n8n cheat sheet

The core nodes and words you'll meet in every recipe. Each node name links to its official doc.

Core nodes

Manual Trigger	Runs the workflow when you click Test. Good for trying things.
Schedule Trigger	Runs every X minutes, or by cron (e.g. weekdays 09:00).
Webhook	Gives you a URL. Any app that POSTs to it starts the workflow.
n8n Form Trigger	A hosted form; each submission starts a run.
HTTP Request	Calls any API, even when no dedicated node exists.
Edit Fields (Set)	Add, rename or keep only certain fields.
If / Switch	Send items down different paths by a condition.
Filter	Drop items that don't match a condition.
Merge	Join data from two branches.
Code	JavaScript or Python for anything the other nodes can't do.
Wait	Pause for a time or until a webhook call (e.g. a follow-up in 2 days).
Loop Over Items	Process items in batches (for rate-limited APIs).
Respond to Webhook	Choose exactly what the webhook caller gets back.
Error Trigger	Starts an alert workflow when another workflow fails.

Glossary

Workflow	A set of connected nodes that does one job.
Node	One step: a trigger, an app action or a logic block.
Trigger	The first node; decides when the workflow runs.
Item	One record of data (JSON). Nodes run once per item by default.
Execution	One run of a workflow. n8n Cloud prices by executions.
Expression	Dynamic value in {{ }}, e.g. {{ $json.email }}.
$json	The current item's data from the previous node.
$('Node').item.json	Data from a specific earlier node.
Credential	Saved login or API key for an app, kept out of the workflow file.
Active	A switched-on workflow that runs from its trigger by itself.
Test vs Production URL	Webhook URLs: Test only while listening in the editor; Production when Active.
Pinned data	Saved sample output on a node, so you can build without re-calling an API.
Sub-workflow	A workflow called by another with Execute Workflow.

Handy expressions

{{ $json.email }}                      current item field
{{ $('Normalize lead').item.json.phone }}  field from a named node
{{ $now.toISO() }}                    current time
{{ $now.plus({days:1}).toFormat('yyyy-MM-dd') }}  tomorrow

More in the expressions docs. New here? n8n from zero →