n8nNeed a weekly list of fresh PubMed papers
The lab gets a curated 10-paper reading list in Slack before the weekly meeting — no manual search needed.
Track 6 · Advanced
6.1.1
n8n
Open-source workflow automation — the lab bench of this course
1Overview
Built by Jan Oberhauser, first released in 2019 — every node's output stays visible on the canvas, so you can follow a run step by step instead of only seeing the final result.
n8n is an open-source, node-based automation platform: chain APIs, AI models, databases and files into working pipelines without writing a backend. Each node is one building block — an HTTP request, a code block, an AI call, an IF-branch — and chains of nodes become workflows. It is the backbone of this whole course: the ten hands-on lessons below (Basics → Advanced) build up from a two-node chat agent to a multi-stage literature pipeline against PubMed. → Unlike Make and Zapier (hosted, click-together), n8n exposes the full plumbing — every API call, every error, every output — and you can self-host it for free. Fair-code licensed; the course runs a shared instance at n8n.32dots.de.
1.1Before you start
1.2After this chapter you can
→Read a workflow canvas: nodes, connections, and the execution log
→Wire a chat trigger to an AI agent and run it end to end
→Reach any REST API (PubMed, CrossRef) with the HTTP Request node
→Add branching, error handling and sub-workflows to a real pipeline
1.3Best for
Research plumbing you need to see: PubMed/CrossRef API calls with full control over headers, auth and pagination, LLM steps without glue code, and a Code node (JavaScript or Python) for anything the UI nodes cannot express.
1.4Watch out
Large workflows get visually cluttered fast — decompose into sub-workflows. Reading the execution log to debug a multi-step pipeline is a skill in itself, and self-hosting needs a server.
1.5Free vs paid
Self-hosted: free and unlimited, fair-code licensed. n8n Cloud from $20/mo. The shared course instance at n8n.32dots.de is free for everyone on the course.
2Lessons 5
2.1 Your first workflow: fetch, shape, decide
A workflow is nodes joined by wires, and what travels the wire is items — the output table under the canvas is literally what the next node receives.
Build and run a workflow that calls an API, keeps three fields, and branches on a value
- Start n8n on your own machine with the heidelberg-ai-bench Docker Desktop setup, then open
http://localhost:5678 - Create a workflow and add When you click Test — a manual trigger, so nothing runs behind your back while you are learning
- Add an HTTP Request node with URL
https://api.github.com/repos/n8n-io/n8n. No credential needed: it is a public endpoint - Add an Edit Fields node and keep three:
repo,stars,open_issues. Drag them from the input panel rather than typing the expressions - Add an IF node testing
stars > 1000, and a No Operation node on each output so both paths are visible - Click Execute workflow, then read the output table under the canvas — that table is exactly what the next node receives
- You'll see Every node turns green with a tick, each connection reads "1 item", and the output table shows the three fields you kept
- Takeaway A workflow is nodes passing items along a wire. The item is the unit of work, not the run
- Check What does the output table under the canvas show you, and why is that the thing to read after a run?
2.2 Put it on a schedule, and cut the noise
Filter keeps only the items that match and drops the rest; Aggregate collapses whatever survives into one. Both show up as the item count on the wire changing.
Replace the manual trigger with a cron schedule, then filter and aggregate what comes back
- Add a Schedule Trigger and give it a cron expression —
0 8 1-5is every weekday at 08:00 - Point an HTTP Request at
https://api.github.com/repos/n8n-io/n8n/issues?per_page=20 - Add a Filter node keeping only items whose
titlecontainsbug, then read the item count on the wire after it - Add an Aggregate node set to All Item Data — twenty items become one
- Leave it unpublished while you build. A published workflow with a schedule runs whether or not you are watching
- You'll see The trigger shows a clock instead of a pointer, and the item count on the wire drops between Filter and Aggregate
- Takeaway A Filter drops items; an Aggregate turns many items into one. The item count on the wire tells you which happened
- Check What happens to the item count between Filter and Aggregate, and why leave the workflow unpublished while you build?
2.3 Turn a workflow into an API
A Webhook node turns the workflow into an endpoint. Its Test URL only listens while the editor is open; publishing gives you a production URL that answers without it.
Accept an HTTP POST, read its body, and send a JSON answer back
- Add a Webhook node: method POST, path
ask, and set Respond to Using Respond to Webhook node - Copy the Test URL. It only listens while the editor is open — that is what makes it a test URL
- Add an Edit Fields node reading
{{ $json.body.question }}into a field, plus{{ $now.toISO() }}as a timestamp - Add a Respond to Webhook node returning all incoming items
- Click Execute workflow, then POST to the test URL with
curland a JSON body containing aquestion - Publish the workflow and the production URL answers without the editor open at all
- You'll see A test URL you can curl, and the JSON you built coming back in the response
- Takeaway A Webhook makes a workflow callable by anything. The Respond node decides what the caller actually sees
- Check What is the difference between the Test URL and the production URL, and which node sends the answer back?
2.4 When a step fails
Setting On Error to Continue (using error output) gives a node a second output, so a failure becomes a branch you wrote instead of a dead run.
Give a node an error output so a failure becomes a branch you wrote instead of a dead run
- Add an HTTP Request pointing at
https://httpstat.us/500, which always fails - Open the node, go to Settings, and set On Error to Continue (using error output)
- The node now has two outputs. Wire Success to your normal path
- Wire Error to an Edit Fields node recording which step failed and
{{ $json.error }} - Execute it and follow the red path, then open Executions to see how the run was recorded
- You'll see The failing node grows two outputs — Success and Error — and the run finishes down the error path
- Takeaway Without an error output, a failed node stops the workflow. With one, failure is just another branch
- Check Which two outputs does the node grow, and where do you go afterwards to see how the run was recorded?
