04 · actions
Call any HTTP API — GET probes, POST webhooks, PUT/PATCH updates.
When to use it
Default tool whenever data lives outside n8n. Prefer dedicated nodes (Slack, HubSpot) when they exist — HTTP Request when they don’t.
Writeup
Call any HTTP API — GET probes, POST webhooks, PUT/PATCH updates. Default tool whenever data lives outside n8n. Prefer dedicated nodes (Slack, HubSpot) when they exist — HTTP Request when they don’t.
Step by step — how to wire it
01
Add HTTP Request
Connect from your trigger. Set Method and URL.
02
Configure body / headers
Enable Send Body if POST. Add auth header or credential as required.
03
Execute and inspect
Read statusCode and body in the output panel before branching.
04
Branch on result
Optional IF on statusCode ≥ 400 → Error path / Slack alert.
How it functions
Method + URL
GET/POST/PUT/PATCH/DELETE against a full URL. Auth via header credential, query, or OAuth.
Body modes
Form body parameters (Foo=Bar), JSON, or raw — match what the API expects.
Output
Status code and body land in the item JSON for IF/Switch/Set downstream.
Used for
Used for 1
Talking to internal microservices and SaaS APIs
Used for 2
Enrichment lookups in parallel branches
Used for 3
Posting after approval (Wait → HTTP)
Tips
Use a disposable probe host while learning egress — same TLS path, zero blast radius.
Timeouts and retries live in Options — tune them for flaky third parties.