feat(v2.7.0): add n8n_update_partial_workflow with transactional updates
BREAKING CHANGES: - Renamed n8n_update_workflow to n8n_update_full_workflow for clarity NEW FEATURES: - Added n8n_update_partial_workflow tool for diff-based workflow editing - Implemented WorkflowDiffEngine with 13 operation types - Added transactional updates with two-pass processing - Maximum 5 operations per request for reliability - Operations can be in any order - engine handles dependencies - Added validateOnly mode for testing changes before applying - 80-90% token savings by only sending changes IMPROVEMENTS: - Enhanced tool description with comprehensive parameter documentation - Added clear examples for simple and complex use cases - Improved error messages and validation - Added extensive test coverage for all operations DOCUMENTATION: - Added workflow-diff-examples.md with usage patterns - Added transactional-updates-example.md showing before/after - Updated README.md with v2.7.0 features - Updated CLAUDE.md with latest changes 🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code) Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
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czlonkowski
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docs/workflow-diff-examples.md
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docs/workflow-diff-examples.md
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# Workflow Diff Examples
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This guide demonstrates how to use the `n8n_update_partial_workflow` tool for efficient workflow editing.
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## Overview
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The `n8n_update_partial_workflow` tool allows you to make targeted changes to workflows without sending the entire workflow JSON. This results in:
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- 80-90% reduction in token usage
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- More precise edits
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- Clearer intent
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- Reduced risk of accidentally modifying unrelated parts
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## Basic Usage
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```json
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{
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"id": "workflow-id-here",
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"operations": [
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{
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"type": "operation-type",
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"...operation-specific-fields..."
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}
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]
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}
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```
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## Operation Types
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### 1. Node Operations
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#### Add Node
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```json
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{
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"type": "addNode",
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"description": "Add HTTP Request node to fetch data",
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"node": {
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"name": "Fetch User Data",
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"type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
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"position": [600, 300],
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"parameters": {
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"url": "https://api.example.com/users",
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"method": "GET",
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"authentication": "none"
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}
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}
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}
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```
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#### Remove Node
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```json
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{
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"type": "removeNode",
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"nodeName": "Old Node Name",
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"description": "Remove deprecated node"
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}
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```
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#### Update Node
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```json
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{
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"type": "updateNode",
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"nodeName": "HTTP Request",
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"changes": {
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"parameters.url": "https://new-api.example.com/v2/users",
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"parameters.headers.parameters": [
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{
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"name": "Authorization",
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"value": "Bearer {{$credentials.apiKey}}"
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}
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]
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},
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"description": "Update API endpoint to v2"
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}
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```
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#### Move Node
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```json
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{
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"type": "moveNode",
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"nodeName": "Set Variable",
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"position": [800, 400],
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"description": "Reposition for better layout"
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}
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```
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#### Enable/Disable Node
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```json
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{
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"type": "disableNode",
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"nodeName": "Debug Node",
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"description": "Disable debug output for production"
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}
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```
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### 2. Connection Operations
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#### Add Connection
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```json
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{
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"type": "addConnection",
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"source": "Webhook",
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"target": "Process Data",
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"sourceOutput": "main",
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"targetInput": "main",
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"description": "Connect webhook to processor"
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}
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```
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#### Remove Connection
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```json
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{
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"type": "removeConnection",
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"source": "Old Source",
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"target": "Old Target",
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"description": "Remove unused connection"
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}
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```
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#### Update Connection (Change routing)
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```json
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{
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"type": "updateConnection",
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"source": "IF",
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"target": "Send Email",
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"changes": {
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"sourceOutput": "false", // Change from 'true' to 'false' output
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"targetInput": "main"
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},
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"description": "Route failed conditions to email"
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}
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```
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### 3. Workflow Metadata Operations
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#### Update Workflow Name
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```json
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{
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"type": "updateName",
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"name": "Production User Sync v2",
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"description": "Update workflow name for versioning"
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}
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```
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#### Update Settings
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```json
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{
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"type": "updateSettings",
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"settings": {
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"executionTimeout": 300,
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"saveDataErrorExecution": "all",
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"timezone": "America/New_York"
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},
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"description": "Configure production settings"
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}
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```
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#### Manage Tags
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```json
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{
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"type": "addTag",
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"tag": "production",
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"description": "Mark as production workflow"
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}
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```
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## Complete Examples
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### Example 1: Add Slack Notification to Workflow
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```json
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{
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"id": "workflow-123",
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"operations": [
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{
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"type": "addNode",
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"node": {
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"name": "Send Slack Alert",
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"type": "n8n-nodes-base.slack",
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"position": [1000, 300],
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"parameters": {
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"resource": "message",
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"operation": "post",
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"channel": "#alerts",
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"text": "Workflow completed successfully!"