2.5 Start from 11,000 templates, not a blank canvas
The n8n.io/workflows gallery is published workflows you can import whole — the JSON arrives with every credential empty.
Find a published workflow close to your problem and import it into your own n8n
- Open n8n.io/workflows and search by app, role or use case. There were 11,298 templates when this was written
- Open one and read the canvas BEFORE importing: which node is the trigger, and where does data enter?
- Use Use for free to copy the JSON, then paste it onto an empty canvas in your own n8n
- Every credential arrives empty. Fill in only the ones the part you care about actually needs
- Delete every node you do not understand, run what is left, then add them back one at a time
- You'll see A template opens as a real canvas in your instance, with its credentials marked missing
- Takeaway Reading someone else's workflow teaches faster than building from scratch — and an imported one is yours to break
- Check What arrives empty in an imported template, and why delete the nodes you do not understand before running it?
3You’ll know it worked 133 checkable outcomes in this chapter
- ✓Lab members receive a Slack message each Monday with 10 summarized abstracts
- ✓Agent sees draft comment in ticket and can publish without editing
- ✓The final audio file is produced and published automatically after the workflow runs
- ✓The side panel shows the selected node's details (e.g., model name, prompt text, tool description)
- ✓The formatted table now includes a column for the newly added field
- ✓Submit a form with a $50 budget and see no new row added to the sheet
- ✓The node appears in the node palette and runs successfully, showing output data from the external service.
- ✓The node’s output field contains the AI‑generated reply
133 outcomes in all — one per recipe below.
4FAQ, Tips & How-to 210
one problem, one solution, one action
Research & data tools3
Engineers have to scan dozens of nightly CSVs
Engineers arrive in the morning with a clear overnight pass/fail report instead of manually scanning dozens of CSV files, and out-of-spec runs are visible before the morning stand-up.
Want a weekly list of new specialty research
The physician gets a curated weekly reading list in their inbox instead of relying on catching relevant new studies between conferences.
Knowledge & docs1
Need a constantly updated Notion paper list
The team's Notion library is updated daily with relevant preprints so no one misses a key paper.
Internal tools & ops7
Jumbled Gmail inbox
The inbox is pre-sorted before a human reads it, cutting triage time by roughly half.
Getting a generic onboarding list
Every new hire gets a checklist tailored to their actual role, not a one-size-fits-all template — logic that would need a separate branching app in a pure no-code tool is just a few lines of code inside the workflow.
Getting purchase approvals stuck in email threads
Purchase approvals that required email chains and manual ERP entry are handled in a single Slack thread, with a full audit trail.
Employee leaving
No departed employee retains access beyond their last day; every offboarding step is tracked and timestamped in one Slack thread.
Never miss a birthday or anniversary
Milestone recognition happens consistently for every employee without anyone monitoring a calendar or remembering dates.
Field‑complaint emails sit unread
Every field complaint is captured in the CAPA system within minutes of receipt and arrives with an AI-drafted triage summary, reducing the time from complaint receipt to initial risk classification and keeping the complaint-handling timeline compliant with ISO 13485 requirements.
Lab results stuck in a shared inbox
Results reach the right clinician's queue within minutes of arriving instead of sitting in a shared inbox, with a full audit trail of when each result was filed and viewed.
Content & marketing1
Tagging a new GitHub release
A polished changelog entry is live within a minute of tagging a release — without a human writing it.
Commerce & payments3
Invoices stuck in email for days
Invoice approval cycles that took days of email back-and-forth are resolved in a single Slack thread, with the accounting entry created automatically.
Overdue Xero invoices aren’t being chased
Days-sales-outstanding drops because every overdue invoice is chased on schedule, with no one manually monitoring the aged-receivables list.
Bank transactions don’t line up with the ledger daily
Month-end close takes hours instead of days because routine transaction matching is done automatically each morning.
CRM & sales4
New leads are a mess
Sales reps only receive pre-qualified leads and know exactly which contacts to prioritise, cutting time-to-first-contact on hot leads.
Can’t tell if a new lead fits your target customer
Reps know within seconds whether a new lead fits the ICP and have the company context they need before picking up the phone.
Missed demo not followed up
No-shows are re-engaged automatically within the hour while the missed meeting is still fresh, recovering deals that would otherwise fall silent.
Pitch email lands in your inbox
Every inbound pitch is captured and visible to the team within minutes, with key fields pre-filled so analysts skip the copy-paste and go straight to first-pass diligence.
Customer & client portals3
Tickets go silent past their SLA response time
SLA commitments are enforced automatically; no critical ticket sits silent because someone missed a queue check.
Customer shows frustration in a ticket
At-risk customers get a senior response within minutes instead of hours, before the situation escalates further.
Blank reply box on new tickets
Agents start from a relevant draft instead of a blank reply box, cutting average first-response time significantly on common issue types.
Forms, surveys & feedback1
CV emails arrive as PDFs
Consultants open the ATS to find a pre-structured record instead of a raw PDF, cutting the time to first review and reducing manual data entry per application.
Booking & scheduling1
Patients miss appointments
The no-show rate drops because every patient gets a same-day nudge, and the front desk no longer has to manually call each no-show to rebook.
