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n8n node linter#

n8n's node linter, eslint-plugin-n8n-nodes-base, statically analyzes ("lints") the source code of n8n nodes and credentials in the official repository and in community packages. The linter detects issues and automatically fixes them to help you follow best practices.

eslint-plugin-n8n-nodes-base contains a collection of rules for node files (*.node.ts), resource description files (*Description.ts), credential files (*.credentials.ts), and the package.json of a community package.

Setup#

If using the n8n node starter: Run npm install in the starter project to install all dependencies. Once the installation finishes, the linter is available to you.

If using VSCode, install the ESLint VSCode extension. For other IDEs, refer to their ESLint integrations.

Don't edit the configuration file

.eslintrc.js contains the configuration for eslint-plugin-n8n-nodes-base. Don't edit this file.

Usage#

You can use the linter in a community package or in the main n8n repository.

Linting#

In a community package, the linter runs automatically after installing dependencies and before publishing the package to npm. In the main n8n repository, the linter runs automatically using GitHub Actions whenever you push to your pull request.

In both cases, VSCode lints in the background as you work on your project. Hover over a detected issue to see a full description of the linting and a link to further information.

You can also run the linter manually:

  • Run npm run lint to lint and view detected issues in your console.
  • Run npm run lintfix to lint and automatically fix issues. The linter fixes violations of rules marked as automatically fixable.

Both commands can run in the root directory of your community package, or in /packages/nodes-base/ in the main repository.

Exceptions#

Instead of fixing a rule violation, you can also make an exception for it, so the linter doesn't flag it.

To make a lint exception from VSCode: hover over the issue and click on Quick fix (or cmd+. in macOS) and select Disable {rule} for this line. Only disable rules for a line where you have good reason to. If you think the linter is misdetecting an issue, please report it in the linter repository.

To add a lint exception to a single file, add a code comment. In particular, TSLint rules may not show up in VSCode and may need to be turned off using code comments. Refer to the TSLint documentation for more guidance.