n8n

Workflows

A workflow is an automation that connects multiple services/apps. It consists of:

• Nodes - Individual steps that perform actions (HTTP requests, code execution, integrations)
• Connections - Links between nodes defining data flow
• Triggers - How the workflow starts (webhook, schedule, manual, etc.)

Node Types

• Trigger nodes - Start workflows (Webhook, Schedule, Manual)
• Regular nodes - Process data (HTTP Request, Set, IF, Switch)
• Code nodes - Custom JavaScript/Python logic
• Integration nodes - Connect to services (Slack, Discord, Notion, etc.)

Executions

An execution is a single run of a workflow. States:

• success - Completed without errors
• error - Failed at some node
• running - Currently executing
• waiting - Paused, waiting for external event
• canceled - Manually stopped

Execution Modes

• webhook - Triggered by HTTP request
• trigger - Triggered by schedule or event
• manual - Triggered manually from UI
• retry - Retried from a failed execution

Webhooks

HTTP endpoints that trigger workflows:

• Production webhook - /webhook/ - Always active when workflow is active
• Test webhook - /webhook-test/ - For testing, shows data in UI

Credentials

Stored authentication for services (API keys, OAuth tokens). Referenced by nodes but not exposed in workflow JSON.

The CLI is available via uvx (no installation needed):

```bash

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli --help

```

Environment Variables

Required:

• N8N_API_KEY - API key from n8n (Settings → n8n API)
• N8N_BASE_URL - n8n instance URL (e.g., https://your-instance.app.n8n.cloud)

List Workflows

```bash

# List all workflows

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli workflows

# Active workflows only

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli workflows --active

# JSON output

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli workflows --json

```

Workflow Details

```bash

# Get workflow details

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli workflow

# Full JSON output

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli workflow --json

```

Activate/Deactivate Workflows

```bash

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli activate

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli deactivate

```

List Nodes in Workflow

```bash

# List all nodes (Code nodes marked with *)

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli nodes

```

View/Edit Nodes

```bash

# View node details

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node "node name"

# View Code node's JavaScript

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node "node name" --code

# Update Code node from file

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node "node name" --set-code script.js

# Rename a node

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node "old name" --rename "new name"

# Set node parameter (supports dot notation for nested keys)

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node "HTTP Request" --set-param url="https://api.example.com"

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node "Agent" --set-param options.systemMessage="You are helpful"

# Set multiple parameters at once

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node "Node" -p timeout=5000 -p retries=3

# Bulk update parameters from JSON (deep merged)

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node "Node" --set-param-json '{"options": {"systemMessage": "Hello"}}'

```

Export/Import Code Nodes

Useful for editing Code node scripts in a proper editor:

```bash

# Export all Code nodes to files

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli export-code ./nodes/

# Import updated scripts back

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli import-code ./nodes/

```

Trigger Workflows

```bash

# Trigger workflow by name via webhook

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli trigger "Workflow Name"

# With JSON payload

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli trigger "Workflow Name" --data '{"key": "value"}'

# With payload from file

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli trigger "Workflow Name" --file payload.json

# Use test webhook URL

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli trigger "Workflow Name" --test

```

List Executions

```bash

# Recent executions

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli executions

# Filter by workflow

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli executions --workflow

# Filter by status (error, success, running, waiting, canceled)

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli executions --status error

# Limit results

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli executions -n 100

```

Execution Details

```bash

# Get execution details (shows error info for failed executions)

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli execution

# Include full execution data

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli execution --data

# JSON output

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli execution --data --json

```

Retry Failed Execution

```bash

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli retry

# Use latest workflow version

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli retry --latest

```

Credentials Management

Note: The n8n API does not allow reading credential values (security restriction). You can only list credentials metadata, create new credentials, and delete credentials. To update a credential, you must delete and recreate it.

```bash

# List all credentials (metadata only - id, name, type)

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli credentials

# Get schema for a credential type (shows required fields)

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli credential-schema httpHeaderAuth

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli credential-schema openAiApi --json

# Create a credential

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli create-credential --name "My API Key" --type httpHeaderAuth --data '{"name": "X-API-Key", "value": "secret"}'

# Create from file

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli create-credential --name "OpenAI" --type openAiApi --data-file credentials.json

# Delete a credential

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli delete-credential

```

Troubleshoot Failed Executions

```bash

# 1. Find failed executions

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli executions --status error

# 2. Get error details

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli execution

# 3. Get full data for debugging

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli execution --data --json

```

Edit Code Nodes

```bash

# 1. Export all Code nodes

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli export-code ./nodes/

# 2. Edit scripts in your editor

# Files: ./nodes/node_name.js

# 3. Import changes back

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli import-code ./nodes/

```

Quick Node Update

```bash

# View current code

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node "node name" --code > script.js

# Edit script.js...

# Update node

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node "node name" --set-code script.js

```

Test Webhook Workflow

```bash

# Trigger with test payload

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli trigger "Workflow Name" --test --file test_payload.json

# Check execution result

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli executions --workflow -n 1

```

When debugging with --data --json, the execution contains:

```

execution

├── id # Execution ID

├── status # success, error, running, etc.

├── mode # webhook, trigger, manual, retry

├── startedAt / stoppedAt # Timestamps

├── workflowData # Snapshot of workflow at execution time

│ ├── name

│ ├── nodes[]

│ └── connections

└── data

└── resultData

├── runData # Output from each node

│ └── [nodeName][]

│ ├── data.main[][] # Node output items

│ └── executionStatus

├── lastNodeExecuted

└── error # If failed

├── message

├── description

└── node # Which node failed

```

Webhook Payload Issues

• Check execution --data --json and look at the Webhook node's output
• Payload is in runData.Webhook[0].data.main[0][0].json.body

Code Node Errors

• Error message shows the JavaScript error
• Use node "node name" --code to view the code
• Common: undefined variables, JSON parsing, missing fields

Integration Failures

• Usually credential or API issues
• Check if the service is accessible
• Verify credential permissions