Want to pick blog topics yourself
Trigger the workflow with a slash command and fill a form for blog details
Need a key that can only read my automations
Securely connect n8n to Claude by creating an API key that can read workflows
Use n8n's execution history to pinpoint where a workflow fails
Want to trigger Outlook, Teams or Word from a workflow
Use the Agent 365 trigger node in n8n to securely invoke Microsoft 365 APIs from a workflow
Webhook from Agent 365 won’t reach Teams or Outlook
Link the webhook endpoint from the Agent 365 blueprint with an LLM chat model node and optional memory or external tool nodes to build an AI teammate
Non‑technical team members can’t handle API keys
Users can connect to services like Gemini or Slack without handling API keys
Need quick Slack updates or transcript conversion
Users can start from a ready-made workflow and modify placeholders
A focused 28-48 hour event surfaces high-value automations
After initial build, a stakeholder maintains and expands the workflow
Curriculum checks that take hours
Automate curriculum checks against n8n standards, reducing processing from six hours to ten minutes with a 95 % pass-rate
MCP auto-save feature — ensures workflow persistence
Users can rely on n8n to automatically save their work, preventing data loss
Instance-level MCP one-click connect — cross-platform integration
Users can instantly link their n8n instance to external platforms with a single click
Ask AI Assistant workflow — answers docs queries with low error
n8n can host a self-built AI assistant that reliably answers documentation questions
Podcast generation workflow — auto-create 30-minute episodes
n8n can orchestrate complex media production tasks, such as generating podcasts on the fly
AI intent to workflow generation — auto-build from user intent
n8n aims to let users specify what they want and have the platform generate the necessary workflow automatically
Community-driven feature development — rapid two-month cycle
Listening to user feedback can accelerate feature delivery from idea to production
Check a Gmail label regularly
Automate email checks by polling Gmail at set intervals
Raw email with attachments
Turn raw MIME into a format that can be parsed for URLs
Swap email providers without changing core logic
Need more threat‑intel sources
Enhance detection by integrating more APIs
Want to know if a link is safe
Leverage VirusTotal to get a quick maliciousness score for URLs
Not sure if a detection is real phishing
Automate labeling based on a criticality rating from VirusTotal
When my Ubiquiti firewall blocks traffic
Receive real-time block alerts from a Ubiquiti router into n8n
Blocked URLs lack visual context
Add visual context to blocked URLs with URLScan data
Want one threat report from multiple scanners
Generate a single, actionable threat report in seconds
Router threat logs need automation
Use the router's built-in threat management logs to start workflows
Need to copy and adapt a workflow quickly
Build workflows that can be copied and adapted easily
Want every Gmail email to fire the flow and disappear
Tailor the email workflow to process all messages or archive automatically
New incident arrives
Automatically launch the AI-augmented triage pipeline whenever a ticket arrives
Node positions drift while working
Keep canvases tidy by locking node group positions
Trigger actions on your PC from a workflow
Automate local tasks like opening browsers and scraping data via workflows
Don’t know which user filled out a form
Authenticate users via Google OAuth before processing form data
Get instant debugging insights directly in the workflow editor
Prototype UI concepts and product experiments without immediate release pressure
Need a private workflow tool to talk to MCP using tokens
Connect a private n8n instance to the MCP endpoint using OAuth for token-based authentication
Use the visual editor to see exactly which node caused a failure and edit it directly
Can't turn prompts into code
Learn how to activate MCP in n8n and link it to an LLM like Claude
Support tickets submitted on a form
Automate ticket handling from Jotform to your SaaS workflow without custom code
Want tracing without touching code
Turn on OpenTelemetry tracing in n8n without code changes
See end-to-end latency by viewing workflow as parent and nodes as children
Want to attach extra info to a workflow step
Add custom data to a node's span that appears in the waterfall chart
Traces flooding your logs
Control how many traces are exported to reduce overhead
Want only high‑level workflow visibility
Reduce detail to workflow-level visibility when needed
Downstream services can’t see your trace ID
Allow downstream services to create child spans automatically
Want to try distributed tracing quickly
Set up a tracing infrastructure quickly for experimentation
n8n's OTEL implementation works with existing tracing backends
OpenTelemetry is available out of the box in n8n 2.22
You can access the full list of chapters and cards for the n8n AI course
Knowing the total number of chapters helps you gauge the course length and structure
Every lesson card follows a consistent layout, making navigation predictable
Understanding the three moves lets you follow the course flow and know what to expect in each session
Need a clear learning‑goal paragraph
Articulating a concrete automation target gives you a personal project to apply the course material
Want to share a paragraph with the whole class
Sharing your problem statement gets feedback and anchors your learning in a real use case
You can see how the pre-built AI agent behaves before modifying it
Clicking a node reveals its configuration, helping you learn what each piece does without memorising settings
If the agent remembers prior conversation, you can build multi-step interactions without restating context
A correctly set constraint makes the agent politely decline out-of-scope queries
Need the agent’s reply shown in your Mattermost chat
The workflow automatically posts the agent's reply into the same Mattermost channel
Want to try out a workflow change without breaking the live version
Copying the shared workflow lets you experiment without affecting the original bot
Need the bot to talk in a specific style
Changing the system prompt rewrites how the bot talks, letting you add constraints or style
The agent remembers prior turns only in the same Mattermost channel, not across channels
Block messages containing a forbidden word
You can prevent certain inputs from reaching the agent by adding a conditional check
Don’t know what language a question is in
Detecting the input language and passing it to the agent improves handling of non-English questions
Want all bot replies to finish the same way
Appending a structured footer to every answer gives users consistent guidance
Want a ready‑made document Q&A setup
