n8n-skills/skills/n8n-mcp-tools-expert/SEARCH_GUIDE.md

Node Discovery Tools Guide

Complete guide for finding and understanding n8n nodes.

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search_nodes (START HERE!)

Success Rate: 99.9% | Speed: <20ms

Use when: You know what you're looking for (keyword, service, use case)

Syntax:

search_nodes({
  query: "slack",      // Required: search keywords
  mode: "OR",          // Optional: OR (default), AND, FUZZY
  limit: 20           // Optional: max results (default 20, max 100)
})

Returns:

{
  "query": "slack",
  "results": [
    {
      "nodeType": "nodes-base.slack",                    // For search/validate tools
      "workflowNodeType": "n8n-nodes-base.slack",       // For workflow tools
      "displayName": "Slack",
      "description": "Consume Slack API",
      "category": "output",
      "relevance": "high"
    }
  ]
}

Tips:

• Common searches: webhook, http, database, email, slack, google, ai
• OR mode (default): matches any word
• AND mode: requires all words
• FUZZY mode: typo-tolerant (finds "slak" → Slack)

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get_node_essentials (RECOMMENDED!)

Success Rate: 91.7% | Speed: <10ms | Size: ~5KB

Use when: You've found the node and need configuration details

Syntax:

get_node_essentials({
  nodeType: "nodes-base.slack",      // Required: SHORT prefix format
  includeExamples: true              // Optional: get real template configs
})

Returns:

• Available operations and resources
• Essential properties (10-20 most common)
• Metadata (isAITool, isTrigger, hasCredentials)
• Real examples from templates (if includeExamples: true)

Why use this:

• 5KB vs 100KB+ (get_node_info)
• 91.7% success vs 80%
• <10ms vs slower
• Focused data (no information overload)

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get_node_info (USE SPARINGLY!)

Success Rate: 80% ⚠️ | Size: 100KB+

Use when:

• Debugging complex configuration
• Need complete property schema
• Exploring advanced features

Syntax:

get_node_info({
  nodeType: "nodes-base.httpRequest"
})

Warning: 20% failure rate! Use get_node_essentials instead for most cases.

Better alternatives:

1. get_node_essentials - operations list
2. get_node_documentation - readable docs
3. search_node_properties - specific property

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list_nodes (BROWSE BY CATEGORY)

Success Rate: 99.6% | Speed: <20ms

Use when: Exploring by category or listing all nodes

Syntax:

list_nodes({
  category: "trigger",        // Optional: filter by category
  package: "n8n-nodes-base", // Optional: filter by package
  limit: 200                 // Optional: default 50
})

Categories:

• trigger - Webhook, Schedule, Manual, etc. (108 total)
• transform - Code, Set, Function, etc.
• output - HTTP Request, Email, Slack, etc.
• input - Read data sources
• AI - AI-capable nodes (270 total)

Packages:

• n8n-nodes-base - Core nodes (437 total)
• @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain - AI nodes (100 total)

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search_node_properties (FIND SPECIFIC FIELDS)

Use when: Looking for specific property in a node

Syntax:

search_node_properties({
  nodeType: "nodes-base.httpRequest",
  query: "auth"               // Find authentication properties
})

Returns: Property paths and descriptions matching query

Common searches: auth, header, body, json, url, method

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get_node_documentation (READABLE DOCS)

Coverage: 88% of nodes (470/537)

Use when: Need human-readable documentation with examples

Syntax:

get_node_documentation({
  nodeType: "nodes-base.slack"
})

Returns: Formatted docs with:

• Usage examples
• Authentication guide
• Common patterns
• Best practices

Note: Better than raw schema for learning!

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Common Workflow: Finding & Configuring

Step 1: Search
search_nodes({query: "slack"})
→ Returns: nodes-base.slack

Step 2: Get Operations (18s avg thinking time)
get_node_essentials({
  nodeType: "nodes-base.slack",
  includeExamples: true
})
→ Returns: operations list + example configs

Step 3: Validate Config
validate_node_operation({
  nodeType: "nodes-base.slack",
  config: {resource: "channel", operation: "create"},
  profile: "runtime"
})
→ Returns: validation result

Step 4: Use in Workflow
(Configuration ready!)

Most common pattern: search → essentials (18s average)

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Quick Comparison

Tool	When to Use	Success	Speed	Size
search_nodes	Find by keyword	99.9%	<20ms	Small
get_node_essentials	Get config	91.7%	<10ms	5KB
get_node_info	Full schema	80% ⚠️	Slow	100KB+
list_nodes	Browse category	99.6%	<20ms	Small
get_node_documentation	Learn usage	N/A	Fast	Medium

Best Practice: search → essentials → validate

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nodeType Format (CRITICAL!)

Search/Validate Tools (SHORT prefix):

"nodes-base.slack"
"nodes-base.httpRequest"
"nodes-langchain.agent"

Workflow Tools (FULL prefix):

"n8n-nodes-base.slack"
"n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest"
"@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.agent"

Conversion: search_nodes returns BOTH formats:

{
  "nodeType": "nodes-base.slack",          // Use with essentials
  "workflowNodeType": "n8n-nodes-base.slack"  // Use with create_workflow
}

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Related

• VALIDATION_GUIDE.md - Validate node configs
• WORKFLOW_GUIDE.md - Use nodes in workflows