mirror of
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236 lines
8.9 KiB
Markdown
236 lines
8.9 KiB
Markdown
# n8n-node-dev
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Currently very simple and not very sophisticated CLI which makes it easier
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to create credentials and nodes in TypeScript for n8n.
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```
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npm install n8n-node-dev -g
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```
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## Contents
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- [Usage](#usage)
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- [Commands](#commands)
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- [Create a node](#create-a-node)
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- [Node Type](#node-type)
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- [Node Type Description](#node-type-description)
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- [Node Properties](#node-properties)
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- [Node Property Options](#node-property-options)
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- [License](#license)
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## Usage
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The commandline tool can be started with `n8n-node-dev <COMMAND>`
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## Commands
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The following commands exist:
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### build
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Builds credentials and nodes in the current folder and copies them into the
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n8n custom extension folder (`~/.n8n/custom/`) unless destination path is
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overwritten with `--destination <FOLDER_PATH>`
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When "--watch" gets set it starts in watch mode and automatically builds and
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copies files whenever they change. To stop press "ctrl + c".
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### new
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Creates new basic credentials or node of the selected type to have a first starting point.
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## Create a node
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The easiest way to create a new node is via the "n8n-node-dev" cli. It sets up
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all the basics.
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A n8n node is a JavaScript file (normally written in TypeScript) which describes
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some basic information (like name, description, ...) and also at least one method.
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Depending on which method got implemented defines if it is a a regular-, trigger-
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or webhook-node.
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A simple regular node which:
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- defines one node property
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- sets its value do all items it receives
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would look like this:
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File named: `MyNode.node.ts`
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```TypeScript
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import { IExecuteFunctions } from 'n8n-core';
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import {
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INodeExecutionData,
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INodeType,
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INodeTypeDescription,
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} from 'n8n-workflow';
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export class MyNode implements INodeType {
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description: INodeTypeDescription = {
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displayName: 'My Node',
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name: 'myNode',
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group: ['transform'],
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version: 1,
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description: 'Adds "myString" on all items to defined value.',
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defaults: {
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name: 'My Node',
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color: '#772244',
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},
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inputs: ['main'],
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outputs: ['main'],
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properties: [
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// Node properties which the user gets displayed and
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// can change on the node.
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{
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displayName: 'My String',
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name: 'myString',
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type: 'string',
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default: '',
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placeholder: 'Placeholder value',
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description: 'The description text',
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}
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]
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};
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async execute(this: IExecuteFunctions): Promise<INodeExecutionData[][]> {
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const items = this.getInputData();
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let item: INodeExecutionData;
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let myString: string;
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// Itterates over all input items and add the key "myString" with the
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// value the parameter "myString" resolves to.
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// (This could be a different value for each item in case it contains an expression)
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for (let itemIndex = 0; itemIndex < items.length; itemIndex++) {
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myString = this.getNodeParameter('myString', itemIndex, '') as string;
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item = items[itemIndex];
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item.json['myString'] = myString;
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}
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return this.prepareOutputData(items);
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}
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}
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```
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The "description" property has to be set on all nodes because it contains all
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the base information. Additionally do all nodes have to have exactly one of the
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following methods defined which contains the actual logic:
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**Regular node**
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Method get called when the workflow gets executed
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- `execute`: Executed once no matter how many items
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- `executeSingle`: Executed once for every item
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By default always `execute` should be used especially when creating a
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third-party integration. The reason for that is that it is way more flexible
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and allows to, for example, return a different amount of items than it received
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as input. This is very important when a node should query data like *return
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all users*. In that case, does the node normally just receive one input-item
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but returns as many as users exist. So in doubt always `execute` should be
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used!
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**Trigger node**
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Method gets called once when the workflow gets activated. It can then trigger
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workflow runs which data it provides by itself.
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- `trigger`
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**Webhook node**
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Method gets called when webhook gets called.
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- `webhook`
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### Node Type
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Property overview
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- **description** [required]: Describes the node like its name, properties, hooks, ... see `Node Type Description` bellow.