You can quickly set up a document Q&A system by importing a ready-made n8n workflow
When a question cannot be answered from the document, the AI will refuse or say it's not in the source
The same QA flow works for any reachable URL, letting you reuse the pattern for your own research
Changing the slice size in the Prepare Context node lets you see how more or fewer characters affect answer quality
Different source formats (e.g., Wikipedia vs. PubMed) affect how well the model can answer, revealing strengths and limits of the fetch-and-stuff method
Need a short summary of any text
Typing a message that starts with "Summarize this:" routes the text to the summarisation agent
Need to pull key facts from a message
Messages that start with "Extract key facts from:" are routed to the extraction agent
Route messages by keyword
A Code node can examine the user message and set a route variable based on keywords, ensuring predictable routing
Split flow based on code decision
An IF node reads the `route` value from the Code node and directs execution to the appropriate AI branch
Need an extra translation step
You can augment the workflow with another keyword check, an extra IF branch, and a new translation agent
Ask a research question in plain English
You can ask a research question in plain English and receive AI-summarised abstracts from PubMed
Want to pull PMID list from PubMed search results
You can capture the list of PMIDs from the first API call to feed subsequent requests
Need citation counts for PubMed papers
You can enrich PubMed results with citation counts by calling the Semantic Scholar API for each PMID
Need citation count and PMID from an API response
A Set node lets you rename and store the fields you need for later use
Need citation numbers in AI prompt
Modifying the Prepare Context Set node to add citation data ensures the LLM mentions it in its summary
Separate PubMed IDs from plain text
You can separate valid PMID inputs from free-text queries in one step
PubMed request returns 404
Unexpected failures can be handled without breaking the whole workflow
The visual log shows exactly which nodes ran and whether they succeeded or errored
Want to label each workflow branch with its outcome
You can tag each execution branch with a clear outcome for later aggregation
Want one node to receive data no matter which path runs
A single downstream node can receive data regardless of which branch fired
Need to explain workflow paths
Adding notes keeps future maintainers aware of each path's purpose
I have a research question
Sending a natural-language query starts the chain of nodes that fetches papers and synthesises an answer
Need a single keyword for a follow‑up PubMed search
An AI Agent can parse the first synthesis and output only the most important keyword for a second PubMed query
Want a PubMed search link from a keyword
A Code node can programmatically create the correct eSearch endpoint using the keyword
I need additional PubMed articles
Repeating the PubMed nodes with a new URL pulls additional papers that complement the first set
Combine original and second‑round papers
A Set node can merge two arrays of paper objects into one collection for final synthesis
A long list of papers from two rounds
Feeding the combined paper list to an AI Agent lets it produce a cohesive research landscape overview
Want a quick literature overview from a research question
You can automatically turn a research question into a formatted Markdown table of papers with key details
You can debug the AI extraction step by running it alone on a single abstract
Need citation numbers in my paper list
You can extend the literature pipeline to fetch citation counts from Semantic Scholar and display them in the final table
Paper missing citation data
When a paper has no citation data yet, the pipeline should still produce a table entry without breaking
Lost a saved workflow and want it back
You can quickly restore the demo workflow without rebuilding it
Need the workflow to look for just one research question
Tailoring the search term focuses the pipeline on papers you actually need
Pull key details from research papers
Running the workflow produces a table with method, sample size, key finding, and limitation for each paper
Getting rid of papers without domain keywords
Filtering out papers whose methods lack domain-specific keywords reduces irrelevant rows
Tiny studies polluting results
Dropping tiny studies prevents noisy data from contaminating the summary
Missing a data point in AI extraction
Adding a new extraction target (e.g., statistical test) enriches the structured output
Need a tidy spot for Docker Compose files
Creating a dedicated folder keeps the Docker Compose configuration and related files tidy and isolated
Need current weather data
Retrieves external data that can be used later in the workflow
Need to send data with POST to OpenRouter’s chat API
Setting POST and the correct endpoint directs the call to OpenRouter's chat API
Need to hide your API key in a request
Providing a Bearer token authenticates your request without exposing the key in the workflow
Need to pick a model and set your question for OpenRouter
The request payload tells OpenRouter which model to run and what message to answer
Running an API call in a workflow
Running the configured HTTP Request returns a free-model response directly in the node output
Can’t pass a generated value into my prompt
A preceding node can generate a value that becomes part of the HTTP request payload
Need to use the AI’s reply in another step
You can route `choices[0].message.content` to another node for further processing, such as writing to a file or sending a message
Running the workflow with multiple inputs confirms that dynamic prompting and response handling are robust
Want a fast literature search without manual digging
Get a ranked reading list in minutes instead of hours of manual searching
Need to hand off a workflow but keep credentials private
Learn how to send a workflow to someone else without sharing credentials
Get a quick introduction to n8n's interface and basic concepts
!Tip Everyone
Execution — a single complete run of a workflow
You learn that the execution count is based on runs, not node count
What is n8n and what can I use it for?
n8n is a visual workflow automation tool that connects different apps and services so they can pass information between each other automatically, without you writing code. You build automations by placing 'nodes' — each representing one app or action — on a canvas and drawing connections between them. A researcher could, for example, set up n8n to automatically collect papers from PubMed, summarize them with AI, and write the results to a Google Sheet — all triggered on a schedule.
Can I run a workflow on a schedule — for example, every day at 9 AM?
