This workflow follows the Execute Workflow Trigger → Toolworkflow recipe pattern — see all workflows that pair these two integrations.
The workflow JSON
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{
"nodes": [
{
"id": "24be8907-684e-4b57-9642-6f4a45ca7af3",
"name": "Sticky Note",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-380,
-280
],
"parameters": {
"color": 7,
"width": 680,
"height": 660,
"content": "## 1. Set up an MCP Server Trigger\n[Read more about the MCP Server Trigger](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-langchain.mcptrigger)"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "d5845d0a-648f-4bc1-b087-bc0d17506ed3",
"name": "Sticky Note3",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-380,
-400
],
"parameters": {
"color": 5,
"width": 380,
"height": 100,
"content": "### Always Authenticate Your Server!\nBefore going to production, it's always advised to enable authentication on your MCP server trigger."
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "fe9f1c8e-8334-4732-be3a-5ee49036e11e",
"name": "FileSystem MCP Server",
"type": "@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.mcpTrigger",
"position": [
-180,
-140
],
"parameters": {
"path": "0d93cfd5-2fbf-457e-9535-5bfc9a73ba9e"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "fb49782f-d8de-480b-a470-e37adb2e3036",
"name": "ListDirectory",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.executeCommandTool",
"position": [
-300,
60
],
"parameters": {
"command": "=ls /home/node/{{ $fromAI('path', 'optional, leave blank for project root directory.') }}",
"toolDescription": "List directories under the project root folder. The project root directory is /home/node/"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "8fa93054-bcf5-4fbc-9825-df16be063eb2",
"name": "CreateDirectory",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.executeCommandTool",
"position": [
-200,
160
],
"parameters": {
"command": "=mkdir -p /home/node/{{ $fromAI('filename', 'name of directory. Will be scoped under the /home/node/ project root directory. Optionally use path to create within subdirectories') }}",
"toolDescription": "Create directories under the project root folder. The project root folder is /home/node."
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "aafe884d-0e6e-476a-92fe-b2111f624417",
"name": "When Executed by Another Workflow",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.executeWorkflowTrigger",
"position": [
400,
40
],
"parameters": {
"workflowInputs": {
"values": [
{
"name": "operation"
},
{
"name": "filenames",
"type": "array"
},
{
"name": "contents",
"type": "array"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1.1
},
{
"id": "d85925b6-d58d-43b5-a6ca-3e43cbc81121",
"name": "Operation",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.switch",
"position": [
580,
40
],
"parameters": {
"rules": {
"values": [
{
"outputKey": "writeOneOrMultipleFiles",
"conditions": {
"options": {
"version": 2,
"leftValue": "",
"caseSensitive": true,
"typeValidation": "strict"
},
"combinator": "and",
"conditions": [
{
"id": "c1da2138-e2df-46d4-b1f4-97525c05e778",
"operator": {
"type": "string",
"operation": "equals"
},
"leftValue": "={{ $json.operation }}",
"rightValue": "writeOneOrMultipleFiles"
}
]
},
"renameOutput": true
},
{
"outputKey": "readOneOrMultipleFiles",
"conditions": {
"options": {
"version": 2,
"leftValue": "",
"caseSensitive": true,
"typeValidation": "strict"
},
"combinator": "and",
"conditions": [
{
"id": "cc02a5a2-609c-4dbe-bdb6-45f145947e47",
"operator": {
"name": "filter.operator.equals",
"type": "string",
"operation": "equals"
},
"leftValue": "={{ $json.operation }}",
"rightValue": "readOneOrMultipleFiles"
}
]
},
"renameOutput": true
}
]
},
"options": {}
},
"typeVersion": 3.2
},
{
"id": "e9ec2928-5e33-4213-a53a-92b7d840d49e",
"name": "readOneOrMultipleFiles",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.executeCommand",
"position": [
840,
140
],
"parameters": {
"command": "=cat {{ $json.filenames.join(' ') }}"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "77ba2a48-b4b9-4a23-818d-e028a7762514",
"name": "ReadFiles",
"type": "@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.toolWorkflow",
"position": [
40,
160
],
"parameters": {
"name": "readFil",
"workflowId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $workflow.id }}"
