N8N Code Automation

Integrate n8n workflow automation into coding tasks. Use when building automated workflows, integrating n8n into development pipelines, executing existing wo...

Security Scan

The skill's instructions match its stated purpose (controlling n8n) but the SKILL.md asks you to store and use an API key and a specific third‑party n8n host while the registry metadata does not declare any required credentials or config paths — this mismatch and the defaulting to a single external host are concerning.

Purpose & Capability

The name/description and the provided curl examples align with an n8n integration: listing, executing, cloning, updating workflows. However the document defaults to a single hosted instance (https://n8n.nelflow.cloud) rather than being generic or allowing an explicit user-owned instance; that prescriptive default should be intentional and disclosed.

Instruction Scope

The SKILL.md instructs the agent/user to add N8N_URL and N8N_API_KEY into ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json and provides many curl examples that will transmit workflow inputs and execution data to the specified n8n host. It therefore directs the agent to read/write an agent config path and to send potentially sensitive data to an external endpoint — actions not declared in the registry metadata.

Install Mechanism

No install spec and no code files are present (instruction-only), so nothing is written to disk or downloaded by the skill itself.

Credentials

Although requesting an n8n URL and API key is appropriate for this integration, the registry lists no required environment variables or primary credential while SKILL.md explicitly expects N8N_URL and N8N_API_KEY. The missing declaration is an inconsistency and the SKILL.md advises storing the API key in the agent config, which increases the blast radius if the host is untrusted.

Persistence & Privilege

always is false and the skill is user-invocable (normal). The SKILL.md asks to modify ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json (agent config) to store credentials — this is a normal installation pattern but should be done deliberately and securely. Autonomous invocation is allowed by default; combine that with stored API keys and an external host to consider the risk.

What to consider before installing

Before installing: confirm whether you want to use the hard-coded host (https://n8n.nelflow.cloud) or your own n8n instance. The SKILL.md expects N8N_URL and N8N_API_KEY but the registry metadata did not declare these — ask the publisher to update metadata. Do not paste sensitive secrets into files without understanding where they will be sent; prefer storing the API key in a secure secrets manager (or GitHub/GitHub Actions secrets for CI) rather than plaintext in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json if possible. Verify that n8n.nelflow.cloud is a trusted operator (ownership, privacy policy, location), and if you must use it, create an API key with the least privilege needed and be prepared to revoke it. If you are unsure about the default host or the missing metadata, treat this as untrusted and request clarification from the skill author before proceeding.

Overview

Enable n8n workflow automation capabilities for coding tasks. Use n8n to build, manage, and execute automated workflows that integrate with your development processes, CI/CD pipelines, data processing, and API integrations.

Configuration

Connection Details

• URL: https://n8n.nelflow.cloud
• API Key: Available in n8n (Settings → API → API Key)
• Header: X-N8N-API-KEY
• Base Path: /api

Authentication

Add to OpenClaw configuration (~/.openclaw/openclaw.json):

{
  "env": {
    "N8N_URL": "https://n8n.nelflow.cloud",
    "N8N_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
  }
}

Available Actions

1. List Workflows

List all workflows on your n8n instance.

Command:

curl -X GET "https://n8n.nelflow.cloud/api/v1/workflows" \
  -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: your-api-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"

Response:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "abc123",
      "name": "Example Workflow",
      "nodes": [...],
      "connections": {...},
      "active": true,
      "settings": {}
    }
  ]
}

---

2. Execute Workflow (Manual)

Execute a workflow by triggering it manually.

Command:

curl -X POST "https://n8n.nelflow.cloud/api/v1/workflows/abc123/executions" \
  -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: your-api-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"

Parameters (optional):

{
  "data": {
    "contextData": {},
    "manualExecution": true
  }
}

---

3. Execute Workflow (with Inputs)

Execute a workflow with specific input data.