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}
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}
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},
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{
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"type": "addConnection",
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"source": "Process Data",
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"target": "Send Slack Alert"
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}
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]
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}
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```
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### Example 2: Update Multiple Webhook Paths
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```json
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{
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"id": "workflow-456",
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"operations": [
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{
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"type": "updateNode",
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"nodeName": "Webhook 1",
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"changes": {
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"parameters.path": "v2/webhook1"
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}
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},
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{
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"type": "updateNode",
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"nodeName": "Webhook 2",
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"changes": {
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"parameters.path": "v2/webhook2"
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}
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},
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{
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"type": "updateName",
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"name": "API v2 Webhooks"
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}
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]
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}
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```
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### Example 3: Refactor Workflow Structure
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```json
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{
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"id": "workflow-789",
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"operations": [
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{
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"type": "removeNode",
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"nodeName": "Legacy Processor"
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},
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{
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"type": "addNode",
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"node": {
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"name": "Modern Processor",
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"type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
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"position": [600, 300],
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"parameters": {
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"mode": "runOnceForEachItem",
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"jsCode": "// Process items\nreturn item;"
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}
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}
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},
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{
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"type": "addConnection",
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"source": "HTTP Request",
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"target": "Modern Processor"
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},
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{
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"type": "addConnection",
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"source": "Modern Processor",
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"target": "Save to Database"
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}
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]
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}
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```
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### Example 4: Add Error Handling
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```json
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{
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"id": "workflow-999",
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"operations": [
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{
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"type": "addNode",
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"node": {
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"name": "Error Handler",
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"type": "n8n-nodes-base.errorTrigger",
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"position": [200, 500]
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}
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},
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{
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"type": "addNode",
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"node": {
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"name": "Send Error Email",
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"type": "n8n-nodes-base.emailSend",
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"position": [400, 500],
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"parameters": {
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"toEmail": "admin@example.com",
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"subject": "Workflow Error: {{$node['Error Handler'].json.error.message}}",
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"text": "Error details: {{$json}}"
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}
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}
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},
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{
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"type": "addConnection",
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"source": "Error Handler",
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"target": "Send Error Email"
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},
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{
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"type": "updateSettings",
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"settings": {
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"errorWorkflow": "workflow-999"
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}
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}
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]
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}
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```
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## Best Practices
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1. **Use Descriptive Names**: Always provide clear node names and descriptions for operations
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2. **Batch Related Changes**: Group related operations in a single request
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3. **Validate First**: Use `validateOnly: true` to test your operations before applying
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4. **Reference by Name**: Prefer node names over IDs for better readability
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5. **Small, Focused Changes**: Make targeted edits rather than large structural changes
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## Common Patterns
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### Add Processing Step
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```json
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{
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"operations": [
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{
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"type": "removeConnection",
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"source": "Source Node",
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"target": "Target Node"
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},
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{
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"type": "addNode",
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"node": {
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"name": "Process Step",
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"type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
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"position": [600, 300],
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"parameters": { /* ... */ }
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}
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},
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{
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"type": "addConnection",
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"source": "Source Node",
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"target": "Process Step"
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},
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{
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"type": "addConnection",
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"source": "Process Step",
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"target": "Target Node"
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}
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]
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}
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```
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### Replace Node
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```json
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{
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"operations": [
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{
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"type": "addNode",
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"node": {
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"name": "New Implementation",