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- **execute** [optional]: Method get called when the workflow gets executed (once).
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- **executeSingle** [optional]: Method get called when the workflow gets executed (once for every item).
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- **hooks** [optional]: The hook methods.
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- **methods** [optional]: Additional methods. Currently only "loadOptions" exists which allows loading options for parameters from external services
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- **trigger** [optional]: Method gets called once when the workflow gets activated.
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- **webhook** [optional]: Method gets called when webhook gets called.
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- **webhookMethods** [optional]: Methods to setup webhooks on external services.
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### Node Type Description
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The following properties can be set in the node description:
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- **credentials** [optional]: Credentials the node requests access to
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- **defaults** [required]: Default "name" and "color" to set on node when it gets created
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- **displayName** [required]: Name to display users in Editor UI
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- **description** [required]: Description to display users in Editor UI
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- **group** [required]: Node group for example "transform" or "trigger"
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- **hooks** [optional]: Methods to execute at different points in time like when the workflow gets activated or deactivated
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- **icon** [optional]: Icon to display (can be an icon or a font awsome icon)
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- **inputs** [required]: Types of inputs the node has (currently only "main" exists) and the amount
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- **outputs** [required]: Types of outputs the node has (currently only "main" exists) and the amount
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- **outputNames** [optional]: In case a node has multiple outputs names can be set that users know what data to expect
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- **maxNodes** [optional]: If not an unlimited amount of nodes of that type can exist in a workflow the max-amount can be specified
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- **name** [required]: Name of the node (for n8n to use internally, in camelCase)
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- **properties** [required]: Properties which get displayed in the Editor UI and can be set by the user
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- **subtitle** [optional]: Text which should be displayed underneath the name of the node in the Editor UI (can be an expression)
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- **version** [required]: Version of the node. Currently always "1" (integer). For future usage, does not get used yet.
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- **webhooks** [optional]: Webhooks the node should listen to
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### Node Properties
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The following properties can be set in the node properties:
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- **default** [required]: Default value of the property
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- **description** [required]: Description that is displayed to users in the Editor UI
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- **displayName** [required]: Name that is displayed to users in the Editor UI
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- **displayOptions** [optional]: Defines logic to decide if a property should be displayed or not
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- **name** [required]: Name of the property (for n8n to use internally, in camelCase)
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- **options** [optional]: The options the user can select when type of property is "collection", "fixedCollection" or "options"
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- **placeholder** [optional]: Placeholder text that is displayed to users in the Editor UI
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- **type** [required]: Type of the property. If it is for example a "string", "number", ...
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- **typeOptions** [optional]: Additional options for type. Like for example the min or max value of a number
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- **required** [optional]: Defines if the value has to be set or if it can stay empty
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### Node Property Options
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The following properties can be set in the node property options.
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All properties are optional. However, most only work when the node-property is of a specfic type.
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- **alwaysOpenEditWindow** [type: string]: If set then the "Editor Window" will always open when the user tries to edit the field. Helpful if long text is typically used in the property.
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- **loadOptionsMethod** [type: options]: Method to use to load options from an external service
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- **maxValue** [type: number]: Maximum value of the number
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- **minValue** [type: number]: Minimum value of the number
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- **multipleValues** [type: all]: If set the property gets turned into an Array and the user can add multiple values
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- **multipleValueButtonText** [type: all]: Custom text for add button in case "multipleValues" got set
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- **numberPrecision** [type: number]: The precision of the number. By default it is "0" and will so only allow integers.
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- **password** [type: string]: If a password field should be displayed (normally only used by credentials because all node data is not encrypted and get saved in clear-text)
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- **rows** [type: string]: Number of rows the input field should have. By default it is "1"
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## License
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n8n is [fair-code](http://faircode.io) distributed under the [**Sustainable Use License**](https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/blob/master/packages/cli/LICENSE.md).
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Additional information on the license can be found in the [FAQ](https://docs.n8n.io/reference/faq.html#license)
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