Command:

curl -X POST "https://n8n.nelflow.cloud/api/v1/workflows/abc123/executions" \
  -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: your-api-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "data": {
      "contextData": {
        "input": {
          "parameter1": "value1",
          "parameter2": "value2"
        }
      }
    }
  }'

---

4. Get Workflow Status

Check if a workflow is active and view execution history.

Command:

curl -X GET "https://n8n.nelflow.cloud/api/v1/workflows/abc123" \
  -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: your-api-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"

---

5. Clone Workflow

Create a copy of an existing workflow.

Command:

curl -X POST "https://n8n.nelflow.cloud/api/v1/workflows/abc123/clone" \
  -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: your-api-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Cloned Workflow"
  }'

---

6. Update Workflow

Modify an existing workflow (PUT replaces entire workflow, PATCH updates specific parts).

Command (PUT - Replace):

curl -X PUT "https://n8n.nelflow.cloud/api/v1/workflows/abc123" \
  -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: your-api-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Updated Workflow Name",
    "nodes": [...],
    "connections": {...}
  }'

Command (PATCH - Update parts):

curl -X PATCH "https://n8n.nelflow.cloud/api/v1/workflows/abc123" \
  -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: your-api-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "nodes": [
      {
        "parameters": {...}
      }
    ]
  }'

---

7. Delete Workflow

Remove a workflow (requires admin permission).

Command:

curl -X DELETE "https://n8n.nelflow.cloud/api/v1/workflows/abc123" \
  -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: your-api-key"

Confirmation: Enter confirmation message or type confirm to proceed.

---

8. Get Executions

List workflow executions and their status.

Command:

curl -X GET "https://n8n.nelflow.cloud/api/v1/workflows/abc123/executions" \
  -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: your-api-key"

Filter options:

• ?limit=10 - Limit results
• ?startDate=2024-01-01 - Start date
• ?endDate=2024-01-31 - End date
• ?status=success - Filter by status

---

9. Get Execution Details

Get detailed information about a specific execution.

Command:

curl -X GET "https://n8n.nelflow.cloud/api/v1/executions/xyz789" \
  -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: your-api-key"

---

10. Execute Webhook

Trigger a workflow via webhook URL.

Command:

curl -X POST "https://n8n.nelflow.cloud/webhook/your-webhook-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "data": {
      "input1": "value1",
      "input2": "value2"
    }
  }'

---

Coding Use Cases

Use Case 1: CI/CD Integration

Scenario: Trigger build/test workflows from code commits.

Prompt:

"Create a GitHub Actions workflow that triggers the n8n workflow 'CI Build' after a successful commit. The workflow should accept the commit SHA and repository URL as parameters."

Implementation:

# .github/workflows/n8n-trigger.yml
name: Trigger N8N Workflow

on:
  push:
    branches: [ main ]

jobs:
  trigger-n8n:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Trigger N8N workflow
        run: |
          curl -X POST "https://n8n.nelflow.cloud/api/v1/workflows/YOUR_WORKFLOW_ID/executions" \
            -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: ${{ secrets.N8N_API_KEY }}" \
            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
            -d "{\"data\": {\"contextData\": {\"commitSha\": \"${{ github.sha }}\", \"repoUrl\": \"${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}\"}}}"

---

Use Case 2: Data Processing Pipeline

Scenario: Process and transform data automatically.

Prompt:

"Design an n8n workflow that fetches new data from an API, validates it, transforms it, and sends it to a database. Use HTTP Request nodes for API calls, Function nodes for validation and transformation, and Database nodes for storage."

---

Use Case 3: Automated Testing

Scenario: Run test suites automatically and send results to Slack.

Prompt:

"Create an n8n workflow that runs a Python test suite, captures the output, and sends the results to a Slack channel. Include HTTP Request nodes to trigger tests and a Slack node to send formatted results."

---

Use Case 4: Scheduled Maintenance

Scenario: Execute periodic maintenance tasks.

Prompt:

"Set up an n8n workflow that runs every morning at 6 AM to:
1. Check database performance metrics
2. Backup important files
3. Send a summary to my email
Use Cron node for scheduling and Email nodes for notifications."

