Always Authenticate Your Server!
Configured with Aggregate, Execute Workflow Trigger, HTTP Request, Mcp Trigger, and additional nodes. Review the connections and setup before adapting this template.
Node categories in this workflow
- Trigger
- Routing
- Subworkflow
- Web / API
- Transform
Icons describe general node roles, inferred from node types. Inspect the parameters for the configured action.
Drag to pan; use + and − to zoom. Reconstructed from the exported node positions; nothing runs here. Dashed lines represent non-main connections. Full node names and notes appear below.
How it works
The exported workflow contains the following configured nodes. Their connections are shown above; inspect the JSON for the complete logic, expressions, and external actions.
| Node | Category | Type | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|
| When Executed by Another Workflow | Trigger | Execute Workflow Trigger | See node parameters |
| Operation | Routing | Switch | See node parameters |
| Youtube Transcripts | Subworkflow | Tool Workflow | See node parameters |
| Youtube Search | Subworkflow | Tool Workflow | See node parameters |
| Apify Youtube Search | Web / API | HTTP Request | See node parameters |
| Simplify Search Results | Transform | Edit Fields | See node parameters |
| Apify Youtube Transcripts | Web / API | HTTP Request | See node parameters |
| Simplify Transcript Results | Transform | Edit Fields | See node parameters |
| Aggregate Search Results | Transform | Aggregate | See node parameters |
| Aggregate Transcript Results | Transform | Aggregate | See node parameters |
| Simplify Usage Metrics | Transform | Edit Fields | See node parameters |
| Get Usage Limits | Web / API | HTTP Request | See node parameters |
| Usage Report | Subworkflow | Tool Workflow | See node parameters |
| Get Usage Metrics | Web / API | HTTP Request | See node parameters |
| Apify Youtube MCP Server | Trigger | Mcp Trigger | See node parameters |
Setup
- Download the JSON and import it into an isolated n8n instance. Leave the workflow inactive.
- Connect your own credentials through n8n’s credential store. Replace
REPLACE_WITH_*values with your resource identifiers. - Inspect API destinations, Code nodes, database queries, file paths, and outbound actions.
- Run with synthetic data and harmless destinations. Enable triggers only after checking the actual outputs.
Requirements
An n8n instance with the listed node types and compatible versions. Service-connected workflows may require accounts, credentials, or paid APIs.
Credential types declared in the source
httpHeaderAuth
Workflow notes
1. Set up an MCP Server Trigger
1. Set up an MCP Server Trigger
2. [APIFY.com](https://www.apify.com?fpr=414q6) for Easy Youtube Search and Transcripts
2. APIFY.com for Easy Youtube Search and Transcripts
Sign up for Apify.com using 20JIMLEUK for 20% discount
I've used Apify's Youtube scrapers a couple of times already and I find them quite fast and dependable for production use-cases. I particularly like that my workflows don't break when I inevitably hit the official Youtube rate limits which are quite low. For this MCP server, I'm using the following youtube scraper for search and downloading transcripts: https://apify.com/streamers/youtube-scraper
Always Authenticate Your Server!
Always Authenticate Your Server!
Before going to production, it's always advised to enable authentication on your MCP server trigger.
Try It Out!
Try It Out!
This n8n demonstrates how to build a simple Youtube Search MCP server to look up videos on Youtube and download their transcripts for research purposes.
How it works
- A MCP server trigger is used and connected to 3 custom workflow tools: Youtube Search, Youtube Transcripts and Usage Reports.
- Both Youtube tools use an external scraping service called APIFY.com. This is my preference as it's a much simpler interface and there are no rate limits.
- The Youtube Search fetches 10 results based on the user's query.
- The Youtube Transcripts downloads the subtitles from one or more given urls.
- The usage reports pulls in your monthly APIFY.com monthly spending and limits as a way to check your account.
How to use
- This Apify Youtube MCP server allows any compatible MCP client to research youtube videos for any desired topic. An Apify account is required however to connect and use the service.
- 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
- Alternatively, connect any n8n AI agent with the MCP client tool.
- Try the following queries in your MCP client:
- "what is MCP?"
- "How can I use MCP in n8n?"
- "How can I use Apify's official MCP server?"
Requirements
- APIFY.com for Youtube Scraping. This is a paid service but there is a $5 free tier which is ample for this template.
- MCP Client or Agent for usage such as Claude Desktop - https://claude.ai/download
Customising this workflow
- Add as many APIFY.com actors as required for your use-case or users. Consider using Apify's official MCP server for 4000+ available tools.
- Remember to set the MCP server to require credentials before going to production and sharing this MCP server with others!
Always Authenticate Your Server!
Always Authenticate Your Server!
Purpose and structure
This folder contains the Always Authenticate Your Server! workflow. Its executable nodes use aggregate, executeWorkflowTrigger, httpRequest, mcpTrigger, set, switch, toolWorkflow. The table and connection map below are derived from the JSON, not an inferred guarantee of behavior.
Setup
Import inactive. Configure your own credentials and replace REPLACE_WITH_* values. Review external destinations and Code nodes before running.
Entry points
When Executed by Another Workflow, Apify Youtube MCP Server
Verification
Sanitized source candidate; not runtime-tested. This overview is generated from node metadata. Read the folder README for the connection map, credential types, and license.
Attribution
https://github.com/Zie619/n8n-workflows/blob/94007c1445d9258a7da116646b79473e7c7c3282/workflows/Http/0878_HTTP_Aggregate_Import_Webhook.json MIT; preserve source notices.