Yes. Use the Schedule Trigger node as the first node in your workflow. You can choose simple intervals (every X minutes, hours, or days) without any technical knowledge, or use a cron expression for precise schedules like 'every weekday at 9 AM'. The node also has a timezone setting so your schedule reflects your local time rather than the server's timezone.
How do I connect n8n to an app like Google Sheets or Gmail?
Each app integration in n8n requires a 'credential' — the login or access key that lets n8n talk to that service on your behalf. When you add a node for a service, n8n prompts you to add a credential. For Google services you click 'Connect my account' and log in via OAuth (the familiar 'Sign in with Google' popup). For other services you paste in an API key copied from that service's settings page. Credentials are stored securely and reused across all your workflows.
Are there ready-made workflows I can start from instead of building from scratch?
Yes — n8n has a public template library with thousands of community-built workflows covering a huge range of use cases. You can browse by category, preview what each workflow does, and load one directly into your editor with a single click. Templates are an excellent way to learn how experienced users structure their automations and a much faster starting point than building from scratch.
Do I need to know how to code to use n8n?
No — most workflows can be built entirely by clicking and dragging without writing a single line of code. However, n8n does have a steeper learning curve than some alternatives like Zapier: features such as expressions, error handling, and connecting AI tools require some patience and self-study. Non-coders who are willing to practice consistently report becoming comfortable with the interface after building a few simple workflows.
What is a node in n8n?
A node is a single building block in your workflow — it represents one action, service, or piece of logic. For example, a 'Gmail' node can send an email, a 'Google Sheets' node can write a row of data, and a 'Code' node lets advanced users add custom logic. Trigger nodes are a special type that start the whole workflow when a specific event happens (like a new file being uploaded or a schedule being reached).
How does n8n compare to Zapier or Make — which is easier for a complete beginner?
For someone with no technical background, Zapier is the easiest of the three: it uses a step-by-step wizard and requires no technical decisions. Make sits in the middle with a visual canvas. n8n has the steepest learning curve because it uses expressions, webhooks, and a more flexible but complex interface. That said, n8n is the most powerful and cheapest at scale, and its growing library of AI tools and templates is closing the gap.
What is a webhook and why does n8n use it?
A webhook is like a doorbell: instead of your workflow constantly checking whether something new has happened, an external app rings the bell (sends a message) the instant an event occurs. In n8n, the Webhook node gives your workflow a unique URL address; when another service sends data to that address, your workflow starts immediately. This is more efficient than scheduled polling and enables real-time responses — for example, triggering a workflow the moment someone submits a form.
How do I get my workflow to actually run automatically — it only works when I click 'Test'?
You need to activate the workflow. In the top-right corner of the editor there is an 'Inactive / Active' toggle switch. While it is set to Inactive, the workflow will not respond to real triggers — it only runs when you manually click Test. Switch the toggle to Active (it turns orange) and save, and your workflow will begin listening for events and running on its own.
Want a task to start every night at 7 PM
The Schedule node lets you define when a workflow should start, using cron expressions or simple interval settings. It’s the entry point for any recurring automation.
Get the latest tech news
The HTTP Request node can call any REST endpoint. By supplying your Perplexity API key in the headers, you retrieve JSON‑formatted news data for further processing.
Need LinkedIn post ideas from a news summary
The Gemini node (Google AI) performs text completion. Feeding it the news summary lets you generate multiple stylistic LinkedIn post variations automatically.
Want to convert a base64 image into a Drive file you can share
The Google Drive node can upload binary data as a file, then return a public web view URL. Converting the image from base64 to binary first ensures proper upload.
Collect an email and preferred install date via a web form
A Form Trigger node creates a public URL that serves a web form. When the form is submitted, it starts the workflow and outputs the entered fields as JSON data.
Tired of re‑submitting a form for each test
Pinning data on a trigger node stores a fixed JSON payload, so each execution returns that same data without needing to re‑submit the form. This speeds up iteration and debugging.
Split requests that occur within a week from later ones
The IF node evaluates expressions per incoming item. By comparing the preferred install date to ‘now + 7 days’, you can split the flow into true (within a week) and false branches.
Need to ping Slack with requester email and install date
The Slack “Send Message” action uses credentials to post into a workspace. You can compose the message by mixing static text and expressions that pull values from previous nodes.
Workflow stuck in test mode
Activating a workflow switches it from test mode to production. Once active, every incoming request (e.g., via the form URL) triggers real executions that are logged under the Executions tab.
A user submits your web form
A Form Trigger captures data when a user submits a web form and passes that data as the first node in an n8n workflow. It works by listening to a specific form URL, so any new submission automatically fires the workflow.
Web form submissions need to be recorded
The Google Sheets node can append or update rows using data from previous nodes. By mapping form fields to sheet columns, each new lead is recorded automatically.
Want to capture when a form is submitted
n8n expressions let you compute values on‑the‑fly. Using double curly braces with $now() inserts the current date/time, which can be stored alongside form data.
Leads that can’t afford the minimum spend
The If node evaluates a condition and routes execution down “true” or “false” branches. By checking the budget field, you can automatically flag leads that don’t meet your minimum spend.
Leads with low budgets are ignored
A Filter node passes data only when a condition is met. It’s useful for silently discarding leads that fall below a threshold without extra branching.
Leads have varying budgets
The Switch node evaluates a value against multiple cases and directs execution down different paths. It lets you send high‑budget leads one email template and low‑budget leads another.
Add a source tag to each row before saving
A Set node creates or overwrites data fields using static values or expressions, allowing you to enrich payloads (e.g., adding a “source” tag).
