n8n-automation

# n8n Automation

Control n8n workflow automation platform via REST API.

## Setup

Set these environment variables (or store in `.n8n-api-config`):

```bash
export N8N_API_URL="https://your-instance.app.n8n.cloud/api/v1"  # or http://localhost:5678/api/v1
export N8N_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"
```

Generate API key: n8n Settings → n8n API → Create an API key.

## Quick Reference

All calls use header `X-N8N-API-KEY` for auth.

### List Workflows
```bash
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" "$N8N_API_URL/workflows" | jq '.data[] | {id, name, active}'
```

### Get Workflow Details
```bash
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" "$N8N_API_URL/workflows/{id}"
```

### Activate/Deactivate Workflow
```bash
# Activate
curl -s -X PATCH -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"active": true}' "$N8N_API_URL/workflows/{id}"

# Deactivate
curl -s -X PATCH -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"active": false}' "$N8N_API_URL/workflows/{id}"
```

### Trigger Workflow (via webhook)
```bash
# Production webhook
curl -s -X POST "$N8N_API_URL/../webhook/{webhook-path}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"key": "value"}'

# Test webhook
curl -s -X POST "$N8N_API_URL/../webhook-test/{webhook-path}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"key": "value"}'
```

### List Executions
```bash
# All recent executions
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" "$N8N_API_URL/executions?limit=10" | jq '.data[] | {id, workflowId, status, startedAt}'

# Failed executions only
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" "$N8N_API_URL/executions?status=error&limit=5"

# Executions for specific workflow
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" "$N8N_API_URL/executions?workflowId={id}&limit=10"
```

### Get Execution Details
```bash
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" "$N8N_API_URL/executions/{id}"
```

### Create Workflow (from JSON)
```bash
curl -s -X POST -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d @workflow.json "$N8N_API_URL/workflows"
```

### Delete Workflow
```bash
curl -s -X DELETE -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" "$N8N_API_URL/workflows/{id}"
```

## Common Patterns

### Health Check (run periodically)
List active workflows, check recent executions for errors, report status:
```bash
# Count active workflows
ACTIVE=$(curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" "$N8N_API_URL/workflows?active=true" | jq '.data | length')

# Count failed executions (last 24h)
FAILED=$(curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" "$N8N_API_URL/executions?status=error&limit=100" | jq '[.data[] | select(.startedAt > (now - 86400 | todate))] | length')

echo "Active workflows: $ACTIVE | Failed (24h): $FAILED"
```

### Debug Failed Execution
1. List failed executions → get execution ID
2. Fetch execution details → find the failing node
3. Check node parameters and input data
4. Suggest fix based on error message

### Workflow Summary
Parse workflow JSON to summarize: trigger type, node count, apps connected, schedule.

## API Endpoints Reference

See [references/api-endpoints.md](references/api-endpoints.md) for complete endpoint documentation.

## Tips
- API key has full access on non-enterprise plans
- Rate limits vary by plan (cloud) or are unlimited (self-hosted)
- Webhook URLs are separate from API URLs (no auth header needed)
- Use `?active=true` or `?active=false` to filter workflow listings
- Execution data may be pruned based on n8n retention settings