n8n-cli-refactor

name	n8n-cli-refactor
description	Refactor an n8n workflow for simplification. Finds redundant nodes, batching opportunities, and over-complex Code nodes, then proposes a cleaner version. Use when a workflow feels unwieldy or has grown past 20 nodes.
user_invocable	true

/n8n-cli-refactor — AI-Assisted Workflow Refactoring

Read a workflow, identify simplification opportunities, propose a refactor, and (with approval) build the refactored version.

Procedure

1. Get the workflow:

   • n8n-cli wf export <id> -o /tmp/before.json

2. Analyze for refactor opportunities:

   a. Redundant nodes — sequential Set or Function nodes that could combine into one b. Repeated HTTP requests — multiple HTTP Request nodes hitting the same API. If they're fetching different IDs, propose batching with Split In Batches or moving the call into a single node with a loop c. Branch + Merge that does nothing — IF nodes that split for no reason and immediately re-merge d. Over-complex Code nodes — JS/Python code blocks doing things n8n nodes already do (HTTP requests via fetch, JSON parsing, date math). Offer to replace with built-in nodes e. Hardcoded magic strings — URLs, IDs, channel names that should be variables or env config f. Missing error handlers — risky nodes (HTTP, external API) without error output wired up g. Dead branches — nodes that aren't connected to anything downstream

3. Score the refactor opportunities by impact:

   • High: removes 5+ nodes, fixes a real failure mode
   • Medium: removes 2-4 nodes, reduces complexity
   • Low: cosmetic, single-node consolidation

4. Propose the refactor as a side-by-side:

## Refactor Proposal: [Workflow Name]

### Current state
- Nodes: 32
- Branches: 4
- Code nodes: 7
- HTTP Request nodes: 8

### Proposed state
- Nodes: 22 (-10)
- Branches: 3 (-1)
- Code nodes: 3 (-4)
- HTTP Request nodes: 5 (-3)

### Changes
1. Combine "Set Customer Vars" + "Set Order Vars" + "Set Defaults" into a single Set node (save 2 nodes)
2. Replace Code node "fetchOrderData" with HTTP Request node + JSON parse — n8n handles this natively (save 1 node + complexity)
3. Remove dead branch "Notify Legacy System" — it's not connected to a final output
4. Add error handler to "Stripe Webhook" — currently any failure here drops the order silently
5. ...

### Risk
- Low: changes 1, 2, 3 are safe
- Medium: change 5 modifies the order of operations slightly
- High: none

### Recommendation
Apply changes 1-3 immediately. Review change 5 with the workflow owner before applying.

5. If user approves: write the refactored workflow JSON, save to /tmp/after.json, then either:
   • Test mode: n8n-cli wf create /tmp/after.json to import as a NEW workflow (so the original is preserved). Name it "[Original Name] - REFACTOR".
   • Replace mode: n8n-cli wf update <id> /tmp/after.json (only after explicit confirmation, with the original saved as /tmp/before.json for rollback)

Output format

• Lead with the score (how much complexity is removed)
• Show the side-by-side
• List changes in priority order (do the safe ones first)
• Always save a backup of the original before any update

Safety

• Never apply a refactor without explicit user approval AND a backup of the original
• For refactors that change the behavior (not just the structure) of the workflow, flag explicitly: "this changes what the workflow does in case X — confirm this is intentional"
• If the workflow is currently active, suggest deactivating before refactoring, refactoring, testing manually, then reactivating

Tips

• The biggest wins are usually replacing Code nodes with built-in nodes (HTTP, Set, Merge) — saves complexity and makes the workflow visible in the n8n UI
• Don't refactor working workflows aggressively. "Slightly more elegant" is not a good reason to risk breaking production.
• For workflows the user inherited and doesn't fully understand, document first (use /n8n-cli-document), then consider refactoring.