PlugWiki

n8n-workflow-patterns Skill for Claude Code: Design n8n Workflows

Teaches Claude the 6 common shapes of n8n workflows and a build-validate-test routine before you switch one on. Pair it with the n8n-mcp server.

Installs
11.9K
on skills.sh
Stars
6.6K
on GitHub
Files
6
besides SKILL.md
Updated
Oct 2026
last repo commit

This skill is the planning layer for n8n. It lays out six patterns: webhook processing, HTTP API integration, database operations, AI agent workflows, scheduled tasks and batch processing. It adds a selection guide, a creation checklist, data-flow shapes and known gotchas for Google Sheets and Google Drive. It triggers when you ask about workflow structure or one of those patterns.

It assumes Claude can call the n8n-mcp tools, which the README lists as a prerequisite you set up yourself. The SKILL.md tells Claude to validate, check connections and test a workflow before activating it, and warns that real side effects fire during a test.

Good for

  • People building n8n automations with Claude's help
  • Teams wiring webhooks, APIs, databases, schedules or AI agents in n8n
  • Anyone who wants Claude to check a workflow before activating it

Install n8n-workflow-patterns

Claude Code

  1. 1

    Copy this prompt.

    Install the n8n-workflow-patterns skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

/plugin install czlonkowski/n8n-skills

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.
  2. 2

    Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Set up the n8n-mcp MCP server first: the README lists it as a prerequisite (installation guide: https://github.com/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp). The plugin installs all 15 skill folders listed in marketplace.json plus hooks; the manual copy gives skills without hooks.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Proven workflow architectural patterns from real n8n workflows. Use when building new workflows, designing workflow structure, choosing workflow patterns, planning workflow architecture, or asking about webhook processing, HTTP API integration, database operations, AI agent workflows, batch processing, or scheduled tasks. Always consult this skill when the user asks to create, build, or design an n8n workflow, automate a process, or connect services — even if they don't explicitly mention 'patterns'. Covers webhook, API, database, AI, batch processing, and scheduled automation architectures. Also use when optimizing a slow workflow or speeding up large-item-count processing (node count, batchSize, all-items vs per-item).

Sections in SKILL.md

  1. The 6 Core Patterns
  2. Pattern Selection Guide
  3. When to use each pattern:
  4. Common Workflow Components
  5. 1. Triggers
  6. 2. Data Sources
  7. 3. Transformation (native first)
  8. 4. Outputs
  9. 5. Error Handling
  10. Workflow Creation Checklist
  11. Planning Phase
  12. Implementation Phase
  13. Validation Phase
  14. Deployment Phase
  15. Workflow lifecycle: validate, verify, test before activating
  16. Data Flow Patterns

Key facts

Author
Romuald Członkowski
Repo
czlonkowski/n8n-skills
License
MIT
Installs on skills.sh
11,904 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars
6,561 (Nov 2, 2026), whole repo
Last commit
Oct 24, 2026 (repo)
Files in the skill folder
7 files including SKILL.md
Needs
The n8n-mcp MCP server, set up separately (README prerequisite)
Part of
n8n-mcp-skills plugin: 14 skills plus a router skill and hooks
Works in
Claude Code (plugin), Claude.ai (upload), other SKILL.md hosts (zip release)

What it includes

  • Six common workflow shapes, from webhooks to batch jobs.

    Five patterns have their own reference file; batch processing sits in the SKILL.md.

    The 6 core patterns

  • Says when to use each pattern, with an example for each.

    For instance: receive a Stripe payment webhook, update a database, send a confirmation.

    Pattern selection guide

  • Four phases: planning, implementation, validation, deployment.

    Covers picking a trigger, adding nodes, error handling, validating, testing with sample data and activating.

    Workflow creation checklist

  • Four gates before a workflow goes live.

    Validate the JSON, read the connections object, test and inspect executions, then activate. The SKILL.md says validation passing is necessary, not sufficient.