Execution Log — debug workflow runs
The Executions view shows each step’s input and output, helping you verify data mapping and spot errors. It’s essential for troubleshooting new workflows.
Want a workflow to kick off on a form fill‑out
The 'On Form Submission' node captures data from a custom form you define within n8n, providing the initial payload for the rest of the workflow. It works by exposing a temporary URL that can be embedded in any web page or shared directly.
Form submissions need a permanent record
The ‘Google Sheets – Append/Update Row’ node writes incoming data into a spreadsheet. By mapping each field to a column you create a persistent record without writing any code.
When student entries slip into the flow
A Filter node evaluates a condition and only passes data downstream when the condition is true. It’s useful for branching logic without extra code.
Need to handle different jobs separately
The Switch node creates multiple branches based on different condition values, allowing parallel handling of distinct cases (e.g., engineer vs doctor).
Want to alert each lead automatically
The Gmail ‘Send Message’ node sends an email using your connected Gmail account. By inserting variables from previous nodes, you can personalize the message for each lead.
Engineer and doctor email paths need syncing
A Merge node with mode ‘Wait for All’ synchronizes multiple incoming paths, allowing you to continue processing after all conditional routes have finished.
Need a chatbot that gives only ranked lists
By attaching an OpenAI chat model to the AI Agent node and configuring system prompts with specific output formatting, you can force the LLM to return only the desired list items, reducing token usage.
Chatbot forgets previous prompts
Adding Simple Memory to an AI Agent stores the last N interactions, allowing follow‑up questions to inherit prior context without re‑prompting the user.
User fills out a sign‑up form
The "On Form Submission" trigger lets you build a web form directly in n8n, map fields to variables, and output structured JSON for downstream nodes.
New user signs up on my form
Connecting a Google Sheets "Append Row" node to the form trigger writes each submission as a new spreadsheet row, enabling persistent storage without code.
LLM spits out random text instead of a neat ranked list
Including one or two formatted examples inside the system prompt (one‑shot) guides the model to mimic the desired output style, striking a balance between zero‑shot and few‑shot prompting.
Unsure which branch runs first in a multi‑branch workflow
n8n runs each branch sequentially based on canvas position: top‑most to bottom‑most, left‑most when heights match. Understanding this lets you design workflows without manually reordering execution.
Need extra actions in my workflow without coding
Community nodes are third‑party packages that add new actions to n8n without writing code. Installing them from the npm registry lets you use pre‑built integrations like Amplify or MCP directly in your workflows.
Want to handle each automation platform separately
A Manual Trigger lets you start a workflow on demand, while the SplitInBatches node can turn an input array into separate items for downstream processing.
Want to keep workflow info without extra spreadsheets
n8n Data Tables act like built‑in spreadsheets, allowing you to read/write rows directly from workflows, eliminating extra API calls to Google Sheets or Airtable.
Need an answer from a workflow via chat
The Chat Hub provides an internal LLM interface that can invoke n8n workflows through a chat trigger, enabling conversational automation.
When I add or update a row in my spreadsheet
A Google Sheets trigger node watches a spreadsheet for added or updated rows and fires the workflow each time. It requires setting up OAuth credentials in Google Cloud, then selecting the sheet and event type.
Want to turn raw order data into a ready‑to‑send email
The OpenAI node can call a language model (e.g., GPT‑4o) to transform incoming JSON into a custom summary. By passing fields as variables, the prompt adapts to each order without code.
Every time a new order row appears, get an automatic email with the order summary
The Gmail node sends an email using the subject and body produced by the OpenAI node. Mapping the JSON fields directly avoids extra parsing steps.
Node Types Overview — building blocks of n8n workflows
n8n workflows consist of four core node categories: Trigger (starts execution), Action (performs a task), Data Transformation (modifies data), and Logic (controls flow). Knowing each type helps you design clear, maintainable automations.
Need a daily 6 AM start for your automation
The Schedule trigger node initiates any n8n workflow on a timed interval. By setting the interval to 'Days' and specifying hour/minute, you can have the workflow start automatically every morning at 6 AM.
Need today’s weather for a ZIP code
The Open Weather node is a pre‑built integration that calls the OpenWeather API. After adding your API key once, you can reuse the credentials in any workflow to retrieve live weather information.
Want to email the current temperature and location
The Gmail node sends emails using OAuth credentials. You can insert data from previous nodes by dragging fields into the subject or body, creating fully personalized messages.
Different budget amounts in form leads
A Form Submission trigger captures user input, and a Switch (logic) node can branch the flow using numeric comparisons. This pattern lets you automatically separate high‑value from low‑value leads.
Can't find a built‑in node for air quality
The HTTP Request node lets you perform GET or POST calls to any public endpoint. By supplying URL, method, headers and query parameters, you can integrate services that n8n doesn’t ship with pre‑built nodes for.
Need an external app to kick off your automation
A webhook node creates a public URL that can be called by any service to start a workflow. It acts as the entry point, similar to a door opening when someone knocks.
Need only certain values from incoming data
The Edit Fields node lets you map, rename, and filter properties of the incoming JSON so downstream nodes receive only what they need.
Want to keep collected form entries in a spreadsheet
The Google Sheets node uses OAuth credentials to write rows into a sheet, turning n8n into a lightweight database for collected form entries.
A user sends a Telegram command
The Telegram node can act as a trigger that fires whenever a user sends a message to your bot, enabling chat‑based automation.
Need a chatbot response in your workflow
The OpenAI node sends a prompt to GPT‑4 (or other models) and returns the generated text, allowing you to build conversational agents.
