Workflows

Mandatory workflow pattern

Every parent workflow (not sub-workflows) must follow this structure:

Trigger → Codika Init → [Business Logic] → IF (success?)
                                             ├── Yes → Codika Submit Result
                                             └── No  → Codika Report Error

Without these nodes:

Missing Codika Init: Platform cannot track execution, credentials unavailable
Missing Submit/Report: Execution shows as “pending” forever, user sees no feedback

Sub-workflows start with Execute Workflow Trigger and do not include Codika Init, Submit Result, or Report Error nodes.

Codika nodes

These are custom n8n nodes that integrate workflows with the Codika platform. They use the node type n8n-nodes-codika.codika in workflow JSON.

Codika Init (`initWorkflow`)

First node after the trigger in all parent workflows. Two modes depending on trigger type: HTTP triggers — extracts execution metadata from the webhook payload:

{
  "type": "n8n-nodes-codika.codika",
  "typeVersion": 1,
  "parameters": {
    "resource": "processManagement",
    "operation": "initWorkflow"
  }
}

Schedule and service event triggers — creates the execution by calling the platform API:

{
  "type": "n8n-nodes-codika.codika",
  "typeVersion": 1,
  "parameters": {
    "resource": "processManagement",
    "operation": "initWorkflow",
    "memberSecret": "{{MEMSECRT_EXECUTION_AUTH_TRCESMEM}}",
    "organizationId": "{{USERDATA_ORGANIZATION_ID_ATADRESU}}",
    "userId": "{{USERDATA_USER_ID_ATADRESU}}",
    "processInstanceId": "{{USERDATA_PROCESS_INSTANCE_UID_ATADRESU}}",
    "workflowId": "my-workflow-id",
    "triggerType": "schedule"
  }
}

Outputs: executionId, executionSecret, callbackUrl, processId, userId, workflowId

Codika Submit Result (`submitResult`)

End of success paths. Sends structured result data back to the platform.

{
  "type": "n8n-nodes-codika.codika",
  "typeVersion": 1,
  "parameters": {
    "resource": "processManagement",
    "operation": "submitResult",
    "resultData": "={{ JSON.stringify($json.results) }}"
  }
}

The resultData must be a JSON string matching the workflow’s outputSchema.

Codika Report Error (`reportError`)

End of error/failure paths. Reports the error to the platform.

{
  "type": "n8n-nodes-codika.codika",
  "typeVersion": 1,
  "parameters": {
    "resource": "processManagement",
    "operation": "reportError",
    "errorMessage": "={{ $json.error.message }}",
    "errorType": "node_failure"
  }
}

Error types: node_failure, validation_error, external_api_error, timeout

Codika Upload File (`uploadFile`)

Uploads files generated by the workflow (PDFs, images, videos) to platform storage.

{
  "type": "n8n-nodes-codika.codika",
  "typeVersion": 1,
  "parameters": {
    "resource": "fileManagement",
    "operation": "uploadFile"
  }
}

Returns a documentId that can be included in the output schema as a file type field. In sub-workflows, you must pass execution metadata explicitly:

{
  "parameters": {
    "resource": "fileManagement",
    "operation": "uploadFile",
    "executionIdOverride": "={{ $('Execute Workflow Trigger').first().json.executionId }}",
    "executionSecretOverride": "={{ $('Execute Workflow Trigger').first().json.executionSecret }}"
  }
}

Workflow JSON structure

A valid n8n workflow JSON file contains:

{
  "name": "My Workflow",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "parameters": { },
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [200, 300],
      "id": "unique-node-id",
      "name": "Webhook Trigger",
      "webhookId": "{{USERDATA_PROCESS_INSTANCE_UID_ATADRESU}}"
    }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Webhook Trigger": {
      "main": [
        [{ "node": "Codika Init", "type": "main", "index": 0 }]
      ]
    }
  },
  "settings": {
    "executionOrder": "v1",
    "errorWorkflow": "{{ORGSECRET_ERROR_WORKFLOW_ID_TERCESORG}}",
    "timezone": "Europe/Brussels"
  }
}

Required settings

Setting	Value	Purpose
`executionOrder`	`"v1"`	Use n8n v1 execution order
`errorWorkflow`	`"{{ORGSECRET_ERROR_WORKFLOW_ID_TERCESORG}}"`	Platform error handler
`timezone`	e.g., `"Europe/Brussels"`	Timezone for schedule triggers

Fields to remove before committing

These are n8n internal fields that must be stripped from workflow JSON:

id (top-level workflow ID)
versionId
meta
active
tags
pinData

The codika verify command checks for these via the workflow-sanitization rule and can auto-fix with --fix.

Common n8n node types

Node type	Purpose	Example usage
`n8n-nodes-base.webhook`	HTTP trigger	Receive form submissions
`n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger`	Cron trigger	Daily/weekly automation
`n8n-nodes-base.executeWorkflowTrigger`	Sub-workflow entry	Receive data from parent
`n8n-nodes-base.executeWorkflow`	Call sub-workflow	Delegate to helper workflow
`n8n-nodes-base.code`	JavaScript/Python	Custom data transformation
`n8n-nodes-base.if`	Conditional	Branch on success/failure
`n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest`	HTTP client	Call external APIs
`n8n-nodes-base.gmail`	Gmail operations	Read/send/label emails
`@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.chainLlm`	LLM chain	Structured AI output
`@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.agent`	AI agent	Multi-step reasoning with tools
`@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.lmChatAnthropic`	Claude model	AI model configuration
`@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.outputParserStructured`	Output parser	Parse LLM JSON output

Critical rules

Never use Merge node before Codika terminal nodes — causes deadlock on conditional branches
All execution paths must end with Submit Result or Report Error — no dead ends
HTTP trigger responseMode must be lastNode — ensures Codika Submit Result returns data properly
Error handling in IF nodes — every IF must have both True and False branches handled
Access trigger data correctly — use $('Trigger Name').first().json, not via Codika Init output

Getting Started

Why Codika

Core Concepts

Guides

Builder System

Examples

Mandatory workflow pattern

Codika nodes

Codika Init (`initWorkflow`)

Codika Submit Result (`submitResult`)

Codika Report Error (`reportError`)

Codika Upload File (`uploadFile`)

Workflow JSON structure

Required settings

Fields to remove before committing

Common n8n node types

Critical rules

​Mandatory workflow pattern

​Codika nodes

​Codika Init (initWorkflow)

​Codika Submit Result (submitResult)

​Codika Report Error (reportError)

​Codika Upload File (uploadFile)

​Workflow JSON structure

​Required settings

​Fields to remove before committing

​Common n8n node types

​Critical rules

Mandatory workflow pattern

Codika nodes

Codika Init (`initWorkflow`)

Codika Submit Result (`submitResult`)

Codika Report Error (`reportError`)

Codika Upload File (`uploadFile`)

Workflow JSON structure

Required settings

Fields to remove before committing

Common n8n node types

Critical rules