n8n-api

Original source / Raw SKILL.md

---
name: n8n-api
description: Operate n8n via its public REST API from OpenClaw. Use for workflow management, executions, and automation tasks such as listing, creating, publishing, triggering, or troubleshooting. Works with both self-hosted n8n and n8n Cloud.
---

# n8n Public REST API

Use this skill when you need to drive n8n programmatically. It covers the same core actions you use in the UI: workflows, executions, tags, credentials, projects, and more.

## Availability
- The public API is unavailable during the free trial.
- Upgrade your plan to enable API access.

## Configuration

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

```bash
export N8N_API_BASE_URL="https://your-instance.app.n8n.cloud/api/v1"  # or http://localhost:5678/api/v1
export N8N_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"
```

Create the API key in: n8n Settings → n8n API → Create an API key.

## Auth header

All requests require this header:

```
X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY
```

## Playground

The API playground is only available on self-hosted n8n and operates on real data. For safe experiments, use a test workflow or a separate test instance.

## Quick actions

### Workflows: list
```bash
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/workflows" \
  | jq '.data[] | {id, name, active}'
```

### Workflows: details
```bash
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/workflows/{id}"
```

### Workflows: activate or deactivate
```bash
# Activate (publish)
curl -s -X POST -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"versionId":"","name":"","description":""}' \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/workflows/{id}/activate"

# Deactivate
curl -s -X POST -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/workflows/{id}/deactivate"
```

### Webhook trigger
```bash
# Production webhook
curl -s -X POST "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/../webhook/{webhook-path}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"key":"value"}'

# Test webhook
curl -s -X POST "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/../webhook-test/{webhook-path}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"key":"value"}'
```

### Executions: list
```bash
# Recent executions
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/executions?limit=10" \
  | jq '.data[] | {id, workflowId, status, startedAt}'

# Failed only
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/executions?status=error&limit=5"
```

### Executions: retry
```bash
curl -s -X POST -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"loadWorkflow":true}' \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/executions/{id}/retry"
```

## Common flows

### Health check summary
Count active workflows and recent failures:
```bash
ACTIVE=$(curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/workflows?active=true" | jq '.data | length')

FAILED=$(curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/executions?status=error&limit=100" \
  | jq '[.data[] | select(.startedAt > (now - 86400 | todate))] | length')

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

### Debug a failed run
1. List failed executions to get the execution ID.
2. Fetch execution details and identify the failing node.
3. Review node parameters and input data.
4. Suggest a fix based on the error message.

## Endpoint index

See `assets/n8n-api.endpoints.md` for the full list of endpoints.

## REST basics (optional)
If you want a refresher, these are commonly recommended:
- KnowledgeOwl: working with APIs (intro)
- IBM Cloud Learn Hub: what is an API / REST API
- MDN: overview of HTTP

## Notes and tips
- The n8n API node can call the public API from inside workflows.
- Webhook URLs are not the same as API URLs and do not use the API key header.
- Execution records may be pruned based on instance retention settings.


---

## Skill Companion Files

> Additional files collected from the skill directory layout.

### _meta.json

```json
{
  "owner": "codedao12",
  "slug": "n8n-api",
  "displayName": "n8n API",
  "latest": {
    "version": "1.0.1",
    "publishedAt": 1769963165997,
    "commit": "https://github.com/clawdbot/skills/commit/70d6b08ba4b5bfba971129fa0e2cabced7e67268"
  },
  "history": []
}

```

### assets/n8n-api-endpoints.md

```markdown
# n8n REST API — Endpoint Reference

## Base
- Base URL: `{instance}/api/v1`
- Auth header: `X-N8N-API-KEY: {key}`

## Environment variables (optional)
Set these to simplify examples:
```bash
export N8N_API_BASE_URL="https://your-instance.app.n8n.cloud/api/v1"  # or http://localhost:5678/api/v1
export N8N_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"
```

## Users (admin)
**Notes:** Owner-only on many instances. Supports `?limit`, `?cursor`, `?includeRole`, `?projectId`.

| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|--------|----------|-------------|
| GET | `/users` | List users |
| POST | `/users` | Create one or more users |
| GET | `/users/{id}` | Get user by ID or email |
| DELETE | `/users/{id}` | Delete user |
| PATCH | `/users/{id}/role` | Change user's global role |

## Audit
**Notes:** Generates a security audit report.

| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|--------|----------|-------------|
| POST | `/audit` | Generate audit report |

