---
name: n8n-api-8c153507392f
description: Operate n8n via its public REST API from OpenClaw. Use for workflow management, executions, and automation tasks such as listing, creating, publishing, triggering, or troubleshooting. Works with both self-hosted n8n and n8n Cloud.
---

# n8n Public REST API

Use this skill when you need to drive n8n programmatically. It covers the same core actions you use in the UI: workflows, executions, tags, credentials, projects, and more.

## Availability
- The public API is unavailable during the free trial.
- Upgrade your plan to enable API access.

## Configuration

Recommended environment variables (or store in `.n8n-api-config`):

```bash
export N8N_API_BASE_URL="https://your-instance.app.n8n.cloud/api/v1"  # or http://localhost:5678/api/v1
export N8N_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"
```

Create the API key in: n8n Settings → n8n API → Create an API key.

## Auth header

All requests require this header:

```
X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY
```

## Playground

The API playground is only available on self-hosted n8n and operates on real data. For safe experiments, use a test workflow or a separate test instance.

## Quick actions

### Workflows: list
```bash
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/workflows" \
  | jq '.data[] | {id, name, active}'
```

### Workflows: details
```bash
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/workflows/{id}"
```

### Workflows: activate or deactivate
```bash
# Activate (publish)
curl -s -X POST -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"versionId":"","name":"","description":""}' \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/workflows/{id}/activate"

# Deactivate
curl -s -X POST -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/workflows/{id}/deactivate"
```

### Webhook trigger
```bash
# Production webhook
curl -s -X POST "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/../webhook/{webhook-path}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"key":"value"}'

# Test webhook
curl -s -X POST "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/../webhook-test/{webhook-path}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"key":"value"}'
```

### Executions: list
```bash
# Recent executions
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/executions?limit=10" \
  | jq '.data[] | {id, workflowId, status, startedAt}'

# Failed only
curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/executions?status=error&limit=5"
```

### Executions: retry
```bash
curl -s -X POST -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"loadWorkflow":true}' \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/executions/{id}/retry"
```

## Common flows

### Health check summary
Count active workflows and recent failures:
```bash
ACTIVE=$(curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/workflows?active=true" | jq '.data | length')

FAILED=$(curl -s -H "X-N8N-API-KEY: $N8N_API_KEY" \
  "$N8N_API_BASE_URL/executions?status=error&limit=100" \
  | jq '[.data[] | select(.startedAt > (now - 86400 | todate))] | length')

echo "Active workflows: $ACTIVE | Failed (24h): $FAILED"
```

### Debug a failed run
1. List failed executions to get the execution ID.
2. Fetch execution details and identify the failing node.
3. Review node parameters and input data.
4. Suggest a fix based on the error message.

## Endpoint index

See `assets/n8n-api.endpoints.md` for the full list of endpoints.

## REST basics (optional)
If you want a refresher, these are commonly recommended:
- KnowledgeOwl: working with APIs (intro)
- IBM Cloud Learn Hub: what is an API / REST API
- MDN: overview of HTTP

## Notes and tips
- The n8n API node can call the public API from inside workflows.
- Webhook URLs are not the same as API URLs and do not use the API key header.
- Execution records may be pruned based on instance retention settings.


---
Source attribution: kbarbel640-del
Original project: https://github.com/kbarbel640-del/skills/blob/e7e336ac628c3e3bd771aff1aaa469c93778f94a/skills/codedao12/n8n-api/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 clawdbot

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: kbarbel640-del
Original project: https://github.com/kbarbel640-del/skills/blob/e7e336ac628c3e3bd771aff1aaa469c93778f94a/skills/codedao12/n8n-api/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Source repository record

Fields of work: Data & Analytics, Marketing, Product Management
Roles: Data Analyst, Growth Marketer, Product Manager
Specialties: API
Tools: OpenAI API, N8N
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 5c650c0463877731a32f314fffc583fe2a040bd4e6f298e9df2187e447067045