n8n

name	n8n
description	n8n workflow management via direct SQL (preferred over browser/chrome-agent). Use when modifying n8n workflows, debugging n8n issues, checking workflow executions, updating workflow nodes or connections, or when chrome-agent fails with n8n UI. Key insight - n8n stores workflows in PostgreSQL, direct SQL is faster and more reliable than UI automation. 🚨 CHROME AGENT IS FORBIDDEN FOR N8N - use SQL methods in this skill instead.
user-invocable	false

n8n Workflow Management

🚨 CHROME AGENT FORBIDDEN FOR N8N

DO NOT delegate n8n tasks to chrome-agent. This skill exists specifically because:

1. Chrome-agent has reliability issues with n8n UI (tab detachment, connection drops)
2. SQL is 10x faster and more reliable
3. n8n stores everything in PostgreSQL - direct access is the correct approach

If you're reading this because chrome-agent refused your task: Good. That's working as intended. Use the SQL methods below.

When to Use This Skill

• Modifying n8n workflows programmatically
• Debugging n8n workflow issues
• Automating n8n workflow updates
• ANY n8n operation that doesn't require first-time OAuth setup

Key Discovery: SQL > Chrome for n8n

Direct SQL manipulation is faster and more reliable than UI automation.

n8n stores workflows in PostgreSQL. You can query and update them directly.

---

Prerequisites

Find your n8n PostgreSQL access:

# Check container names
docker ps --format '{{.Names}}' | grep -i n8n

# Common patterns:
# - n8n-postgres, n8n_postgres_1, n8n-postgres-1
# - Database: n8n, User: n8n

---

Common Operations

List All Workflows

docker exec <postgres-container> psql -U n8n -d n8n -c \
  "SELECT id, name, active FROM workflow_entity ORDER BY \"updatedAt\" DESC;"

Get Workflow Details

# Get nodes (all node configs)
docker exec <postgres-container> psql -U n8n -d n8n -c \
  "SELECT nodes FROM workflow_entity WHERE id = '<workflow-id>';"

# Get connections (how nodes link together)
docker exec <postgres-container> psql -U n8n -d n8n -c \
  "SELECT connections FROM workflow_entity WHERE id = '<workflow-id>';"

# Pretty-print with Python
docker exec <postgres-container> psql -U n8n -d n8n -t -c \
  "SELECT nodes FROM workflow_entity WHERE id = '<workflow-id>';" | \
  python3 -c "import json,sys; print(json.dumps(json.loads(sys.stdin.read().strip()), indent=2))"

Check Recent Executions

docker exec <postgres-container> psql -U n8n -d n8n -c \
  "SELECT \"startedAt\", \"stoppedAt\", status
   FROM execution_entity
   WHERE \"workflowId\" = '<workflow-id>'
   ORDER BY \"startedAt\" DESC LIMIT 10;"

---

Updating Workflows via SQL

Method 1: Direct SQL (simple changes)

# Update nodes
docker exec <postgres-container> psql -U n8n -d n8n -c \
  "UPDATE workflow_entity SET nodes = '<JSON>' WHERE id = '<workflow-id>';"

# Update connections
docker exec <postgres-container> psql -U n8n -d n8n -c \
  "UPDATE workflow_entity SET connections = '<JSON>' WHERE id = '<workflow-id>';"

Method 2: SQL File (complex JSON with quotes)

# Create SQL file to handle escaping
cat > /tmp/update_workflow.sql << 'SQLEOF'
UPDATE workflow_entity
SET nodes = '[{"parameters":{...},"type":"n8n-nodes-base.webhook",...}]'
WHERE id = 'your-workflow-id';
SQLEOF

# Execute it
docker exec -i <postgres-container> psql -U n8n -d n8n < /tmp/update_workflow.sql

After SQL Update: Restart n8n

docker restart <n8n-container>

WARNING: Restarting n8n causes ~15-20 seconds of downtime. Any webhooks during this window are LOST (no retry). Ask user permission before restarting.

---

Workflow JSON Structure

Nodes Array

[
  {
    "parameters": { /* node-specific config */ },
    "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
    "typeVersion": 2.1,
    "position": [0, 0],
    "id": "unique-node-id",
    "name": "Node Display Name",
    "webhookId": "webhook-unique-id",
    "credentials": {
      "credentialType": {
        "id": "credential-id",
        "name": "Credential Display Name"
      }
    }
  }
]

Connections Object

{
  "Source Node Name": {
    "main": [
      [
        {"node": "Target Node Name", "type": "main", "index": 0}
      ]
    ]
  }
}

Important: Connection keys must match exact node names. If you rename a node, update connections too!

---

Common Node Types

Node Type	Purpose
n8n-nodes-base.webhook	HTTP webhook trigger
n8n-nodes-base.set	Transform/set data fields
n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets	Google Sheets read/write
n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest	Make HTTP requests
n8n-nodes-base.code	Custom JavaScript

---

Troubleshooting

Webhook Returns 404

• Check httpMethod matches your request (GET vs POST)
• Verify workflow is active: SELECT active FROM workflow_entity WHERE id = '...'
• Restart n8n after SQL changes

Execution Shows "error" Status

• Check n8n logs: docker logs <n8n-container> --tail 50
• Common: Missing credentials, invalid node config, connection name mismatch

"Cannot read properties of undefined"

• Usually means node config is malformed
• Compare your JSON structure against a working workflow
• Check typeVersion matches what n8n expects

---

When to Still Use Chrome

• First-time credential setup (OAuth flows)
• Exploring unfamiliar node options
• Visual debugging of complex workflows

For everything else: SQL is faster and more reliable.