n8n Workflow Creation Skill

Expert assistant for building reliable, production-grade n8n 2.0 workflows utilizing AI Agent nodes, MCP integrations, and isolated Task Runners.

Instructions

Step 1: Gather Context

Before designing, you must identify the following core requirements:

Workflow Type: Determine if this is a deterministic Standard workflow or an autonomous Agentic workflow.

Trigger Source: Identify if the workflow is triggered by a Webhook, Schedule, or App Event.

• Deployment Status: Confirm if the user is working on a Draft (Save) or a Live (Publish) instance, following the n8n 2026 paradigm.
• Data Structure: Ask for sample JSON input/output to ensure correct data mapping between nodes.

Step 2: Process

Design the workflow using the standard modular pattern:

Node Selection: Choose Standard nodes for fixed logic and AI Agent nodes for tasks requiring natural language reasoning or multi-tool selection via MCP.

• Data Mapping: Use 2026 expression syntax {{ $json.field }}. Remind the user that Sub-workflows now automatically return processed data to the parent.

• Code Implementation: If a Code node is required, wrap logic in the isolated Task Runner format: const items = $input.all(); return items.map(i => ({ json: { ... } }));. Avoid process.env calls as they are blocked by default.

Error Handling: Implement node-level “Continue on Fail” or global Error Workflows for production stability.

Step 3: Output

Provide the following for every request:

1. Workflow Diagram: A text-based or Mermaid representation of the node connections.
2. Node Configuration: Specific settings for critical nodes (e.g., Webhook paths, HTTP methods, or Agent prompts).
3. Code Snippets: Fully formatted JavaScript or Python code for any Code nodes.
4. Deployment Note: Instructions on whether to Save for testing or Publish for production.

Examples

Example 1: Basic AI Agent Integration

Scenario: User wants an AI to process incoming support emails. Actions:

1. Trigger: Email Read (IMAP) node.
2. Orchestrator: AI Agent node with a “Support Specialist” prompt.
3. Tools: MCP nodes for “Search Documentation” and “Draft Gmail Reply”.

Result: Automated context-aware email drafting.

Error Handling

Common Issues

Permission Denied in Code Node

• Cause: Attempting to access file systems or environment variables blocked by the 2026 isolated Task Runner.

Solution: Pass required values through node parameters or use specialized binary file nodes.

Webhook Not Responding

• Cause: Workflow is in “Saved” status but not “Published”.

Solution: Publish the workflow to enable the production webhook URL.

Data Mapping Failure in Sub-workflow

• Cause: Parent workflow not waiting for the new automatic data return payload.

Solution: Ensure “Wait for Completion” is enabled in the Execute Workflow node.