n8n · fundamentals

Core nodes & what they’re for

The building blocks behind the template gallery — triggers, decisions, HTTP, and control flow. Each writeup covers used-for, when to use it, and how to wire it from scratch.

01 · triggers

Manual Trigger

Run a workflow on demand from the editor — no URL, no schedule.

02 · triggers

Webhook

HTTP entrypoint — forms, APIs, and other systems POST/GET into n8n.

03 · triggers

Schedule Trigger

Time-based runs — every N minutes or a cron expression.

04 · actions

HTTP Request

Call any HTTP API — GET probes, POST webhooks, PUT/PATCH updates.

05 · actions

Respond to Webhook

Send the HTTP response back to the Webhook caller with your own JSON/text.

06 · logic

IF

Boolean branch — true path vs false path based on a condition.

07 · logic

Switch

Multi-way router — named outputs for sales, support, fallback, etc.

08 · data

Set (Edit Fields)

Shape the item — add, rename, or hardcode fields before the next node.

09 · data

Code

Run JavaScript (or Python where enabled) to transform items in-graph.

10 · logic

Merge

Join parallel branches back into one stream before the next decision.

11 · flow

Wait

Pause the execution — for a duration or until a resume webhook fires.

12 · triggers

Error Trigger

Starts a dedicated workflow when another workflow fails.

13 · data

Filter

Keep or drop items that match conditions — without forking the canvas.

14 · flow

Split In Batches

Process items in chunks — loop until the batch is empty.

15 · data

Aggregate

Combine many items into one — lists, counts, or merged fields.

16 · apps

Slack

Post messages (and more) into channels — the default human notification layer.

17 · apps

Google Sheets

Append, read, and update spreadsheet rows — lightweight DB for ops.

18 · apps

Gmail

Send (and read) email from a connected Google mailbox.

19 · flow

Execute Workflow

Call another n8n workflow like a function — reuse shared logic.

20 · data

Limit

Cap how many items continue — first N only.

Prefer full templates? Browse workflow gallery →

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