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>
This commit is contained in:
czlonkowski
2025-08-07 15:58:07 +02:00
parent a4e711a4e8
commit f508d9873b
12 changed files with 2895 additions and 12 deletions

View File

@@ -50,8 +50,12 @@ export class DocsMapper {
for (const relativePath of possiblePaths) {
try {
const fullPath = path.join(this.docsPath, relativePath);
const content = await fs.readFile(fullPath, 'utf-8');
let content = await fs.readFile(fullPath, 'utf-8');
console.log(` ✓ Found docs at: ${relativePath}`);
// Inject special guidance for loop nodes
content = this.enhanceLoopNodeDocumentation(nodeType, content);
return content;
} catch (error) {
// File doesn't exist, try next
@@ -62,4 +66,56 @@ export class DocsMapper {
console.log(` ✗ No docs found for ${nodeName}`);
return null;
}
private enhanceLoopNodeDocumentation(nodeType: string, content: string): string {
// Add critical output index information for SplitInBatches
if (nodeType.includes('splitInBatches')) {
const outputGuidance = `
## CRITICAL OUTPUT CONNECTION INFORMATION
**⚠️ OUTPUT INDICES ARE COUNTERINTUITIVE ⚠️**
The SplitInBatches node has TWO outputs with specific indices:
- **Output 0 (index 0) = "done"**: Receives final processed data when loop completes
- **Output 1 (index 1) = "loop"**: Receives current batch data during iteration
### Correct Connection Pattern:
1. Connect nodes that PROCESS items inside the loop to **Output 1 ("loop")**
2. Connect nodes that run AFTER the loop completes to **Output 0 ("done")**
3. The last processing node in the loop must connect back to the SplitInBatches node
### Common Mistake:
AI assistants often connect these backwards because the logical flow (loop first, then done) doesn't match the technical indices (done=0, loop=1).
`;
// Insert after the main description
const insertPoint = content.indexOf('## When to use');
if (insertPoint > -1) {
content = content.slice(0, insertPoint) + outputGuidance + content.slice(insertPoint);
} else {
// Append if no good insertion point found
content = outputGuidance + '\n' + content;
}
}
// Add guidance for IF node
if (nodeType.includes('.if')) {
const outputGuidance = `
## Output Connection Information
The IF node has TWO outputs:
- **Output 0 (index 0) = "true"**: Items that match the condition
- **Output 1 (index 1) = "false"**: Items that do not match the condition
`;
const insertPoint = content.indexOf('## Node parameters');
if (insertPoint > -1) {
content = content.slice(0, insertPoint) + outputGuidance + content.slice(insertPoint);
}
}
return content;
}
}