nocobase-to-n8n

name	nocobase-to-n8n
description	This skill should be used when the user wants to "trigger n8n from NocoBase", "connect NocoBase UI to n8n", "automate NocoBase actions with n8n", "create NocoBase workflow that calls n8n", or needs to integrate NocoBase interface events with n8n workflow automation.

NocoBase to n8n Integration

Patterns for connecting NocoBase UI actions and workflow events to n8n automation. Covers NocoBase webhooks, API triggers, and cross-service coordination.

Dev vs Production Instance

This stack runs two NocoBase instances:

Instance	URL / API key	When to use
Prod	${NOCOBASE_URL} / ${NOCOBASE_API_KEY}	Live integrations, released collections
Dev	${NOCOBASE_DEV_URL} / ${NOCOBASE_DEV_API_KEY}	Wiring up new collection events, testing webhook payloads, prototyping button actions, and running dev/test apps

Build and iterate every new NocoBase → n8n integration on the dev instance first (it also has an nocobase-dev MCP server for fast Claude-driven authoring). Only swap the n8n HTTP node URLs and NocoBase credentials to prod once the workflow is stable.

Integration Patterns

Pattern 1: NocoBase Workflow → n8n Webhook

Use NocoBase's built-in workflow engine to trigger n8n when collection events occur.

Setup steps:

1. Create an n8n workflow with a Webhook trigger node
2. In NocoBase, create a workflow with trigger type "Collection event"
3. Add an "HTTP request" node in the NocoBase workflow pointing to the n8n webhook URL
4. Map NocoBase collection fields to the HTTP request body

NocoBase workflow configuration:

• Trigger: Collection event on target collection
• Event: After create / After update / After delete
• Action node: HTTP request → n8n webhook URL

n8n receives:

{
  "collection": "orders",
  "event": "afterCreate",
  "data": {
    "id": 1,
    "title": "New Order",
    "status": "pending",
    "created_at": "2026-04-07T12:00:00Z"
  }
}

Pattern 2: NocoBase Button → n8n Workflow

Create a custom action button in NocoBase that triggers an n8n workflow.

Setup steps:

1. Create an n8n webhook workflow
2. In NocoBase, add a custom action button to a collection's table or form block
3. Configure the button to call the n8n webhook URL with the current record data

Pattern 3: n8n Reads/Writes NocoBase via API

n8n interacts with NocoBase collections through the NocoBase REST API.

Read records:

GET ${NOCOBASE_URL}/api/orders:list?filter={"status":"pending"}&pageSize=50
Headers: Authorization: Bearer ${NOCOBASE_API_KEY}

Create record:

POST ${NOCOBASE_URL}/api/orders:create
Headers: Authorization: Bearer ${NOCOBASE_API_KEY}
Body: { "title": "New Order", "status": "pending" }

Update record:

POST ${NOCOBASE_URL}/api/orders:update?filterByTk=1
Headers: Authorization: Bearer ${NOCOBASE_API_KEY}
Body: { "status": "completed" }

Pattern 4: NocoBase Schedule → n8n Processing

Use NocoBase's scheduled workflow trigger to periodically call n8n.

Setup:

1. NocoBase workflow: Schedule trigger (e.g., every hour)
2. NocoBase HTTP node: call n8n webhook
3. n8n workflow: process data and write results back

Shared Data Between NocoBase and NocoDB

NocoBase and NocoDB can both connect to the same PostgreSQL database. When they share tables:

• NocoBase provides the UI (forms, dashboards, admin panels)
• NocoDB provides MCP access for Claude operations
• PostgreSQL is the source of truth

Changes made through either interface are immediately visible to both. Use NocoDB MCP tools for data operations in Claude workflows and NocoBase for user-facing interactions.

Workflow Naming Convention

NocoBase workflows: [Collection] - [Action] - [Event Type]

Examples:

• Orders - Notify Warehouse - After Create
• Users - Sync Profile - After Update
• Invoices - Generate PDF - Button Action

Error Handling

1. NocoBase workflow error handling — add try-catch nodes in NocoBase workflows
2. n8n Error Trigger — catch failed webhook processing
3. Retry configuration — configure retries in both NocoBase HTTP node and n8n
4. Logging — log failed events to a shared error collection

Best Practices

• Use NocoBase workflow variables for n8n webhook URLs — do not hardcode
• Include the collection name and record ID in every webhook payload
• Validate NocoBase API key permissions match the required operations
• Use NocoBase's built-in workflow engine for simple automations, n8n for complex orchestration
• Document webhook URLs in the project config skill