n8n cheatsheet

Access current item fields:

{
  {
    $json.fieldName;
  }
}
{
  {
    $json['field-name'];
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.nested.field;
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.array[0];
  }
}

Math and string:

{
  {
    $json.price * 1.2;
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.first + ' ' + $json.last;
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.name.toUpperCase();
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.tags.join(', ');
  }
}

Ternary conditional:

{
  {
    $json.age >= 18 ? 'adult' : 'minor';
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.status === 'active' ? true : false;
  }
}

Get a specific node's output:

{
  {
    $node['NodeName'].json.field;
  }
}
{
  {
    $node['NodeName'].json['key'];
  }
}

Get all items from a node:

{
  {
    $items('NodeName');
  }
}
{
  {
    $items('NodeName')[0].json.field;
  }
}

Check item count:

{
  {
    $items('NodeName').length;
  }
}

// Conditional value
{
  {
    $if($json.score > 50, 'pass', 'fail');
  }
}

// Null coalescing
{
  {
    $json.name ?? 'Unknown';
  }
}

// Emptiness checks (methods on the value, not global functions)
{
  {
    $json.field.isEmpty();
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.field.isNotEmpty();
  }
}

// Aggregate methods — called ON the array
{
  {
    $json.prices.min();
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.prices.max();
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.prices.sum();
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.prices.average();
  }
}

// JMESPath query on objects/arrays
{
  {
    $jmespath($json, 'users[?age > `18`].name');
  }
}

// Native array methods
{
  {
    $json.items.filter((i) => i.active).length;
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.items.map((i) => i.name);
  }
}

Configure via UI with:

• Interval: every N minutes/hours/days
• Custom cron expression

Common cron patterns:

*/15 * * * *    Every 15 minutes
0 9 * * 1-5     Weekdays at 9 AM
0 0 * * *       Daily at midnight
0 0 1 * *       1st of each month
0 8,17 * * *    At 8 AM and 5 PM

# Test URL (manual execution only)
https://your-n8n.com/webhook-test/{id}

# Production URL (active workflow)
https://your-n8n.com/webhook/{id}

Supports GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE. Access data via:

• Body → $json
• Query params → $json.query
• Headers → $request.headers

Common instant triggers:

• Gmail / Outlook — new email
• Slack — new message
• GitHub — push, PR, issue event
• Airtable — new/updated record
• Typeform — new submission
• Stripe — payment event

Use polling (interval-based) or instant triggers where the service pushes via webhook.

Send requests to any REST API.

Key settings:

• Method: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE
• URL: supports {{ }} expressions
• Authentication: None, Bearer, Basic, OAuth2, API Key
• Body: JSON, Form Data, Raw, Binary

// Dynamic URL
https://api.example.com/users/{{ $json.userId }}

// Dynamic header
Authorization: Bearer <!--swig3-->

Routes items to a true or false output branch based on a condition.

Supported types:

• String: equals, contains, starts/ends with, regex
• Number: =, ≠, >, <, ≥, ≤
• Boolean: is true/false
• Array: contains item
• DateTime: before/after

Combine with AND / OR logic.

Routes items to one of multiple named branches based on a value. Use when you need more than 2 paths.

Value:    {{ $json.status }}

Case 0  → "pending"
Case 1  → "active"
Case 2  → "closed"
Default → (anything else)

Add, modify, or remove fields on items.

// Add or overwrite a field
Field name:  status
Value:       <!--swig5-->

// Rename a field
Field name:  userId
Value:       <!--swig6-->

// Enable "Keep Only Set" to strip all other fields

Combines items from two input branches.

Process a large item list in chunks to avoid timeouts.

Batch Size: 10

The node loops back automatically. Use $runIndex to track which batch you're on. Connect the done output to continue after all batches.

Executes once for each incoming item. Return one item object:

// Modify and return current item
const item = $input.item;
item.json.fullName = item.json.first + ' ' + item.json.last;
item.json.ts = new Date().toISOString();
return item;

Return a completely new item:

return {
  json: {
    id: $input.item.json.id,
    name: $input.item.json.name.trim(),
    processed: true
  }
};

Executes once with the full list. Return an array:

// Transform all items
return $input.all().map((item) => ({
  json: {
    id: item.json.id,
    name: item.json.name.toUpperCase()
  }
}));

Filter items:

return $input.all().filter((item) => item.json.score >= 50);

On any node → Settings → On Error

Access error details downstream:

{
  {
    $json.error.message;
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.error.name;
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.error.stack;
  }
}

1. Create a dedicated "Error Handler" workflow
2. Use Error Trigger as the first node
3. In your main workflow → Settings → Error Workflow → select it

Available variables in the error workflow:

{
  {
    $json.workflow.id;
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.workflow.name;
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.execution.id;
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.execution.url;
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.error.message;
  }
}
{
  {
    $json.error.stack;
  }
}

Use this to send Slack alerts, log to a DB, or create a Jira ticket on failure.

# Start n8n
n8n start

# Start with public tunnel (for webhook testing)
n8n start --tunnel

# Start on a custom port
n8n start --port=5679

# Execute a workflow by ID (non-interactively)
n8n execute --id=<workflow-id>

# Export all workflows to JSON files
n8n export:workflow --all --output=./backups/

# Export a single workflow
n8n export:workflow --id=<id> --output=./wf.json

# Import workflow from file
n8n import:workflow --input=./workflow.json

# Export credentials (encrypted)
n8n export:credentials --all --output=./creds/

# Import credentials
n8n import:credentials --input=./creds/

# Server
N8N_HOST=0.0.0.0
N8N_PORT=5678
N8N_PROTOCOL=https
WEBHOOK_URL=https://your-domain.com/

# Timezone
GENERIC_TIMEZONE=Asia/Kolkata

# Database (default: SQLite)
DB_TYPE=postgresdb
DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=localhost
DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=5432
DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=n8n
DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=n8n
DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=password

# Auth
N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true
N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=admin
N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=secret

# Disable telemetry
N8N_DIAGNOSTICS_ENABLED=false

Break large processes into reusable components using the Execute Workflow node.

• Parent: Sends items to the sub-workflow.
• Child: Starts with an Execute Workflow Trigger.
• Return: Data from the child's final node is sent back to the parent.

Extend n8n with community-built nodes directly from the UI.

1. Go to Settings → Community Nodes.
2. Enter the npm package name (e.g., n8n-nodes-browserless).
3. Click Install.

Many API nodes have built-in pagination. For custom HTTP requests:

1. Enable Pagination in the HTTP Request node settings.
2. Select the strategy (e.g., Header Link, Response body, Offset/Limit).
3. n8n will automatically fetch all pages and output a single stream of items.