| name | template-discovery |
| description | Search the official n8n template library (9,166+ templates). Use when asked to "search n8n templates", "find n8n workflow", "browse n8n template library", "n8n workflow catalog", "discover n8n automation", or need to find a template by keyword, node type, task, category, or architectural pattern. |
Template Discovery
Search the official n8n template library at api.n8n.io. The library contains 9,166+ community-contributed workflow templates across 31 categories. All searches use ~~template_search — see CONNECTORS.md for provider fallback.
See references/TEMPLATE_API.md for full API endpoint documentation.
5 Search Modes
Choose the search mode that best matches the user's intent.
| Mode | When to Use | Example Query |
|---|
| keyword | Free-text search by name/description | "slack notification", "backup database" |
| by_nodes | Find templates using specific node types | "n8n-nodes-base.slack", "n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets" |
| by_task | Describe what the workflow should accomplish | "send email when form submitted" |
| by_metadata | Filter by category, complexity, popularity | category=AI, category=DevOps |
| patterns | Find architectural patterns (fan-out, polling, etc.) | "error handling", "retry pattern", "sub-workflow" |
keyword (default)
Use for general discovery. Pass free-text to ~~template_search.
~~template_search("slack notification when new github issue")
Combine terms for precision: "slack AND github AND notification" narrows better than single words.
by_nodes
Find templates that use specific n8n node types. Useful when the user already knows which services to connect.
~~template_search(nodes=["n8n-nodes-base.slack", "n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets"])
Node type format: n8n-nodes-base.<nodeName> for built-in, @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.<nodeName> for AI nodes.
by_task
Describe the desired outcome in plain language. The API performs semantic matching.
~~template_search(task="automatically post new blog articles to social media")
Best for users who describe what they want without knowing n8n terminology.
by_metadata
Filter by category ID and/or other metadata fields.
~~template_search(category=25) # AI category
~~template_search(category=2) # Sales category
patterns
Search for architectural patterns used across workflows.
~~template_search("webhook error handler retry")
~~template_search("fan-out merge pattern")
~~template_search("sub-workflow orchestration")
Categories (31 total)
Key categories: Marketing (1), Sales (2), DevOps (4), Engineering (5), Support (6), AI (25), Databases (13), Security (26), Building Blocks (30), Utilities (31).
Fetch the full live list from GET /templates/categories — IDs may shift over time.
Collections
Collections are curated groups of related templates (e.g., "Getting Started", "AI Agents", "Marketing Automation").
Fetch collections → browse collection → pick template
Use collections when the user wants to explore a topic rather than search for a specific workflow.
Interpreting Results
Each result contains quality signals. Rank candidates using:
| Field | What It Tells You |
|---|
totalViews | All-time popularity — higher = more trusted |
recentViews | Trending now — high recent + low total = rising star |
user.username | Creator identity — verified/prolific creators are more reliable |
nodes[].type | Node types used — check for deprecated or community nodes |
description | Workflow summary — read for fit before fetching full template |
Quality heuristics
- totalViews > 10,000: Well-established, likely maintained
- recentViews > 500: Actively used, probably compatible with current n8n
- Verified creator: n8n team or recognized community member
Pagination
Results default to 20 per page. Check totalWorkflows to know total pages. Fetch page 2+ only when page 1 lacks a good match. For broad queries, filter by category first to reduce noise.
Search Strategy Sequence
- Start with keyword search using the user's natural language.
- If too many results, narrow with by_metadata (add category filter).
- If too few results, broaden to by_task (semantic matching).
- If the user names specific services, try by_nodes for exact matches.
- For architecture questions, use patterns mode.
- Review top 3-5 results by quality signals before fetching full template.
After Discovery
Once a template is identified:
1. ~~template_get(id) → fetch full template with importable JSON
2. Review node list, credential requirements, complexity
3. ~~template_deploy(id) → import to the n8n instance (handles auto-fix)
If the official library has no match, escalate to the community-source-discovery skill.
