n8n-mcp/docs/MCP_ACTION_PLAN.md

# MCP Implementation Action Plan

## Key Insights from Analysis

### ✅ What You Already Have (Working Well)
1. **Excellent property extraction** - All properties with complete schemas
2. **Proper data structure** - Properties include types, options, displayOptions
3. **Efficient storage** - JSON in SQLite is perfect for this use case
4. **Complete metadata** - Operations, credentials, documentation all captured

### ❌ The Real Problem
- **Information overload**: Returning 200+ properties when AI needs 10-20
- **No filtering**: All properties returned regardless of relevance
- **Poor organization**: Essential mixed with advanced properties
- **No examples**: AI agents need concrete examples to work from

### 💡 The Solution
**Don't restructure - add intelligent filtering layers on top**

## Immediate Action Plan (This Week)

### Day 1-2: Implement get_node_essentials

1. **Create services**:
   ```bash
   touch src/services/property-filter.ts
   touch src/services/example-generator.ts
   ```

2. **Copy code from implementation guide**:
   - PropertyFilter class with essential lists
   - ExampleGenerator with concrete examples
   - Tool implementation in server.ts

3. **Test with top 5 nodes**:
   - nodes-base.httpRequest
   - nodes-base.webhook
   - nodes-base.code
   - nodes-base.set
   - nodes-base.postgres

4. **Measure improvement**:
   ```bash
   npm run build
   node scripts/test-essentials.js
   ```

### Day 3: Expand Coverage

1. **Add 15 more nodes** to ESSENTIAL_PROPERTIES:
   - nodes-base.if
   - nodes-base.merge
   - nodes-base.splitInBatches
   - nodes-base.function
   - nodes-base.email
   - nodes-base.slack
   - nodes-base.github
   - nodes-base.googleSheets
   - nodes-base.openAi
   - nodes-base.redis
   - nodes-base.mongodb
   - nodes-base.mysql
   - nodes-base.ftp
   - nodes-base.ssh
   - nodes-base.executeCommand

2. **Create examples** for each node

3. **Test with AI agents**

### Day 4-5: Implement search_node_properties

1. **Create property flattener**:
   ```typescript
   // Converts nested properties to flat list with paths
   class PropertyFlattener {
     static flatten(properties: any[], path = ''): FlatProperty[]
   }
   ```

2. **Add search functionality**:
   - Search by name
   - Search by description
   - Search by type

3. **Test search accuracy**

### Week 2: Validation & Task Templates

1. **Implement validate_node_config**:
   - Check required properties
   - Validate against displayOptions
   - Provide helpful error messages

2. **Create task templates**:
   - Common API patterns
   - Database operations
   - File handling
   - Webhook patterns

## Essential Property Lists (Starting Point)

```typescript
// Top 20 nodes to optimize first (80% of usage)
const PRIORITY_NODES = {
  'nodes-base.httpRequest': {
    required: ['url'],
    common: ['method', 'authentication', 'sendBody', 'contentType', 'sendHeaders']
  },
  'nodes-base.webhook': {
    required: [],
    common: ['httpMethod', 'path', 'responseMode', 'responseData']
  },
  'nodes-base.code': {
    required: [],
    common: ['language', 'jsCode', 'pythonCode']
  },
  'nodes-base.set': {
    required: [],
    common: ['mode', 'assignments', 'options']
  },
  'nodes-base.if': {
    required: [],
    common: ['conditions', 'combineOperation']
  },
  'nodes-base.postgres': {
    required: [],
    common: ['operation', 'table', 'query', 'additionalFields']
  },
  'nodes-base.openAi': {
    required: [],
    common: ['resource', 'operation', 'modelId', 'prompt', 'messages']
  },
  'nodes-base.googleSheets': {
    required: [],
    common: ['operation', 'sheetId', 'range', 'dataStartRow']
  },
  'nodes-base.slack': {
    required: [],
    common: ['resource', 'operation', 'channel', 'text', 'attachments']
  },
  'nodes-base.email': {
    required: [],
    common: ['fromEmail', 'toEmail', 'subject', 'text', 'html']
  }
};
```

## Success Criteria

### Week 1
- [ ] get_node_essentials working for 20 nodes
- [ ] 90%+ size reduction achieved
- [ ] Examples provided for common use cases
- [ ] Property search implemented

### Week 2
- [ ] Configuration validation working
- [ ] 10+ task templates created
- [ ] Error messages are helpful
- [ ] AI agents successfully creating workflows

### Month 1
- [ ] 50+ nodes optimized
- [ ] Advanced features implemented
- [ ] Documentation updated
- [ ] Migration guide created

## Quick Test Commands

```bash
# Test essentials tool
echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"get_node_essentials","arguments":{"nodeType":"nodes-base.httpRequest"}},"id":1}' | npm start

# Compare with original
echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"get_node_info","arguments":{"nodeType":"nodes-base.httpRequest"}},"id":1}' | npm start

# Test property search
echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"search_node_properties","arguments":{"nodeType":"nodes-base.httpRequest","query":"auth"}},"id":1}' | npm start
```

## Remember

1. **Start small** - Get one tool working perfectly before moving on
2. **Test with real AI** - Use Claude/GPT to validate improvements
3. **Iterate quickly** - Refine based on what works
4. **Keep compatibility** - Don't break existing tools
5. **Measure everything** - Track size reduction and success rates

## Next Steps

1. Review this plan with your team
2. Start with Day 1 implementation
3. Test with HTTP Request node
4. Get feedback from AI agents
5. Iterate and improve

The key is to **deliver value incrementally** while building toward the complete solution.