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workflow-builder

Load before calling build-workflow. Default path for all single-workflow work: new one-off workflows, existing-workflow edits, verification repairs, and workflow-local data tables. Write or edit a workspace source file, then call build-workflow with filePath. When the workflow creates or writes Data Tables, load data-table-manager first, then this skill. Do not load planning or create-tasks first. Load planning only when multiple coordinated workflows or shared cross-task data tables require a dependency-aware task graph.

63

Quality

76%

Does it follow best practices?

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SecuritybySnyk

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tessl review fix ./packages/@n8n/instance-ai/skills/workflow-builder/SKILL.md
SKILL.md
Quality
Evals
Security

Quality

Content

85%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.

The skill body is highly actionable with executable code, exact tool signatures, and a rigorous verification workflow with feedback loops, and it makes good use of one-level-deep references. Its main weakness is length and repetition across sections, which hurts token efficiency without adding new information.

Suggestions

De-duplicate rules that appear in multiple sections (placeholder guidance, IF-branch wiring warnings, 'do not load planning/create-tasks') by stating each once and cross-referencing, to tighten conciseness.

Consider moving the large code-heavy SDK Patterns Reference and Expression Reference into a references file so the main SKILL.md stays a lean overview.

Collapse the repeated escalation/placeholder restatements in Escalation, Placeholders, and Mandatory Process into a single authoritative section.

DimensionReasoningScore

Conciseness

The body is densely packed with n8n-specific gotchas Claude would not know (SDK builder subset limits, mock output shapes, n8n credits rules), avoiding generic concept explanation, but at ~800 lines it repeats several rules across sections (placeholder rules, IF-wiring warnings, and 'do not load planning' each restated two to three times), so it could be tightened.

2 / 3

Actionability

It provides executable TypeScript SDK code (workflow, IF/Switch/Merge wiring, import shape), exact tool-call signatures such as `nodes(action="type-definition")` and `workflows(action="get-as-code", workflowId)`, and concrete gotchas (Gmail removeLabels, resource-locator objects, mock output shapes) that are copy-paste ready.

3 / 3

Workflow Clarity

The 11-step Mandatory Process and the Verification Contract give a clear sequence with explicit validation checkpoints and feedback loops (verify -> shouldEdit: true -> one batched repair -> rebuild -> retry -> stop if the failure repeats), including stop conditions for repair budgets.

3 / 3

Progressive Disclosure

Two real one-level-deep references are clearly signaled and verified to exist ("load this skill's references/error-workflows.md" and "references/compositional-workflows.md"), and the inline content is organized into well-headed sections; the genuinely composable topics are appropriately split out.

3 / 3

Total

11

/

12

Passed

Description

67%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.

The description is specific and well-differentiated within its skill ecosystem, but it is written as internal routing guidance rather than user-facing trigger language, relying heavily on tool and skill jargon. Adding an explicit "Use when the user wants to build or edit an n8n workflow" trigger with natural phrasings would lift the weaker dimensions.

Suggestions

Add an explicit 'Use when...' clause with natural user phrasings (e.g. 'Use when the user asks to create, edit, or repair an n8n workflow') to raise completeness to 3.

Replace or supplement internal jargon ('build-workflow', 'dependency-aware task graph', 'verification repairs') with terms users actually say so trigger_term_quality reaches natural-keyword coverage.

Lead with the user-facing capability (building/editing n8n workflows) before the routing precedence rules, so the 'what' and 'when' are immediately clear.

DimensionReasoningScore

Specificity

Lists multiple concrete actions such as "Write or edit a workspace source file, then call build-workflow with filePath", "load data-table-manager first", and "Do not load planning or create-tasks first", matching the multi-specific-action anchor.

3 / 3

Completeness

The "what" is clear (build/edit workflows via build-workflow), but there is no explicit "Use when..." user-facing trigger; the "when" guidance is skill-precedence routing rather than natural trigger conditions, so per the guideline completeness is capped at 2.

2 / 3

Trigger Term Quality

Some relevant domain keywords appear ("workflows", "existing-workflow edits", "Data Tables"), but most terms are internal jargon a user would not naturally say ("build-workflow", "dependency-aware task graph", "verification repairs", "workflow-local data tables"), missing common natural variations.

2 / 3

Distinctiveness Conflict Risk

It carves a clear niche ("Default path for all single-workflow work") and explicitly distinguishes itself from planning, create-tasks, and data-table-manager, making conflict with sibling skills unlikely.

3 / 3

Total

10

/

12

Passed

Validation

87%

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

Validation14 / 16 Passed

Validation for skill structure

CriteriaDescriptionResult

skill_md_line_count

SKILL.md is long (802 lines); consider splitting into references/ and linking

Warning

frontmatter_unknown_keys

Unknown frontmatter key(s) found; consider removing or moving to metadata

Warning

Total

14

/

16

Passed

Repository
n8n-io/n8n
Reviewed

Table of Contents

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