n8n-nodes-variables

Typed global variables for n8n workflows - Manage variables like real programming languages with strong typing support!

🎯 Solve Real Problems

❌ The Problem n8n Users Face:

HTTP Request (uses URL) → Process Data → IF (has more pages?)
     ↑                                           ↓
     └── Can't access new URL from here ←─── Set new URL

Common Issues:

• ❌ Variables only accessible from previously executed nodes
• ❌ Can't modify upstream node parameters from downstream nodes
• ❌ No clean way to manage pagination/loops
• ❌ Workflow state management is complex

✅ Our Solution:

1. Variables Node: Initialize URL = "https://example.com/page/1"
2. HTTP Request: Uses {{ $workflow.variables.URL }}
3. Process Data
4. IF (has more pages?) 
   └─ True: Variables Node: Set URL = "https://example.com/page/2"
5. Loop back - HTTP Request automatically uses new URL!

📦 Three Powerful Nodes Included

1. Variables (Main Node)

🎯 Perfect for: Loops, pagination, state management

• Typed variables: String, Number, Boolean, JSON, Date
• Global access: Use anywhere with $workflow.variables.VARIABLE_NAME
• Clean output: Returns just the variables as key-value pairs
• Type-specific inputs: Different UI fields based on variable type

2. Variables Dashboard

📊 Perfect for: Debugging, bulk operations

• Table view: See all variables at once
• Bulk operations: Set multiple variables simultaneously
• No connections needed: Works as sticky note
• Sort & filter: Organize variables by type/name

3. Global Variables

🌐 Perfect for: Cross-workflow sharing

• Instance-wide: Share variables across all workflows
• Persistent: Variables survive workflow restarts
• Legacy support: For existing implementations

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

# Community Nodes (Recommended)
1. Go to Settings → Community Nodes in n8n
2. Install: n8n-nodes-variables

# Manual Installation  
npm install n8n-nodes-variables

Basic Usage Example

// 1. Initialize Variables
Variables Node → Initialize Variables:
- URL (String): "https://api.example.com/page/1"
- pageNumber (Number): 1

// 2. Use in HTTP Request
HTTP Request → URL: {{ $workflow.variables.URL }}

// 3. Update for next iteration
Variables Node → Set Variable:
- Name: URL  
- Type: String
- Value: {{ $json.nextPageUrl }}

// 4. Loop back automatically!

💡 Real-World Use Cases

🔄 Pagination Scraping

// Perfect for scraping multiple pages
Initialize: URL = "https://site.com/page/1", pageNum = 1
HTTP Request: {{ $workflow.variables.URL }}
Process Data
IF hasMorePages:
  ├─ Set URL = nextPageURL  
  ├─ Set pageNum = pageNum + 1
  └─ Loop back to HTTP Request

🔁 API Rate Limiting

// Retry logic with counters
Initialize: retryCount = 0, maxRetries = 3
HTTP Request: Call API
IF request failed && retryCount < maxRetries:
  ├─ Set retryCount = retryCount + 1
  ├─ Wait node: 5 seconds
  └─ Loop back to HTTP Request

📊 Batch Processing

// Process items with progress tracking
Initialize: processed = 0, total = 100, results = []
Process Item
Set processed = processed + 1
Set results = [...results, newResult]
IF processed < total: Loop back

🎨 Variable Types

| Type | Input Field | Example | Use Case | |------|-------------|---------|----------| | String | Text field | "https://api.com" | URLs, API keys, messages | | Number | Number input | 42 | Counters, limits, IDs |
| Boolean | Toggle switch | true | Feature flags, conditions | | JSON | JSON editor | {"key": "value"} | Complex objects, configs | | Date | Date picker | 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z | Timestamps, schedules |

🔧 All Operations

Variables Node

• Initialize Variables: Set up multiple typed variables
• Set Variable: Update single variable with type validation
• Get Variable: Retrieve specific variable value
• View All Variables: Get all variables as clean object
• Clear All Variables: Reset all variables

Variables Dashboard

• View All: Table display of all variables
• Bulk Set: Update multiple variables at once
• Clear All: Reset with confirmation

Global Variables

• Set Variable: Store instance-wide variable
• Get Variable: Retrieve instance-wide variable
• List All: Show all global variables

📖 Expression Access

// Use variables anywhere in n8n
{{ $workflow.variables.URL }}           // String variable
{{ $workflow.variables.pageNumber }}    // Number variable  
{{ $workflow.variables.isEnabled }}     // Boolean variable
{{ $workflow.variables.config.timeout }} // JSON object property

// In Function nodes
const url = $workflow.variables.URL;
const page = $workflow.variables.pageNumber;
const settings = $workflow.variables.config;

// In IF conditions  
{{ $workflow.variables.retryCount < $workflow.variables.maxRetries }}

// In HTTP Request headers
{
  "Authorization": "Bearer {{ $workflow.variables.apiToken }}",
  "Page": "{{ $workflow.variables.pageNumber }}"
}

🔄 Migration Guide

From Manual Variable Management

// Before: Complex manual tracking
Function Node: return { url: "page/1", count: 0 };

// After: Clean typed variables  
Variables Node: Initialize URL (String) = "page/1", count (Number) = 0

From Static Values

// Before: Hardcoded values
HTTP Request: URL = "https://api.com/page/1"

// After: Dynamic variables
HTTP Request: URL = {{ $workflow.variables.baseURL }}/page/{{ $workflow.variables.pageNumber }}

🎯 Best Practices

✅ Do's

• Use Variables node for workflow-specific state
• Use Variables Dashboard for debugging/development
• Use Global Variables for cross-workflow sharing
• Initialize variables at workflow start
• Use descriptive variable names

❌ Don'ts

• Don't mix variable management approaches
• Don't store sensitive data in Global Variables
• Don't use variables for one-time values
• Don't forget to clear variables when testing

🐛 Troubleshooting

Variables Not Updating

// ❌ Wrong: Using old syntax
{{ $json.variables.URL }}

// ✅ Correct: Use workflow variables
{{ $workflow.variables.URL }}

Type Errors

// ❌ Wrong: String in number field
pageNumber (Number) = "5"  

// ✅ Correct: Proper type
pageNumber (Number) = 5

Scope Issues

// Workflow Variables: Only within same workflow
// Global Variables: Across all workflows  
// Choose the right scope for your use case

📈 Performance Tips

• Initialize once: Set up all variables at workflow start
• Batch updates: Use bulk operations when possible
• Clean up: Clear variables when workflow completes
• Type validation: Use proper types to avoid conversion overhead

🤝 Contributing

Found a bug? Have a feature request?

1. Check existing issues
2. Create detailed bug reports with workflow examples
3. Submit pull requests with clear descriptions

📄 License

MIT - See LICENSE.md for details

🔗 Links

• n8n Community
• n8n Documentation
• Node Development Guide

Made with ❤️ for the n8n community

Transform your workflows with proper variable management!