},
"description": "=Call this tool to read the contents of a file. Include file extension.",
"workflowInputs": {
"value": {
"contents": "[]",
"filenames": "={{ /*n8n-auto-generated-fromAI-override*/ $fromAI('filenames', `An array of filenames`, 'string') }}",
"operation": "readOneOrMultipleFiles"
},
"schema": [
{
"id": "operation",
"type": "string",
"display": true,
"removed": false,
"required": false,
"displayName": "operation",
"defaultMatch": false,
"canBeUsedToMatch": true
},
{
"id": "filenames",
"type": "array",
"display": true,
"removed": false,
"required": false,
"displayName": "filenames",
"defaultMatch": false,
"canBeUsedToMatch": true
},
{
"id": "contents",
"type": "array",
"display": true,
"removed": false,
"required": false,
"displayName": "contents",
"defaultMatch": false,
"canBeUsedToMatch": true
}
],
"mappingMode": "defineBelow",
"matchingColumns": [],
"attemptToConvertTypes": false,
"convertFieldsToString": false
}
},
"typeVersion": 2.1
},
{
"id": "2ddf9a9a-cade-41c0-a068-482345452d4b",
"name": "WriteFiles",
"type": "@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.toolWorkflow",
"position": [
140,
60
],
"parameters": {
"name": "write_file",
"workflowId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $workflow.id }}"
},
"description": "Call this tool to write contents to one or more files. Filenames and Contents are matched by their respective Array Indexes. Eg. To write to a single file, use { filenames: [<filename1>,<filename2>], contents: [<content1>,<content2>] } ",
"workflowInputs": {
"value": {
"contents": "={{ /*n8n-auto-generated-fromAI-override*/ $fromAI('contents', `An array of strings for content to be written`, 'string') }}",
"filenames": "={{ /*n8n-auto-generated-fromAI-override*/ $fromAI('filenames', `An array of strings for filenames`, 'string') }}",
"operation": "writeOneOrMultipleFiles"
},
"schema": [
{
"id": "operation",
"type": "string",
"display": true,
"removed": false,
"required": false,
"displayName": "operation",
"defaultMatch": false,
"canBeUsedToMatch": true
},
{
"id": "filenames",
"type": "array",
"display": true,
"removed": false,
"required": false,
"displayName": "filenames",
"defaultMatch": false,
"canBeUsedToMatch": true
},
{
"id": "contents",
"type": "array",
"display": true,
"removed": false,
"required": false,
"displayName": "contents",
"defaultMatch": false,
"canBeUsedToMatch": true
}
],
"mappingMode": "defineBelow",
"matchingColumns": [],
"attemptToConvertTypes": false,
"convertFieldsToString": false
}
},
"typeVersion": 2.1
},
{
"id": "a5d9e11b-0583-4c67-b30b-be1d4185b891",
"name": "writeOneOrMultipleFiles",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.executeCommand",
"position": [
840,
-60
],
"parameters": {
"command": "={{\n$json.filenames.map((filename,idx) =>\n `echo \"${$json.contents[idx] ?? ''}\" > /home/node/${filename}`\n).join('\\n')\n}}"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "de2f715c-b6d1-4702-9d39-2527108b5706",
"name": "SearchDirectory",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.executeCommandTool",
"position": [
-80,
240
],
"parameters": {
"command": "=find /home/node/ -name \"{{ $fromAI('filename', 'A name search paramter for the linux find tool') }}\"\n",
"toolDescription": "Search the project folder for a file by name. The project root directory is /home/node/"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "a4918bb1-8882-45c8-a05c-a3e22912cc0f",
"name": "Sticky Note1",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
320,
-280
],
"parameters": {
"color": 7,
"width": 740,
"height": 660,
"content": "## 2. Use Custom Workflow Tool for More Complex Commands\n[Learn more about the Execute Command tool](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.executecommand/)\n\n"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "ebf6c15b-e4e0-4db0-bb4e-36e204fb6a47",
"name": "Sticky Note2",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-880,
-740
],
"parameters": {
"width": 460,
"height": 1120,