    Network · Validate, verify, test, activate

  • Linear, branching, parallel, loop and error-handler shapes.

    Each has a short diagram and a when-to-use line.

    Data flow patterns

  • SplitInBatches loops, batch size, nested loops, pagination.

    Explains the done and each-batch outputs and how to carry data across iterations.

    Batch processing

  • Four choices that set speed for thousands of items.

    Prefer native nodes, run Code nodes once for all items, maximize batch size.

    Performance on the hot path

  • Google Sheets and Google Drive rules.

    For example, do not use append on sheets with formula columns.

    Integration gotchas

  • 5 Markdown files with detail per pattern.

    ai_agent_workflow, database_operations, http_api_integration, scheduled_tasks and webhook_processing.

    Pattern reference files

From the official docs

Permissions

Medium risk

With n8n-mcp connected, Claude can create, update and activate workflows in your n8n instance, and a test run fires real side effects. Test against a throwaway instance first, and review hooks before installing the plugin.

What it can do

  • Read your data
  • Create and change things
  • Delete things
  • Read-only mode

Watch out for

  • Tests and activation have real effects

    The SKILL.md says real side effects fire during a test, and its last step activates the workflow. Disable sending nodes or use a test instance. github.com

  • The plugin adds shell-script hooks

    hooks.json runs bash scripts on SessionStart (startup, resume, clear, compact) and before or after n8n-mcp tool calls such as get_node, n8n_create_workflow, the workflow update and validate tools, n8n_test_workflow, n8n_instances and n8n_manage_credentials. session-start.sh creates ~/.cache/n8n-mcp-skills and deletes old per-session files. The README says the hooks add reminders and never block a tool call. Read them first. github.com

  • The repo holds an MCP config

    mcp.json points to https://api.n8n-mcp.com/mcp, and .mcp.json.example shows a local npx n8n-mcp setup with N8N_API_URL and N8N_API_KEY. The README does not say the plugin installs either, so set up n8n-mcp yourself. github.com

Technical details
Scopes

  • n8n-mcp tools with your N8N_API_KEY (via the separate MCP server)

Questions

What does n8n-workflow-patterns do?

It gives Claude six proven n8n workflow patterns, a checklist for building one and gates to pass before activating it. Claude uses it when you ask for workflow structure or a specific pattern.

How do I install it?

The README recommends the whole n8n-mcp-skills plugin, which holds this skill plus 13 others, a router skill and hooks. Use the install box above. You can also upload just this skill's folder as a zip in Claude.ai.

Do I need the n8n-mcp server?

Yes, in practice. The README lists the n8n-mcp MCP server as a prerequisite, with an installation guide at github.com/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp, and the SKILL.md tells Claude to call its tools to search nodes, validate and test.

Does it work in Claude.ai, Codex or ChatGPT?

The README documents Claude.ai (upload each skill folder as a zip) and says other SKILL.md hosts can take the release zip. It mentions a Claude Code / Codex plugin install for hooks, but gives no Codex command here.

Is it safe?

The skill folder bundles no scripts, but the workflow it guides can change your n8n instance: the SKILL.md says real side effects fire during a test, such as writes and sent messages. The plugin adds hooks that run shell scripts. See the permissions section.

n8n-workflow-patterns vs the other n8n skills?

This one covers the shape of a workflow. The SKILL.md names n8n MCP Tools Expert, Expression Syntax, Node Configuration and Validation Expert as companions for tool use, expressions, node setup and validation. The plugin installs them together.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository
czlonkowski/n8n-skills
Folder
skills/n8n-workflow-patterns

czlonkowski/n8n-skillsskills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 5
  1. n8n-skills README · github.com
  2. n8n-skills marketplace.json · github.com
  3. n8n-workflow-patterns SKILL.md · github.com
  4. n8n-skills hooks.json · github.com
  5. session-start.sh · github.com

Updated Nov 2, 2026.