## Executions
**Notes:** Filters: `?status`, `?workflowId`, `?projectId`, `?includeData`, `?limit`, `?cursor`.

| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|--------|----------|-------------|
| GET | `/executions` | List executions |
| GET | `/executions/{id}` | Get execution details |
| DELETE | `/executions/{id}` | Delete execution record |
| POST | `/executions/{id}/retry` | Retry an execution (`loadWorkflow` optional) |

## Workflows
**Notes:** Filters: `?active`, `?tags`, `?name`, `?projectId`, `?excludePinnedData`, `?limit`, `?cursor`.

| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|--------|----------|-------------|
| POST | `/workflows` | Create workflow |
| GET | `/workflows` | List workflows |
| GET | `/workflows/{id}` | Get workflow by ID |
| PUT | `/workflows/{id}` | Update workflow |
| DELETE | `/workflows/{id}` | Delete workflow |
| GET | `/workflows/{id}/{versionId}` | Get a specific workflow version |
| POST | `/workflows/{id}/activate` | Publish/activate workflow (optional `versionId`, `name`, `description`) |
| POST | `/workflows/{id}/deactivate` | Deactivate workflow |
| PUT | `/workflows/{id}/transfer` | Transfer workflow to another project |
| GET | `/workflows/{id}/tags` | Get workflow tags |
| PUT | `/workflows/{id}/tags` | Update workflow tags |

## Credentials
**Notes:** `GET /credentials` is not listed in the current public API docs snapshot.

| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|--------|----------|-------------|
| POST | `/credentials` | Create credential |
| PATCH | `/credentials/{id}` | Update credential |
| DELETE | `/credentials/{id}` | Delete credential |
| GET | `/credentials/schema/{credentialTypeName}` | Get credential type schema |
| PUT | `/credentials/{id}/transfer` | Transfer credential to another project |

## Tags
**Notes:** Supports `?limit`, `?cursor`.

| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|--------|----------|-------------|
| POST | `/tags` | Create tag |
| GET | `/tags` | List tags |
| GET | `/tags/{id}` | Get tag by ID |
| PUT | `/tags/{id}` | Update tag |
| DELETE | `/tags/{id}` | Delete tag |

## Variables
**Notes:** Filters: `?projectId`, `?state`, `?limit`, `?cursor`.

| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|--------|----------|-------------|
| POST | `/variables` | Create variable |
| GET | `/variables` | List variables |
| PUT | `/variables/{id}` | Update variable |
| DELETE | `/variables/{id}` | Delete variable |

## Data Tables
**Notes:** Filters: `?filter` (jsonString), `?sortBy`, `?search`, `?limit`, `?cursor`.

| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|--------|----------|-------------|
| GET | `/data-tables` | List data tables |
| POST | `/data-tables` | Create data table |
| GET | `/data-tables/{dataTableId}` | Get data table |
| PATCH | `/data-tables/{dataTableId}` | Update data table |
| DELETE | `/data-tables/{dataTableId}` | Delete data table |
| GET | `/data-tables/{dataTableId}/rows` | Query rows |
| POST | `/data-tables/{dataTableId}/rows` | Insert rows (`returnType=count|id|all`) |
| PATCH | `/data-tables/{dataTableId}/rows/update` | Update rows by filter |
| POST | `/data-tables/{dataTableId}/rows/upsert` | Upsert row by filter |
| DELETE | `/data-tables/{dataTableId}/rows/delete` | Delete rows by filter |

## Projects
**Notes:** Supports `?limit`, `?cursor`.

| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|--------|----------|-------------|
| POST | `/projects` | Create project |
| GET | `/projects` | List projects |
| PUT | `/projects/{projectId}` | Update project |
| DELETE | `/projects/{projectId}` | Delete project |
| POST | `/projects/{projectId}/users` | Add users to project |
| PATCH | `/projects/{projectId}/users/{userId}` | Change user's project role |
| DELETE | `/projects/{projectId}/users/{userId}` | Remove user from project |

## Source Control
**Notes:** Requires Source Control feature.

| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|--------|----------|-------------|
| POST | `/source-control/pull` | Pull changes from remote repo |

## Webhooks (no auth needed)

| Type | URL Pattern |
|------|-------------|
| Production | `{instance}/webhook/{path}` |
| Test | `{instance}/webhook-test/{path}` |

## Pagination

All list endpoints support:
- `?limit=N` — Results per page (default 100, max 250)
- `?cursor=xxx` — Cursor for next page (returned in response)

## Response Format

```json
{
  "data": [...],
  "nextCursor": "string | null"
}
```

## Error Codes

| Code | Meaning |
|------|---------|
| 401 | Invalid or missing API key |
| 404 | Resource not found |
| 409 | Conflict |
| 429 | Rate limit exceeded |
| 500 | Internal server error |

```