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n8n-cli

Use the n8n CLI to manage workflows, credentials, executions, and more on an n8n instance. Use when the user asks to interact with n8n, automate workflows, manage credentials, or operate their instance from the command line.

72

Quality

90%

Does it follow best practices?

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SecuritybySnyk

High

Do not use without reviewing

SKILL.md
Quality
Evals
Security

Quality

Content

80%Weight 40%Scale 1-3

Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.

An excellent, highly actionable CLI reference that is concise and copy-paste-ready throughout, with no wasted conceptual padding. Its main gaps are the absence of validation checkpoints around destructive/batch operations and a fully inline structure with no progressive disclosure to deeper reference files.

Suggestions

Add a verification step before destructive/batch operations — e.g. recommend `n8n-cli workflow get <id>` or `--include-data` review before `workflow delete`, and show a confirm-then-delete pattern for `data-table delete-rows` — to introduce explicit feedback loops.

For multi-step composability patterns (such as the get-modify-update pipeline), add an explicit checkpoint that re-reads or validates the result after the mutating command.

Consider splitting the full command reference and the Workflow JSON Structure into a one-level-deep reference file (e.g. references/REFERENCE.md) so SKILL.md serves as a leaner overview pointing to detail.

DimensionReasoningScore

Conciseness

The body is lean and command-dense with no concept explanations Claude already knows; the two-sentence intro and per-command `#` comments earn their tokens, with only negligible cross-section redundancy. It is efficient rather than padded, fitting the top anchor.

3 / 3

Actionability

It is almost entirely concrete, copy-paste-ready commands (e.g. `n8n-cli workflow get <id> --jq '.nodes[].name'`, `cat rows.json | n8n-cli data-table add-rows <id> --stdin`) plus a complete workflow JSON example, leaving nothing abstract.

3 / 3

Workflow Clarity

Sequencing exists in the Setup alternatives and the Composability Patterns pipelines, but there are no validation/feedback checkpoints around destructive and batch operations (e.g. `workflow delete`, `data-table delete-rows`, `credential delete`), which the rubric caps at 2. It is not a 1 because pipelines and setup steps are clearly ordered.

2 / 3

Progressive Disclosure

The skill is well-organized into headed sections but is a single ~260-line monolith with no one-level-deep references or split-out detail files, and it exceeds the under-50-line carve-out; this matches the anchor where content that could be separate lives inline. It is not a 1 because sections are clearly labeled and navigable.

2 / 3

Total

10

/

12

Passed

Description

100%Weight 40%Scale 1-3

Based on the skill's description, can an agent find and select it at the right time? Clear, specific descriptions lead to better discovery.

A strong, well-constructed description that explicitly states what the skill does and when to use it, with concrete resource types and natural n8n-centric trigger terms. It would reliably activate on relevant user requests and is unlikely to conflict with other skills.

DimensionReasoningScore

Specificity

The description names multiple concrete actions — "manage workflows, credentials, executions, and more on an n8n instance" — listing three specific managed resources rather than vague abstractions; the trailing "and more" is the only mild softening, so it sits at the top anchor rather than the middle one.

3 / 3

Completeness

It states the what ("Use the n8n CLI to manage workflows, credentials, executions...") and an explicit when ("Use when the user asks to interact with n8n, automate workflows, manage credentials, or operate their instance from the command line."), satisfying both halves with an explicit trigger clause.

3 / 3

Trigger Term Quality

It surfaces the natural terms a user would actually say — "n8n", "interact with n8n", "automate workflows", "manage credentials", "operate their instance", "command line" — giving good coverage of phrasings a user would naturally produce.

3 / 3

Distinctiveness Conflict Risk

The n8n-specific triggers ("n8n instance", "n8n CLI", "automate workflows") carve a clear niche that is unlikely to activate for unrelated skills.

3 / 3

Total

12

/

12

Passed

Validation

93%

Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.

Validation15 / 16 Passed

Validation for skill structure

CriteriaDescriptionResult

allowed_tools_field

'allowed-tools' contains unusual tool name(s)

Warning

Total

15

/

16

Passed

Repository
n8n-io/n8n
Reviewed

Table of Contents

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