n8n-workflow-builder

Discovery Phase

| Need | Tool | Example |

|------|------|---------|

| Find a node | search_nodes | search_nodes({query: "slack"}) |

| Find workflow templates | search_templates | search_templates({searchMode: "by_task", task: "ai_automation"}) |

| Find templates using specific nodes | search_templates | search_templates({searchMode: "by_nodes", nodeTypes: ["n8n-nodes-base.slack"]}) |

| Get a specific template | get_template | get_template({templateId: 123, mode: "full"}) |

Configuration Phase

| Need | Tool | Example |

|------|------|---------|

| How to configure a node | get_node | get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.httpRequest", detail: "standard"}) |

| Node documentation | get_node | get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.slack", mode: "docs"}) |

| Find specific property | get_node | get_node({nodeType: "...", mode: "search_properties", propertyQuery: "auth"}) |

| Real-world examples | get_node | get_node({..., detail: "standard", includeExamples: true}) |

Validation Phase

| Need | Tool | Example |

|------|------|---------|

| Validate node config | validate_node | validate_node({nodeType: "...", config: {...}, mode: "full"}) |

| Validate full workflow | validate_workflow | validate_workflow({workflow: {...}}) |

Deployment Phase (requires API)

| Need | Tool |

|------|------|

| Create workflow | n8n_create_workflow |

| Update workflow | n8n_update_partial_workflow |

| Deploy template | n8n_deploy_template |

| Test workflow | n8n_test_workflow |

| Get execution results | n8n_executions |

Pattern 1: Webhook -> Process -> Respond

```

Webhook -> Code (validate) -> HTTP Request -> Respond

```

Template: assets/templates/workflows/webhook-processor.json

Pattern 2: Lead Capture -> CRM -> Notify

```

Webhook -> IF (validate) -> CRM -> Slack -> Rails callback

```

Template: assets/templates/workflows/lead-capture-crm.json

Pattern 3: AI Agent with Tools

```

Chat Trigger -> AI Agent <- OpenAI Model

^

|- HTTP Request Tool

|- Code Tool

```

Template: assets/templates/workflows/ai-agent-basic.json

Pattern 4: WhatsApp Bot (Israeli Market)

```

Webhook -> Code (parse) -> Switch (msg type) -> HTTP Request (WhatsApp API)

```

Template: assets/templates/workflows/whatsapp-bot.json

Pattern 5: Scheduled Reports

```

Schedule Trigger -> HTTP (fetch data) -> Code (format) -> Email/Slack

```

Template: assets/templates/workflows/scheduled-report.json

Pattern 6: Rails Integration

```

Rails App -> Webhook -> Process -> HTTP (callback to Rails)

```

Template: assets/templates/workflows/rails-webhook-handler.json

search_nodes - Finding Nodes

```javascript

// Find database nodes

search_nodes({query: "database"})

// Fuzzy search (typo-tolerant)

search_nodes({query: "slak", mode: "FUZZY"})

// With real examples

search_nodes({query: "webhook", includeExamples: true})

```

get_node - Node Configuration

```javascript

// Standard detail (recommended starting point)

get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.httpRequest", detail: "standard"})

// With real-world examples

get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.slack", detail: "standard", includeExamples: true})

// Documentation mode

get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.webhook", mode: "docs"})

// Search specific properties

get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.httpRequest", mode: "search_properties", propertyQuery: "header"})

// Version comparison

get_node({nodeType: "nodes-base.httpRequest", mode: "compare", fromVersion: "1.0", toVersion: "2.0"})

```

validate_node - Pre-build Validation

```javascript

// Full validation with suggestions

validate_node({

nodeType: "nodes-base.slack",

config: {resource: "channel", operation: "create"},

mode: "full",

profile: "strict"

})

// Quick check

validate_node({

nodeType: "nodes-base.httpRequest",

config: {method: "POST", url: "https://api.example.com"},

mode: "minimal"

})

```

validate_workflow - Full Workflow Validation

```javascript

validate_workflow({

workflow: myWorkflowJson,

options: {

validateNodes: true,

validateConnections: true,

validateExpressions: true,

profile: "strict"

}

})

```

search_templates - Finding Templates

```javascript

// By task type

search_templates({searchMode: "by_task", task: "ai_automation"})

search_templates({searchMode: "by_task", task: "webhook_processing"})

// By nodes used

search_templates({searchMode: "by_nodes", nodeTypes: ["n8n-nodes-base.openAi", "n8n-nodes-langchain.agent"]})

// By complexity

search_templates({searchMode: "by_metadata", complexity: "simple", maxSetupMinutes: 15})

// Keyword search

search_templates({query: "slack notification"})

```

Connection Types (CRITICAL)

AI connections flow TO the consumer node:

| Connection Type | From | To | Purpose |

|----------------|------|------|---------|

| ai_languageModel | Language Model | AI Agent | REQUIRED - provides LLM |

| ai_tool | Tool Node | AI Agent | Gives agent capabilities |

| ai_memory | Memory Node | AI Agent | Conversation history |

| ai_outputParser | Parser | Chain | Structured output |

Minimal AI Agent Setup

1. Add Chat Trigger (or Manual Trigger)
2. Add Language Model (OpenAI Chat Model / Anthropic)
3. Add AI Agent
4. Connect: Chat Trigger -> AI Agent (main connection)
5. Connect: Language Model -> AI Agent (ai_languageModel type)

Adding Tools to Agent

```javascript

// HTTP Request Tool - for API calls

{

"name": "Call API Tool",

"type": "@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.toolHttpRequest",

"parameters": {

"description": "Calls external API to fetch data" // REQUIRED: 15+ chars

}

}

// Connect: HTTP Tool -> AI Agent (ai_tool type)

```

Tool Description Requirements

• Minimum 15 characters
• Must clearly describe what the tool does
• Agent uses this to decide when to use the tool

See references/ai-agents-guide.md for advanced patterns.