"content": "## Try It Out!\n### This n8n demonstrates how to build a simple FileSystem MCP server. Connecting to this server allows MCP clients and agents to list, read and create directories and files on the local machine or remote server.\n\nThis MCP example is based off an official MCP reference implementation which can be found here -https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/tree/main/src/filesystem\n\n### How it works\n* A MCP server trigger is used and connected to 5 tools: 3 Execute Command tools and 2 custom workflow tools.\n* The 3 Execute Command tools allow for listing, searching and creating directories. \n* The 2 custom workflow tools are for reading and writing files to disk.\n* Special care has been to not allow the MCP agent to execute arbitrary linux commands on the target server. This is achieved by only allowing the agent to provide parameters such as filenames and paths rather than raw commands. \n\n### How to use\n* This Filesystem MCP server will write to the server which hosts the n8n instance - this can be your local machine or a remove server. If your target filesystem is on neither, then modify the commands to connect to the desired server.\n* Connect your MCP client by following the n8n guidelines here - https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-langchain.mcptrigger/#integrating-with-claude-desktop\n* Try the following queries in your MCP client:\n * \"Please help me list all folders under the project directory.\"\n * \"Help me create a bash script to send a notification to Slack.\"\n * \"Search for the log file on the 22nd April and read its contents. What was the cause of the outage?\"\n\n### Requirements\n* Linux file system for this example template. Feel free to modify if working on Windows.\n* MCP Client or Agent for usage such as Claude Desktop - https://claude.ai/download\n\n### Customising this workflow\n* Implement the moving and renaming of files by adding more custom workflow tools to the MCP server.\n* Remember to set the MCP server to require credentials before going to production and sharing this MCP server with others!"
},
"typeVersion": 1
}
],
"connections": {
"Operation": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "writeOneOrMultipleFiles",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
],
[
{
"node": "readOneOrMultipleFiles",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"ReadFiles": {
"ai_tool": [
[
{
"node": "FileSystem MCP Server",
"type": "ai_tool",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"WriteFiles": {
"ai_tool": [
[
{
"node": "FileSystem MCP Server",
"type": "ai_tool",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"ListDirectory": {
"ai_tool": [
[
{
"node": "FileSystem MCP Server",
"type": "ai_tool",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"CreateDirectory": {
"ai_tool": [
[
{
"node": "FileSystem MCP Server",
"type": "ai_tool",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"SearchDirectory": {
"ai_tool": [
[
{
"node": "FileSystem MCP Server",
"type": "ai_tool",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"When Executed by Another Workflow": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Operation",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
}
}
}
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How this works
This workflow automates file system operations by responding to event-driven commands, enabling seamless directory management and file handling without manual intervention. It's ideal for developers and IT teams integrating AI-driven automations into larger systems, particularly when chaining workflows for complex tasks. The key step involves the executeCommandTool nodes that list directories, create new ones, or read files based on triggers from mcpTrigger or executeWorkflowTrigger, ensuring reliable execution across 14 interconnected nodes.
Use this workflow when building modular automations that require on-demand file system interactions, such as in deployment pipelines or data processing chains triggered by external events. Avoid it for simple, one-off tasks better suited to basic scripts, or when real-time performance demands exceed n8n's capabilities. Common variations include adding AI nodes for intelligent file analysis or integrating with tools like Google Drive for cloud-based extensions.
About this workflow
Executeworkflow Executecommandtool. Uses stickyNote, mcpTrigger, executeCommandTool, executeWorkflowTrigger. Event-driven trigger; 14 nodes.
Source: https://github.com/Zie619/n8n-workflows — original creator credit. Request a take-down →
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