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tmolavitmolavi/n8n-agent-skills/skills/n8n-error-handling/SKILL.md

n8n-error-handling

Skill1 starsChanged 3 months agoMITView on GitHub

Use for production n8n workflows, webhook APIs, retries, error outputs, error workflows, dead-letter patterns, and correct HTTP response status shapes for callers.

6 other projects use a version of this.

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Used with

Projects with it also use n8n-binary-and-data, n8n-code-tool and 9 more.

Other files people use alongside this one.

Files found in the same public projects as a version of this one, more often than they turn up anywhere else. Each project counts once, large collections count for less, and this file's own repository is left out.
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    Also in 4 projects that use this

  • czlonkowskiSkill

    n8n-code-tool

    Write JavaScript or Python for the n8n Custom Code Tool (@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.toolCode) — the AI-agent-callable tool, NOT the workflow Code node. Use when building a Code Tool attached to an AI Agent, writing code that an LLM will invoke, parsing the `query` input, returning a string result, defining an input schema for structured arguments (specifyInputSchema, jsonSchemaExample, DynamicStructuredTool), or troubleshooting errors like \"Wrong output type returned\", \"No execution data available\", \"The response property should be a string, but it is an object\", \"Cannot assign to read only property 'name'\", or an AI agent that refuses to call the tool. Covers the critical differences between Code node and Code Tool: return format (string vs `[{json:{...}}]`), unavailability of `$fromAI`/`$input`/`$helpers` in the Code Tool sandbox, naming rules for AI invocation, and when to use `toolWorkflow`/HTTP Request Tool instead.

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  • tygwanSkill

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    Also in 3 projects that use this

  • tygwanSkill

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    Also in 3 projects that use this

  • +3 more from czlonkowski
  • +4 more from tygwan

The file

We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent

1 rule. 0 are common, 1 is distinctive, and 0 are very specific to this project.

  • 0

    Common

    Most of the 6 edited versions we read keep these.

  • 1

    Distinctive

    This author's own choices. Worth a look.

  • 0

    Very specific

    Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.

  • Common
  • Distinctive
  • Very specific
  1. Distinctive:

    Do not swallow errors in Code with empty catch.

    line 21

“Common” is measured: kept by at least 6 in 10 of the 6 edited versions of this file we could read. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.

Keep what fits and drop the rest. Your version, ready for your agents.
Files
SKILL.md

n8n Error Handling

Author: Taghi Molavi

Defaults

  1. Fallible nodes (HTTP, DB, payments, mail) get explicit error strategy.
  2. Webhook-facing workflows: 4xx for caller mistakes, 5xx for internal failures — never 200 on hard fail unless intentionally accepting then async-processing (document it).
  3. Central Error Workflow for uncaught failures + alert channel.
  4. Retries: exponential backoff only on idempotent ops; otherwise dead-letter.
  5. Do not swallow errors in Code with empty catch.

Node error output

  • Enable continue on error output when you need a branch
  • Wire the error branch to normalize → notify → optionally respond

References

  • references/WEBHOOK_API_SHAPES.md
  • references/ERROR_WORKFLOWS.md

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