Python Code Node (Beta)

Expert guidance for writing Python code in n8n Code nodes.

Detailed Guide

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Critical Limitation: No External Libraries

MOST IMPORTANT PYTHON LIMITATION: Cannot import external packages

What's NOT Available

# ❌ NOT AVAILABLE - Will raise ModuleNotFoundError
import requests  # ❌ No
import pandas  # ❌ No
import numpy  # ❌ No
import scipy  # ❌ No
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup  # ❌ No
import lxml  # ❌ No

What IS Available (Standard Library)

# ✅ AVAILABLE - Standard library only
import json  # ✅ JSON parsing
import datetime  # ✅ Date/time operations
import re  # ✅ Regular expressions
import base64  # ✅ Base64 encoding/decoding
import hashlib  # ✅ Hashing functions
import urllib.parse  # ✅ URL parsing
import math  # ✅ Math functions
import random  # ✅ Random numbers
import statistics  # ✅ Statistical functions

Workarounds

Need HTTP requests?

• ✅ Use HTTP Request node before Code node
• ✅ Or switch to JavaScript and use $helpers.httpRequest()

Need data analysis (pandas/numpy)?

• ✅ Use Python statistics module for basic stats
• ✅ Or switch to JavaScript for most operations
• ✅ Manual calculations with lists and dictionaries

Need web scraping (BeautifulSoup)?

• ✅ Use HTTP Request node + HTML Extract node
• ✅ Or switch to JavaScript with regex/string methods

See: STANDARD_LIBRARY.md for complete reference

When to Use Python vs JavaScript

Use Python When:

• ✅ You need statistics module for statistical operations
• ✅ You're significantly more comfortable with Python syntax
• ✅ Your logic maps well to list comprehensions
• ✅ You need specific standard library functions

Use JavaScript When:

• ✅ You need HTTP requests ($helpers.httpRequest())
• ✅ You need advanced date/time (DateTime/Luxon)
• ✅ You want better n8n integration
• ✅ For 95% of use cases (recommended)

Consider Other Nodes When:

• ❌ Simple field mapping → Use Set node
• ❌ Basic filtering → Use Filter node
• ❌ Simple conditionals → Use IF or Switch node
• ❌ HTTP requests only → Use HTTP Request node

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.