
  - Updated both README.md and docs/README_CLAUDE_SETUP.md

- Environment variables now required for stdio mode:
  - MCP_MODE=stdio
  - LOG_LEVEL=error
  - DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT=true
  - NODE_ENV=production

This ensures clean JSON-RPC communication without console output corruption.

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
czlonkowski
2025-06-16 00:50:06 +02:00
parent 7d6691cd42
commit 4d955a5b4b
4 changed files with 116 additions and 72 deletions

View File

@@ -1,38 +1,16 @@
# Claude Desktop Configuration for n8n-MCP
This guide helps you connect n8n-MCP to Claude Desktop, giving Claude comprehensive knowledge about n8n's 450+ workflow automation nodes.
This guide helps you connect n8n-MCP to Claude Desktop, giving Claude comprehensive knowledge about n8n's 525+ workflow automation nodes.
## 🎯 Prerequisites
- Claude Desktop installed
- For remote connections: Node.js 18+ on your local machine
- For local installation: Node.js (any version)
- For Docker: Docker Desktop or Docker Engine
## 🛠️ Configuration Methods
### Method 1: Docker (Simplest) 🐳
No installation needed - runs directly from Docker:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n-docker": {
"command": "docker",
"args": [
"run", "--rm", "-i",
"-e", "MCP_MODE=stdio",
"-v", "n8n-mcp-data:/app/data",
"ghcr.io/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp:latest"
]
}
}
}
```
**Benefits**: No setup required, always up-to-date, isolated environment.
### Method 2: Local Installation
### Method 1: Local Installation (Recommended) 💻
1. **Install and build:**
```bash
@@ -47,44 +25,75 @@ No installation needed - runs directly from Docker:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n-documentation": {
"n8n-mcp": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/n8n-mcp/dist/mcp/index.js"],
"env": {
"NODE_ENV": "production"
"NODE_ENV": "production",
"LOG_LEVEL": "error",
"MCP_MODE": "stdio",
"DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT": "true"
}
}
}
}
```
⚠️ **Important**: Use absolute paths, not relative paths.
⚠️ **Important**:
- Use absolute paths, not relative paths
- The environment variables shown above are critical for proper stdio communication
### Method 3: Remote Server Connection
### Method 2: Docker 🐳
**Requirements**: Node.js 18+ installed locally
No installation needed - runs directly from Docker:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n-remote": {
"command": "npx",
"n8n-docker": {
"command": "docker",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-remote",
"https://your-server.com/mcp",
"--header",
"Authorization: Bearer ${AUTH_TOKEN}"
],
"env": {
"AUTH_TOKEN": "your-auth-token"
}
"run", "--rm", "-i",
"-e", "MCP_MODE=stdio",
"-e", "LOG_LEVEL=error",
"-e", "DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT=true",
"-v", "n8n-mcp-data:/app/data",
"ghcr.io/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp:latest"
]
}
}
}
```
📝 **Note**: Remote MCP is also natively supported in Claude Pro/Team/Enterprise via Settings > Integrations.
**Benefits**: No setup required, always up-to-date, isolated environment.
### Method 3: Remote Server Connection (Advanced)
⚠️ **Note**: Remote connections are complex and may have compatibility issues. Consider using local installation instead.
For production deployments with multiple users:
1. **Deploy server with HTTP mode** (see [HTTP Deployment Guide](./HTTP_DEPLOYMENT.md))
2. **Connect using custom HTTP client:**
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8n-remote": {
"command": "node",
"args": [
"/path/to/n8n-mcp/scripts/mcp-http-client.js",
"http://your-server.com:3000/mcp"
],
"env": {
"MCP_AUTH_TOKEN": "your-auth-token"
}
}
}
}
```
📝 **Note**: Native remote MCP support is available in Claude Pro/Team/Enterprise via Settings > Integrations.
## 📁 Configuration File Locations
@@ -164,11 +173,30 @@ docker pull ghcr.io/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp:latest
docker ps
```
### Common Issues
**"Expected ',' or ']' after array element" errors in logs:**
- Cause: Console output interfering with stdio communication
- Fix: Ensure all required environment variables are set:
- `MCP_MODE=stdio`
- `LOG_LEVEL=error`
- `DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT=true`
**"NODE_MODULE_VERSION mismatch" warnings:**
- Not a problem! The server automatically falls back to a pure JavaScript implementation
- The warnings are suppressed with proper environment variables
**Server appears but tools don't work:**
- Check that you've built the project: `npm run build`
- Verify the database exists: `npm run rebuild`
- Restart Claude Desktop completely (quit and reopen)
### Quick Fixes
- 🔄 **Always restart Claude** after config changes
- 📋 **Copy example configs exactly** (watch for typos)
- 📂 **Use absolute paths** (/Users/... not ~/...)
- 🔍 **Check logs**: View > Developer > Logs in Claude Desktop
- 🛑 **Set all environment variables** shown in the examples
For more help, see [Troubleshooting Guide](./TROUBLESHOOTING.md)