WhatsApp Business API

```javascript

// Send text message

{

"method": "POST",

"url": "https://graph.facebook.com/v18.0/{{PHONE_ID}}/messages",

"headers": {"Authorization": "Bearer {{ACCESS_TOKEN}}"},

"body": {

"messaging_product": "whatsapp",

"to": "972501234567",

"type": "text",

"text": {"body": "\u200F" + hebrewText} // RTL marker for Hebrew

}

}

```

Hebrew RTL Handling

```javascript

// Add RTL marker for Hebrew text

const rtlText = "\u200F" + hebrewContent; // Right-to-Left Mark

// Mixed content

const mixed = \u200F${hebrewPart}\u200E${englishPart}; // LTR mark for English

```

Rate Limits by Tier

| Tier | Messages/day | Messages/sec |

|------|--------------|--------------|

| Unverified | 250 | 80 |

| Verified | 1,000 | 80 |

| Business | 10,000+ | 80 |

See references/israeli-market-integrations.md for WhatsApp templates and payment patterns.

Triggering n8n from Rails

```ruby

# app/services/n8n_service.rb

def trigger_webhook(webhook_url, payload)

HTTParty.post(webhook_url, {

body: payload.to_json,

headers: {'Content-Type' => 'application/json', 'X-Webhook-Secret' => ENV['N8N_SECRET']}

})

end

```

Receiving n8n Callbacks

```ruby

# Verify signature

signature = request.headers['X-N8N-Signature']

expected = OpenSSL::HMAC.hexdigest('sha256', ENV['N8N_SECRET'], request.raw_post)

unless ActiveSupport::SecurityUtils.secure_compare(signature.to_s, expected)

render json: {error: 'Unauthorized'}, status: 401

end

```

Selling Automations

• Automation model with workflow_json, price, demo_webhook_url
• Purchase model with Stripe integration
• Delivery: JSON download, hosted deploy, or embedded viewer

See references/rails-integration-patterns.md for full implementation.

Before Building

• [ ] Run search_nodes to find correct node type
• [ ] Run get_node with detail: "standard" to understand config
• [ ] Check for required credentials

Node Level

• [ ] validate_node({..., mode: "full"}) passes
• [ ] All required fields populated
• [ ] Credentials configured (not hardcoded)
• [ ] Error handling configured

Workflow Level

• [ ] validate_workflow({...}) passes
• [ ] All nodes connected (no orphans)
• [ ] Error Trigger node present
• [ ] Webhook paths unique

AI Workflows

• [ ] Language model connected BEFORE AI Agent
• [ ] All tools have descriptions (15+ chars)
• [ ] Memory node if conversation history needed
• [ ] Streaming: no main outputs from AI Agent

Pre-Deployment

• [ ] Test with sample data
• [ ] Environment variables for sensitive data
• [ ] Rate limiting considered

```json

{

"name": "Workflow Name",

"nodes": [

{

"id": "uuid",

"name": "Node Name",

"type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",

"typeVersion": 2,

"position": [250, 300],

"parameters": {}

}

],

"connections": {

"Node Name": {

"main": [[{"node": "Next Node", "type": "main", "index": 0}]]

}

},

"settings": {

"executionOrder": "v1"

}

}

```

Validate Before Deploy

```bash

python scripts/validate_before_deploy.py workflow.json

```

Generate Workflow Skeleton

```bash

python scripts/generate_workflow_skeleton.py --type webhook --name "My Workflow"

python scripts/generate_workflow_skeleton.py --type ai-agent --name "Support Bot"

```

| Topic | File |

|-------|------|

| MCP Tools (all 19) | references/mcp-tools-guide.md |

| AI Agent Patterns | references/ai-agents-guide.md |

| Rails Integration | references/rails-integration-patterns.md |

| Israeli Market | references/israeli-market-integrations.md |

| Node Configs | references/node-configuration-patterns.md |

| Code Patterns | references/code-node-patterns.md |

| Validation | references/validation-checklist.md |

Workflows

• assets/templates/workflows/webhook-processor.json
• assets/templates/workflows/lead-capture-crm.json
• assets/templates/workflows/whatsapp-bot.json
• assets/templates/workflows/ai-agent-basic.json
• assets/templates/workflows/scheduled-report.json
• assets/templates/workflows/rails-webhook-handler.json

Nodes

• assets/templates/nodes/webhook-trigger.json
• assets/templates/nodes/http-request-auth.json
• assets/templates/nodes/code-transform.json
• assets/templates/nodes/if-conditions.json
• assets/templates/nodes/error-handler.json

Israeli Market

• assets/templates/israel/whatsapp-message-types.json
• assets/templates/israel/hebrew-templates.json
• assets/templates/israel/payment-webhook.json