Bot forgets what you said before
By storing previous messages in an n8n “Set” or “Data Store” node, you can feed past context back into the OpenAI prompt, giving the bot memory.
Need a workflow to run on its own
Publishing a workflow activates its triggers and allows it to run without manual execution, turning your design into a live automation.
Want your workflow to start on its own at regular times
The Cron node lets you define time‑based schedules (e.g., every hour) so the workflow runs without external input.
API call fails and the whole flow stops
Enabling ‘Continue On Fail’ on a node prevents the entire workflow from stopping when that node encounters an error, allowing later nodes to handle fallback logic.
New emails stay unorganized
Uses n8n’s Gmail node to watch new emails, extracts keywords, and applies labels like accounting, personal, or meetings via the Gmail API. Works by matching subject/body patterns to predefined label rules.
A lead submits your website form
Combines a Webhook trigger (for a quote form), a Twilio node to place a call, and a short delay so the call reaches you within seconds. The workflow bridges form data to a phone call automatically.
Need to copy Google Maps listings to a sheet and email them
Uses an HTTP Request node to query Google Maps search results, parses JSON with a Function node, writes rows to Google Sheets, then loops through each row with an Email Send node for cold outreach. Automates lead gathering from maps.
Can't sort through LinkedIn SEO postings
Leverages a Web Scraping node (or HTTP Request + HTML Extract) to search LinkedIn for SEO roles in Canada, stores results in Google Sheets, then runs a Function node that rates each posting on criteria (salary, seniority, remote). Provides a ranked list for focused applications.
Have a receipt photo and need each item listed
Connects an HTTP Trigger (or file upload node) to a OpenAI node that runs a prompt asking ChatGPT to list each line item. The result is parsed and written into Google Sheets, turning a photo of a receipt into structured data.
Want to add meetings or fire off emails with a chat message
Combines an Email Trigger, a Schedule Trigger, and OpenAI nodes to interpret natural‑language commands (e.g., “schedule meeting with John tomorrow at 3pm”), then uses Google Calendar and Gmail nodes to create events or send emails. Provides a conversational interface for daily tasks.
Website visitors can’t book meetings
Uses n8n’s Webhook node as an endpoint for a front‑end chat widget. The webhook forwards user messages to OpenAI, which returns suggested meeting times; those are then passed to Google Calendar to create events and to Gmail to send confirmations.
Need an invoice from a chat message
Integrates a Webhook (receiving invoice details), an OpenAI node that formats the data into a PDF using a template, then uploads the PDF to Google Drive and emails it via Gmail. Automates end‑to‑end invoicing without manual paperwork.
When a row in my Airtable base changes
By using n8n's Airtable node as a trigger you can poll a base at a set interval (e.g., every minute) and fire the workflow whenever a row’s ‘Last Modified’ field changes. This creates real‑time notifications without writing code.
Turn Airtable record data into a ready‑to‑send email
The Google Gemini node can be used as a Large Language Model step that receives data from Airtable and returns structured JSON containing an email subject and body. Using the “Structured Output” option forces Gemini to output a predictable schema, making it easy to map into later nodes.
Need to send personalized emails from a workflow
n8n’s Gmail node can send emails using OAuth credentials. By inserting expressions that reference the Gemini output, you can dynamically fill the email subject and HTML/text body, achieving fully automated personalized messages.
Airtable updates never trigger actions
A workflow remains inactive until it is published; publishing activates the polling interval for triggers like Airtable. Once live, n8n will repeatedly check the source and execute downstream nodes automatically.
The same set on /recipes, filtered by tool and role.
5Videos 8
n8n Quick Start Tutorial: Build Your First AI Agent (2026)
The official source. If anything in another tutorial looks different from your actual n8n, this is the one whose UI matches today.
How I'd Learn n8n if I Had to Start Over in 2026
The best 'where do I even start' video. Watch before opening n8n so you learn the fundamentals in the right order instead of jumping straight to agents.
Unlock the Full Power of Your n8n Agents (new instance MCP)
The biggest 2026 n8n feature. Once your workflows are MCP tools, your other agents can call them — that's a different ceiling for what n8n can do.
Master n8n Fast With These 17 Essential Nodes (real examples)
The vocabulary lesson. After this you can read any n8n workflow and know what every node does. Watch before tackling Sessions 05–10 of the course.
Should I Build My AI Agents with n8n or Python?
The architecture question you'll face in your own projects. Cole gives a decision framework, not hype — useful for anyone planning to move beyond the course into real research automation.
N8N Full Course — 6 Hours: Build & Sell AI Automations + Agents
The reference course. Don't watch end-to-end — use it as a lookup when you hit a specific node or pattern you haven't seen before. Bookmark and return.
N8N Complete Guide (AI Agents + Workflow Automation)
Nick's guide is the one to watch when 'it works in test but breaks in prod'. Heavy on error handling, retries, and the un-glamorous parts of automation engineering.
This RAG AI Agent with n8n + Supabase is the Real Deal
The canonical 'RAG in n8n' build from one of the most respected AI-agent educators. Watch when you want your agent to answer from your own documents, not just general knowledge.
6FAQ 9
What is n8n and what can I use it for?
n8n is a visual workflow automation tool that connects different apps and services so they can pass information between each other automatically, without you writing code. You build automations by placing 'nodes' — each representing one app or action — on a canvas and drawing connections between them. A researcher could, for example, set up n8n to automatically collect papers from PubMed, summarize them with AI, and write the results to a Google Sheet — all triggered on a schedule.
