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n8n-code-nodes-official

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Use when the user reaches for a Code node, mentions writing JavaScript or Python in n8n, or any custom logic comes up in workflow design. Triggers on "Code node", "Code", "JavaScript", "Python", "custom logic", "transform data", "$input", "$json transformation", "loop in code", "write a function", or any time the obvious answer seems to be "just put it in code."

skills/n8n-code-nodes-official/SKILL.md

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# n8n Code Nodes

The Code node is powerful and often the wrong tool. The n8n equivalent of dropping into raw SQL when an ORM would do: real cases exist, but the moment a Code node handles logic an expression could, the workflow is harder to read, debug, and maintain. There's also a real perf gap: Code runs in a sandboxed JS runtime, expressions and Edit Fields run in-process, and the per-invocation overhead can be hundreds of times higher in Code (anecdotally ~2ms vs ~600ms for equivalent logic). For hot paths and large item counts, that compounds.

## Strong defaults

1. **Code node is a last resort.** Decision order: expression (`{{...}}`) → arrow function inside Edit Fields → Code node. The first two paths cover most "transform this data" tasks. Code earns its place for multi-source aggregation, external libraries, and a few specific patterns documented below.

2. **Default to JavaScript.** Write JS unless the user explicitly asked for Python ("use Python here," "I'm a Python shop," pasted Python code). Everywhere else in n8n (expressions, Edit Fields) is JS, JS has a curated library allowlist (`lodash`, `crypto`, `luxon`).

## Decision tree

```
Need custom logic?