n8n-workflow

n8n-workflow is the core library powering n8n's workflow automation engine. If you're building custom nodes or extending n8n, you'll need to understand this package. The API is comprehensive with classes like Workflow, NodeHelpers, and Expression for handling workflow logic, but the documentation is sparse and clearly written for internal n8n development rather than external consumers.

The learning curve is steep because you'll spend significant time reading n8n's source code to understand patterns. Error messages are often cryptic, referring to internal state that isn't well explained. Type definitions help with IDE autocomplete, but comments explaining the purpose of methods and properties are minimal. The expression resolver and credential handling are powerful once you grasp them, but expect trial and error.

Community support is limited since most developers interact with n8n's UI rather than this low-level package directly. GitHub issues focus on n8n the application, not this library specifically. If you're building custom nodes, you'll find examples in n8n's node implementations, but extracting reusable patterns requires patience.

n8n-workflow provides the foundational types and utilities for building n8n workflows, but using it standalone reveals several security concerns. The expression evaluation system lacks robust sandboxing by default—you need to carefully configure execution contexts to prevent code injection. Input validation is largely left to the consumer, with minimal built-in sanitization for workflow parameters or node data.

The authentication/authorization layer is minimal at this level, designed to be handled by the parent n8n application. Error handling exposes internal stack traces and data structures that can leak sensitive workflow information if not caught upstream. The library assumes trusted input and doesn't follow secure-by-default principles—you must explicitly add validation and sanitization layers.

Dependency management is reasonable but the package pulls in a broad tree of n8n-specific modules. TLS/crypto operations are delegated to external libraries without strong defaults. Documentation focuses on n8n integration rather than standalone security hardening. If you're building on top of this, budget significant time for security reviews and adding your own guard rails around expression evaluation and data flow.

n8n-workflow is fundamentally an internal package extracted from the n8n workflow automation platform. While it contains the core workflow execution logic, it's clearly not designed for standalone use by external developers. The documentation is virtually non-existent beyond basic TypeScript definitions, and there are no tutorials or examples showing how to use it outside of n8n's ecosystem.

The learning curve is steep because you're essentially reverse-engineering how n8n uses these classes internally. Error messages reference internal n8n concepts without context, making debugging frustrating. The API surface is large and complex, with classes like Workflow, WorkflowDataProxy, and Expression that are tightly coupled to n8n's architecture. Common tasks require understanding n8n's data structures and conventions, which aren't documented.

Community support is minimal since most n8n users interact through the GUI, not this package directly. GitHub issues are mostly focused on the main n8n project, and Stack Overflow has almost no coverage of this specific package. Unless you're building n8n nodes or extending n8n itself, you'll find this package more hindrance than help.