---

Use Case 5: API Integration

Scenario: Connect multiple services via automated workflows.

Prompt:

"Create an n8n workflow that:
1. Monitors a monitoring service (like Datadog or Prometheus)
2. If an alert is triggered
3. Notifies Slack and Telegram
4. Creates a ticket in Jira/Trello
5. Sends an email to the team
Include Webhook nodes for monitoring, Slack and Telegram nodes for notifications, and a database node to track incidents."

---

Best Practices

Security

1. Never hardcode API keys in code or workflows
2. Use environment variables or secrets management
3. Restrict workflow permissions in n8n settings
4. Enable rate limiting to prevent abuse

Organization

1. Name workflows descriptively (e.g., "GitLab CI Trigger" vs "Workflow 1")
2. Use consistent naming conventions across your organization
3. Document workflow purposes in the description field
4. Create folder structure in n8n for better organization

Error Handling

1. Add error nodes to catch and handle failures
2. Log execution results for debugging
3. Set up notifications for failed executions
4. Implement retry logic for transient failures

Testing

1. Test workflows manually before automation
2. Use test data in development
3. Monitor execution logs regularly
4. Document expected behavior and success criteria

---

Common Workflows

Webhook to Database

{
  "name": "Webhook → Database",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
      "name": "Webhook",
      "parameters": {
        "httpMethod": "POST",
        "path": "webhook"
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "name": "Save to Database",
      "parameters": {
        "method": "POST",
        "url": "https://your-api.com/entries",
        "bodyParameters": "={{$json}}"
      }
    }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Webhook": {
      "main": [[{"node": "Save to Database", "type": "main", "index": 0}]]
    }
  }
}

Scheduled Data Sync

{
  "name": "Scheduled Data Sync",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.cron",
      "name": "Schedule",
      "parameters": {
        "rule": "every day at 6:00"
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "name": "Fetch Data",
      "parameters": {
        "method": "GET",
        "url": "https://api.example.com/data"
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.function",
      "name": "Transform",
      "parameters": {
        "functionCode": "return items.map(item => ({ json: { ...item.json, syncedAt: new Date() } }))"
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.postgres",
      "name": "Save",
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "insert",
        "table": "synced_data"
      }
    }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Schedule": {"main": [[{"node": "Fetch Data", "type": "main", "index": 0}]]},
    "Fetch Data": {"main": [[{"node": "Transform", "type": "main", "index": 0}]]},
    "Transform": {"main": [[{"node": "Save", "type": "main", "index": 0}]]}
  }
}

---

References

• N8N Documentation: https://docs.n8n.io
• N8N API Reference: https://docs.n8n.io/api/
• N8N Webhooks: https://docs.n8n.io/workflows/webhooks/
• Community Workflows: https://community.n8n.io/
• Node Reference: https://docs.n8n.io/nodes/

---

Quick Start

1. Get your API Key:

• Go to n8n → Settings → API → Create API Key

2. Configure OpenClaw:

# Set environment variables
export N8N_URL="https://n8n.nelflow.cloud"
export N8N_API_KEY="your-api-key"

3. List workflows:

curl -X GET "$N8N_URL/api/v1/workflows" \
  -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY"

4. Execute a workflow:

curl -X POST "$N8N_URL/api/v1/workflows/YOUR_WORKFLOW_ID/executions" \
  -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY"

5. Start building:

• Copy workflow examples
• Modify nodes for your needs
• Test thoroughly before automation
• Monitor and iterate

---

Troubleshooting

Authentication Error

Error: Unauthorized

Solution: Verify API key is correct and has necessary permissions

Workflow Not Found

Error: Workflow not found

Solution: Check workflow ID and ensure workflow exists

Execution Failed

Error: Execution failed

Solution: Check workflow execution logs for node-specific errors

Rate Limit Exceeded

Error: Rate limit exceeded

Solution: Wait and retry, or upgrade your plan

---

Need help? Check N8N community forums or documentation at https://community.n8n.io/