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"type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
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"position": [600, 300],
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"parameters": { /* ... */ }
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}
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},
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{
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"type": "removeConnection",
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"source": "Previous Node",
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"target": "Old Implementation"
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},
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{
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"type": "removeConnection",
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"source": "Old Implementation",
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"target": "Next Node"
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},
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{
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"type": "addConnection",
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"source": "Previous Node",
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"target": "New Implementation"
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},
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{
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"type": "addConnection",
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"source": "New Implementation",
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"target": "Next Node"
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},
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{
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"type": "removeNode",
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"nodeName": "Old Implementation"
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}
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]
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}
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```
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## Error Handling
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The tool validates all operations before applying any changes. Common errors include:
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- **Duplicate node names**: Each node must have a unique name
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- **Invalid node types**: Use full package prefixes (e.g., `n8n-nodes-base.webhook`)
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- **Missing connections**: Referenced nodes must exist
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- **Circular dependencies**: Connections cannot create loops
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Always check the response for validation errors and adjust your operations accordingly.
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## Transactional Updates (v2.7.0+)
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The diff engine now supports transactional updates using a **two-pass processing** approach:
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### How It Works
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1. **Operation Limit**: Maximum 5 operations per request to ensure reliability
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2. **Two-Pass Processing**:
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- **Pass 1**: All node operations (add, remove, update, move, enable, disable)
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- **Pass 2**: All other operations (connections, settings, metadata)
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This allows you to add nodes and connect them in the same request:
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```json
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{
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"id": "workflow-id",
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"operations": [
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// These will be processed in Pass 2 (but work because nodes are added first)
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{
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"type": "addConnection",
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"source": "Webhook",
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"target": "Process Data"
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},
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{
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"type": "addConnection",
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"source": "Process Data",
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"target": "Send Email"
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},
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// These will be processed in Pass 1
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{
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"type": "addNode",
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"node": {
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"name": "Process Data",
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"type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
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"position": [400, 300],
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"parameters": {}
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}
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},
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{
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"type": "addNode",
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"node": {
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"name": "Send Email",
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"type": "n8n-nodes-base.emailSend",
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"position": [600, 300],
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"parameters": {
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"to": "user@example.com"
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}
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}
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}
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]
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}
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```
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### Benefits
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- **Order Independence**: You don't need to worry about operation order
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- **Atomic Updates**: All operations succeed or all fail
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- **Intuitive Usage**: Add complex workflow structures in one call
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- **Clear Limits**: 5 operations max keeps things simple and reliable
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### Example: Complete Workflow Addition
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```json
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{
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"id": "workflow-id",
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"operations": [
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// Add three nodes
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{
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"type": "addNode",
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"node": {
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"name": "Schedule",
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"type": "n8n-nodes-base.schedule",
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"position": [200, 300],
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"parameters": {
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"rule": {
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"interval": [{ "field": "hours", "intervalValue": 1 }]
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}
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}
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}
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},
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{
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"type": "addNode",
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"node": {
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"name": "Get Data",
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"type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
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"position": [400, 300],
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"parameters": {
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"url": "https://api.example.com/data"
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}
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}
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},
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{
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"type": "addNode",
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"node": {
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"name": "Save to Database",
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"type": "n8n-nodes-base.postgres",
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"position": [600, 300],
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"parameters": {
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"operation": "insert"
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}
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}
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},
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// Connect them all
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{
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"type": "addConnection",
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"source": "Schedule",
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"target": "Get Data"
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},
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{
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"type": "addConnection",
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"source": "Get Data",
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"target": "Save to Database"
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}
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]
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}
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```
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All 5 operations will be processed correctly regardless of order!
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