n8n Skill - Manage Workflows and Executions

n8n Concepts

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

Credentials

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

CLI Setup

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)

CLI Reference

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 <workflow_id>

# Full JSON output
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli workflow <workflow_id> --json

Activate/Deactivate Workflows

bash

uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli activate <workflow_id>
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli deactivate <workflow_id>

List Nodes in Workflow

bash

# List all nodes (Code nodes marked with *)
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli nodes <workflow_id>

View/Edit Nodes

bash

# View node details
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node <workflow_id> "node name"

# View Code node's JavaScript
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node <workflow_id> "node name" --code

# Update Code node from file
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node <workflow_id> "node name" --set-code script.js

# Rename a node
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node <workflow_id> "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 <workflow_id> "HTTP Request" --set-param url="https://api.example.com"
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node <workflow_id> "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 <workflow_id> "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 <workflow_id> "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 <workflow_id> ./nodes/

# Import updated scripts back
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli import-code <workflow_id> ./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 <workflow_id>

# 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 <execution_id>

# Include full execution data
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli execution <execution_id> --data

# JSON output
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli execution <execution_id> --data --json

Retry Failed Execution

bash

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

# Use latest workflow version
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli retry <execution_id> --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 <credential_id>

Common Workflows

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 <id>

# 3. Get full data for debugging
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli execution <id> --data --json

Edit Code Nodes

bash

# 1. Export all Code nodes
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli export-code <workflow_id> ./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 <workflow_id> ./nodes/

Quick Node Update

bash

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

# Edit script.js...

# Update node
uvx --from git+https://github.com/pokgak/n8n-cli n8n-cli node <workflow_id> "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 <id> -n 1

Execution Data Structure

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

code

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

Common Error Patterns

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 <workflow_id> "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