FlowKit - User Guide

Complete guide for using nodes from FlowKit and creating your own nodes to share with the community.

Using Nodes from the Directory

Step 1: Browse & Search

1. Visit the directory - Open FlowKit.directory
2. Search - Use the search bar to find nodes by name, description, or tags
3. Filter - Click category buttons (API Integration, Data Processing, etc.)
4. Browse - Scroll through the node cards to see what's available

Step 2: View Node Details

1. Click "View Details" on any node card
2. Review the information:
   • Node Information - Type, category, version, compatibility
   • HTTP Request Details - For HTTP nodes: method, endpoint, request body
   • Required Credentials - What authentication you'll need
   • Use Cases - Real-world examples
   • Installation Instructions - How to add to your workflow

Step 3: Copy the Node

Step 4: Configure the Node

After pasting the node into n8n:

1. Set up credentials (if required)
   • Click on the node
   • Click "Select Credential" or "Create New Credential"
   • Follow the authentication setup
2. Customize parameters
   • Update URLs, endpoints, or paths
   • Modify request bodies with your data
   • Adjust field mappings to match your workflow
3. Test the node
   • Click "Execute Node" to test
   • Verify the output matches your expectations
   • Debug any errors in the execution panel

Creating New Nodes

What Makes a Good Node?

• ✅ Solves a specific problem - Clear, focused functionality
• ✅ Well-documented - Good description and use cases
• ✅ Tested - Works reliably in n8n
• ✅ Reusable - Others can easily adapt it
• ✅ Clean code - Properly formatted JSON and expressions

Step 1: Build Your Node in n8n

1. Open n8n and create a new workflow
2. Add nodes to accomplish your task
3. Configure everything:
   • Set up HTTP requests
   • Add transformations (Code nodes, Set nodes, etc.)
   • Configure error handling
   • Test thoroughly
4. Use expressions where appropriate:

// Good - dynamic
"locationId": "={{ $json.locationId }}"

// Bad - hardcoded
"locationId": "abc123xyz"

5. Test with real data:
   • Run the workflow multiple times
   • Test with different inputs
   • Verify error handling works

Step 2: Export Your Node

For Single Node:

1. Click on your node in n8n
2. Right-click → Copy
3. Paste into a text editor
4. You'll get JSON like:

{
  "nodes": [{ ... }],
  "connections": {},
  "pinData": {}
}

For Multi-Node Workflow:

1. Select all the nodes you want to share (Ctrl+A or drag-select)
2. Right-click → Copy
3. Paste into a text editor
4. This includes all nodes and their connections

Clean Up the JSON:

• Remove any sensitive data (API keys, tokens, personal info)
• Replace hardcoded values with expressions where possible
• Remove unnecessary pinData if not needed
• Format the JSON (use a JSON formatter tool)

Step 3: Prepare Metadata

Step 4: Submit Your Node

1. Go to the submission form - Click "Submit a Node" on the website
2. Fill out the form with all the information
3. Paste your node JSON in the configuration field
4. Review everything before submitting
5. Click "Submit Node for Review"

You'll receive:

• ✅ Success confirmation on screen
• 📧 Follow-up email if there are questions
• 🎉 Your node will be added to the directory after review!

Best Practices

For HTTP Request Nodes

1. Use Clear Endpoints

// Good
"url": "=https://api.example.com/v1/contacts"

// Bad
"url": "=https://{{ $json.baseUrl }}/{{ $json.version }}/{{ $json.endpoint }}"

2. Document Required Headers

Include all necessary headers in your node:

"headerParameters": {
  "parameters": [
    {
      "name": "Content-Type",
      "value": "application/json"
    },
    {
      "name": "Authorization",
      "value": "={{ $credentials.token }}"
    }
  ]
}

3. Use Proper HTTP Methods

• GET - Retrieving data
• POST - Creating new resources
• PUT - Updating entire resources
• PATCH - Partial updates
• DELETE - Removing resources

4. Include Error Handling

Add "On Error" settings to handle failures gracefully.

For Code Nodes

1. Add Comments

// Transform contact data for API
const contacts = $input.all();

// Map to required format
const formatted = contacts.map(item => ({
  firstName: item.json.first_name,
  lastName: item.json.last_name,
  email: item.json.email
}));

return formatted;

2. Handle Edge Cases

// Check if data exists
if (!$json.email || !$json.phone) {
  throw new Error('Missing required contact info');
}

// Provide defaults
const tags = $json.tags || [];
const source = $json.source || 'Unknown';

3. Use Descriptive Variable Names

// Good
const customerEmail = $json.email;
const orderTotal = $json.total;

// Bad
const e = $json.email;
const t = $json.total;

General Tips

1. Test Before Submitting

• Run your node with sample data
• Test error scenarios
• Verify all credentials work
• Check expressions evaluate correctly

2. Make It Reusable

• Use expressions instead of hardcoded values
• Allow users to customize important parameters
• Include clear placeholder values
• Document any required setup

3. Security First

• Never include real API keys
• Never include passwords or tokens
• Never include personal/customer data
• Use credential placeholders instead

4. Documentation

• Write clear descriptions
• Include realistic use cases
• Explain any complex logic
• Note any limitations

Troubleshooting

"Copy button doesn't work"

Solution: Use the Download button instead, or ensure you're using HTTPS (not HTTP or file://).

"Node won't paste in n8n"

Solution:

• Make sure you copied the entire JSON
• Verify JSON is valid (use jsonlint.com)
• Try pasting as text first, then copy again

"Credentials not working"

Solution:

• Create new credentials in n8n for this node
• Check if the credential type matches
• Verify API keys/tokens are valid
• Ensure you have required permissions

"Expression errors"

Solution:

• Check for syntax errors in expressions
• Verify field names match your data structure
• Use the Expression Editor in n8n to test
• Replace $json.field with your actual field names

"HTTP request fails"

Solution:

• Verify the endpoint URL is correct
• Check required headers are included
• Ensure authentication is properly configured
• Test the API endpoint outside n8n first (Postman, curl)

"Node not showing in directory"

Solution:

• Check your email for review status
• Ensure your submission was successful
• Contact support if it's been more than a week

Getting Help

For n8n Issues:

• n8n Documentation
• n8n Community Forum
• n8n YouTube Channel

Join the Community:

• Share your workflows
• Help others with their nodes
• Request nodes you need
• Provide feedback on existing nodes

Quick Reference

Node Categories

Common Node Types

Useful n8n Expressions

// Current date/time
{{ $now.toISOString() }}

// Access input data
{{ $json.fieldName }}

// Loop through items
{{ $items.map(item => item.json.field) }}

// Conditional
{{ $json.status === 'active' ? 'yes' : 'no' }}

// String manipulation
{{ $json.name.toLowerCase() }}
{{ $json.email.includes('@gmail.com') }}

// JSON operations
{{ JSON.stringify($json) }}
{{ JSON.parse($json.stringData) }}