n8n for macOS

Run n8n locally on your Mac as a native app. No internet, no Homebrew, no sudo required.

• Works on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs
• Runs in its own window — no browser needed
• Starts automatically on login
• Nothing installed outside your home folder

Build the DMG

Requires Xcode Command Line Tools (xcode-select --install) and an internet connection.

make clean && make

The output is dist/n8n-local-installer.dmg. See Building from source for details.

Install

1. Open the .dmg file
2. Right-click Install n8n.app > Open (needed once because the app is unsigned)
3. The installer runs — pick a port or press Enter for the default (5678)
4. n8n opens automatically — create your account on the setup page

Open n8n

After installation, open n8n from Finder or Spotlight:

• Finder — go to ~/Applications and double-click n8n
• Spotlight — press Cmd + Space, type n8n, press Enter

The app starts the n8n service automatically and reconnects if it restarts.

Use the Service menu in the menu bar to start, stop, restart, or view logs.

Upgrade

Open the .dmg again and run Install n8n.app. The installer upgrades in place — your workflows and credentials are preserved.

Uninstall

~/.n8n-local/uninstall.sh

Your workflow data (~/.n8n/) is preserved unless you choose to delete it.

Resources

Build workflows with AI

n8n-skills by Romuald Członkowski — a set of Claude Code skills that teach Claude how to design and configure n8n workflows. Install them globally so Claude can help build workflows in any project:

Skill	What it helps with
n8n-workflow-patterns	Proven architectures: webhook, API, database, AI agent, batch, scheduled
n8n-node-configuration	Operation-aware node setup — required fields and property dependencies
n8n-expression-syntax	n8n expressions ({{ }}, $json/$node) and fixing common errors
n8n-code-javascript	Writing JavaScript in Code nodes ($input/$helpers, loops, dates)
n8n-code-python	Writing Python in Code nodes
n8n-validation-expert	Reading and fixing validation errors and warnings
n8n-mcp-tools-expert	Using the n8n MCP tools effectively

See the n8n-skills installation guide for setup.

Environment variables

API access is configured through a .env file at the project root:

Variable	Description
N8N_URL	Base URL of your local n8n instance (e.g. http://localhost:5678)
N8N_API_KEY	REST API key for full CRUD — create, update, and delete workflows and credentials (sent as the X-N8N-API-KEY header)
N8N_MCP_TOKEN	Bearer token for the built-in MCP server — read-and-execute access (search_workflows, get_workflow_details, execute_workflow)

Generate the API key from Settings → n8n API in the n8n app, and the MCP token from the MCP server settings.

Connect Claude to your local n8n

Let Claude query your running instance by registering the built-in n8n MCP server. The token lives in .env at the project root:

source .env
claude mcp add --transport http n8n "$N8N_URL/mcp-server/http" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $N8N_MCP_TOKEN" \
  --scope user

Verify with claude mcp list (or /mcp inside a session) — it exposes search_workflows, get_workflow_details, and execute_workflow. These are read-and-execute only; creating or editing workflows uses the n8n REST API (X-N8N-API-KEY).

More

• Building from source
• Configuration & CLI
• Troubleshooting