mirror of
https://github.com/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp.git
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fix: resolve SplitInBatches output confusion for AI assistants (#97)
## Problem AI assistants were consistently connecting SplitInBatches node outputs backwards because: - Output index 0 = "done" (runs after loop completes) - Output index 1 = "loop" (processes items inside loop) This counterintuitive ordering caused incorrect workflow connections. ## Solution Enhanced the n8n-mcp system to expose and clarify output information: ### Database & Schema - Added `outputs` and `output_names` columns to nodes table - Updated NodeRepository to store/retrieve output information ### Node Parsing - Enhanced NodeParser to extract outputs and outputNames from nodes - Properly handles versioned nodes like SplitInBatchesV3 ### MCP Server - Modified getNodeInfo to return detailed output descriptions - Added connection guidance for each output - Special handling for loop nodes (SplitInBatches, IF, Switch) ### Documentation - Enhanced DocsMapper to inject critical output guidance - Added warnings about counterintuitive output ordering - Provides correct connection patterns for loop nodes ### Workflow Validation - Added validateSplitInBatchesConnection method - Detects reversed connections and provides specific errors - Added checkForLoopBack with depth limit to prevent stack overflow - Smart heuristics to identify likely connection mistakes ## Testing - Created comprehensive test suite (81 tests) - Unit tests for all modified components - Edge case handling for malformed data - Performance testing with large workflows ## Impact AI assistants will now: - See explicit output indices and names (e.g., "Output 0: done") - Receive clear connection guidance - Get validation errors when connections are reversed - Have enhanced documentation explaining the correct pattern Fixes #97 🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code) Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
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@@ -50,8 +50,12 @@ export class DocsMapper {
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for (const relativePath of possiblePaths) {
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try {
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const fullPath = path.join(this.docsPath, relativePath);
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const content = await fs.readFile(fullPath, 'utf-8');
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let content = await fs.readFile(fullPath, 'utf-8');
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console.log(` ✓ Found docs at: ${relativePath}`);
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// Inject special guidance for loop nodes
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content = this.enhanceLoopNodeDocumentation(nodeType, content);
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return content;
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} catch (error) {
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// File doesn't exist, try next
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@@ -62,4 +66,56 @@ export class DocsMapper {
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console.log(` ✗ No docs found for ${nodeName}`);
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return null;
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}
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private enhanceLoopNodeDocumentation(nodeType: string, content: string): string {
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// Add critical output index information for SplitInBatches
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if (nodeType.includes('splitInBatches')) {
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const outputGuidance = `
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## CRITICAL OUTPUT CONNECTION INFORMATION
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**⚠️ OUTPUT INDICES ARE COUNTERINTUITIVE ⚠️**
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The SplitInBatches node has TWO outputs with specific indices:
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- **Output 0 (index 0) = "done"**: Receives final processed data when loop completes
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- **Output 1 (index 1) = "loop"**: Receives current batch data during iteration
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### Correct Connection Pattern:
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1. Connect nodes that PROCESS items inside the loop to **Output 1 ("loop")**
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2. Connect nodes that run AFTER the loop completes to **Output 0 ("done")**
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3. The last processing node in the loop must connect back to the SplitInBatches node
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### Common Mistake:
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AI assistants often connect these backwards because the logical flow (loop first, then done) doesn't match the technical indices (done=0, loop=1).
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`;
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// Insert after the main description
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const insertPoint = content.indexOf('## When to use');
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if (insertPoint > -1) {
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content = content.slice(0, insertPoint) + outputGuidance + content.slice(insertPoint);
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} else {
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// Append if no good insertion point found
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content = outputGuidance + '\n' + content;
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}
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}
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// Add guidance for IF node
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if (nodeType.includes('.if')) {
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const outputGuidance = `
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## Output Connection Information
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The IF node has TWO outputs:
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- **Output 0 (index 0) = "true"**: Items that match the condition
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- **Output 1 (index 1) = "false"**: Items that do not match the condition
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`;
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const insertPoint = content.indexOf('## Node parameters');
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if (insertPoint > -1) {
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content = content.slice(0, insertPoint) + outputGuidance + content.slice(insertPoint);
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}
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}
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return content;
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}
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}
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