Can I run a workflow on a schedule — for example, every day at 9 AM?
Yes. Use the Schedule Trigger node as the first node in your workflow. You can choose simple intervals (every X minutes, hours, or days) without any technical knowledge, or use a cron expression for precise schedules like 'every weekday at 9 AM'. The node also has a timezone setting so your schedule reflects your local time rather than the server's timezone.
How do I connect n8n to an app like Google Sheets or Gmail?
Each app integration in n8n requires a 'credential' — the login or access key that lets n8n talk to that service on your behalf. When you add a node for a service, n8n prompts you to add a credential. For Google services you click 'Connect my account' and log in via OAuth (the familiar 'Sign in with Google' popup). For other services you paste in an API key copied from that service's settings page. Credentials are stored securely and reused across all your workflows.
Are there ready-made workflows I can start from instead of building from scratch?
Yes — n8n has a public template library with thousands of community-built workflows covering a huge range of use cases. You can browse by category, preview what each workflow does, and load one directly into your editor with a single click. Templates are an excellent way to learn how experienced users structure their automations and a much faster starting point than building from scratch.
Do I need to know how to code to use n8n?
No — most workflows can be built entirely by clicking and dragging without writing a single line of code. However, n8n does have a steeper learning curve than some alternatives like Zapier: features such as expressions, error handling, and connecting AI tools require some patience and self-study. Non-coders who are willing to practice consistently report becoming comfortable with the interface after building a few simple workflows.
What is a node in n8n?
A node is a single building block in your workflow — it represents one action, service, or piece of logic. For example, a 'Gmail' node can send an email, a 'Google Sheets' node can write a row of data, and a 'Code' node lets advanced users add custom logic. Trigger nodes are a special type that start the whole workflow when a specific event happens (like a new file being uploaded or a schedule being reached).
How does n8n compare to Zapier or Make — which is easier for a complete beginner?
For someone with no technical background, Zapier is the easiest of the three: it uses a step-by-step wizard and requires no technical decisions. Make sits in the middle with a visual canvas. n8n has the steepest learning curve because it uses expressions, webhooks, and a more flexible but complex interface. That said, n8n is the most powerful and cheapest at scale, and its growing library of AI tools and templates is closing the gap.
What is a webhook and why does n8n use it?
A webhook is like a doorbell: instead of your workflow constantly checking whether something new has happened, an external app rings the bell (sends a message) the instant an event occurs. In n8n, the Webhook node gives your workflow a unique URL address; when another service sends data to that address, your workflow starts immediately. This is more efficient than scheduled polling and enables real-time responses — for example, triggering a workflow the moment someone submits a form.
How do I get my workflow to actually run automatically — it only works when I click 'Test'?
You need to activate the workflow. In the top-right corner of the editor there is an 'Inactive / Active' toggle switch. While it is set to Inactive, the workflow will not respond to real triggers — it only runs when you manually click Test. Switch the toggle to Active (it turns orange) and save, and your workflow will begin listening for events and running on its own.
7Glossary 20 terms
Show the 20 terms
n8n
Workflow- A saved sequence of connected steps (nodes) that n8n runs automatically to move or transform data between apps.
Node- A single building block in a workflow — each node performs one action, such as sending an email, filtering data, or calling an API.
Trigger node- A special node that sits at the start of a workflow and decides when it runs — for example, on a schedule, when a form is submitted, or when another app sends a signal.
Action node- A node that does something in an external service — such as creating a row in Google Sheets, sending a Slack message, or reading an email.
Core node- A built-in utility node that handles data processing or flow control without connecting to an external service — examples include IF, Filter, Merge, and Code.
Connection- The arrow drawn between two nodes on the canvas that tells n8n to pass data from one node to the next when the workflow runs.
Canvas- The visual drag-and-drop workspace inside n8n where you build a workflow by placing and connecting nodes.
Execution- One complete run of a workflow — n8n records what happened at each node so you can inspect inputs, outputs, and any errors afterward.
Credentials- Securely stored login details (such as API keys or passwords) that let n8n connect to an external service on your behalf without exposing secrets inside the workflow.
Webhook- A URL that n8n creates for you so that an outside app can instantly start your workflow by sending data to that address.
Expression- A small piece of JavaScript written inside double curly braces ({{ }}) that lets you pull in data from a previous node or do a quick calculation instead of typing a fixed value.
Item- A single unit of data travelling through a workflow — for example, one email, one spreadsheet row, or one API result.
Schedule trigger- A trigger node that starts a workflow automatically at a set time or repeating interval, similar to a calendar alarm.
IF node- A core node that checks a condition and sends each data item down one of two paths — True or False — so different actions can happen depending on the data.
Sub-workflow- A separate workflow that another workflow calls like a reusable function, helping you keep complex automations organised and avoid repeating the same steps.
Error handling- A set of features in n8n — including dedicated error workflows and the Stop And Error node — that let you define what should happen if a node fails instead of silently stopping.
Data mapping- The act of telling a node where to find its input by dragging a field from a previous node's output onto the current node's input — no code required.
Sticky note- A text annotation you can place anywhere on the canvas to explain what part of a workflow does, without affecting how it runs.
Template- A pre-built workflow shared by the n8n community that you can import and adapt instead of building from scratch.
Manual execution- Running a workflow by clicking the Execute button yourself, used for testing before you switch the workflow on for automatic production runs.
8See also
💬 Discuss this chapter
Ask, share, or report — over on the Heidelberg AI community forum.