Build Your First Use Case

What you’ll build

A web search tool that takes a query via HTTP, searches the web using Tavily, and returns formatted results. This is a minimal but complete use case that demonstrates the full lifecycle.

Prerequisites

codika CLI installed and authenticated (see Quickstart)
A Codika API key with deploy:use-case and workflows:trigger scopes

Step 1: Create the project

mkdir web-search && cd web-search
codika project create --name "Web Search Tool" --path .

This creates project.json with your projectId and organizationId.

Step 2: Create version.json

version.json

{
  "version": "1.0.0"
}

Step 3: Create config.ts

config.ts

import { loadAndEncodeWorkflow, type ProcessDeploymentConfigurationInput, type FormInputSchema, type FormOutputSchema } from 'codika';
import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
import { dirname } from 'path';
import crypto from 'crypto';

const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
const __dirname = dirname(__filename);

export const WORKFLOW_FILES = [
  'workflows/web-search.json',
];

export function getConfiguration(): ProcessDeploymentConfigurationInput {
  const webhookId = crypto.randomUUID();
  const webhookUrl = `{{ORGSECRET_N8N_BASE_URL_TERCESORG}}/webhook/{{PROCDATA_PROCESS_ID_ATADCORP}}/{{USERDATA_PROCESS_INSTANCE_UID_ATADRESU}}/search`;

  return {
    title: 'Web Search Tool',
    subtitle: 'AI-powered web search',
    description: 'Search the web and get formatted results using Tavily.',
    workflows: [
      {
        workflowTemplateId: 'web-search',
        workflowId: 'web-search',
        workflowName: 'Web Search',
        integrationUids: ['tavily'],
        triggers: [
          {
            triggerId: webhookId,
            type: 'http' as const,
            url: webhookUrl,
            method: 'POST' as const,
            title: 'Search the Web',
            description: 'Enter a query to search the web',
            inputSchema: getInputSchema(),
          },
        ],
        outputSchema: getOutputSchema(),
        n8nWorkflowJsonBase64: loadAndEncodeWorkflow(__dirname, 'workflows/web-search.json'),
        cost: 1,
      },
    ],
    tags: ['search', 'web'],
  };
}

function getInputSchema(): FormInputSchema {
  return [
    {
      type: 'section',
      title: 'Search',
      collapsible: false,
      inputSchema: [
        {
          key: 'query',
          type: 'text',
          label: 'Search Query',
          description: 'What to search for on the web',
          placeholder: 'Enter your search query...',
          required: true,
          maxLength: 1000,
        },
      ],
    },
  ];
}

function getOutputSchema(): FormOutputSchema {
  return [
    {
      key: 'results',
      type: 'text',
      label: 'Search Results',
      description: 'Formatted search results from the web',
    },
  ];
}

Step 4: Create the workflow

Create the workflows/ directory and the workflow JSON:

workflows/web-search.json

{
  "name": "Web Search",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "parameters": {
        "httpMethod": "POST",
        "path": "{{PROCDATA_PROCESS_ID_ATADCORP}}/{{USERDATA_PROCESS_INSTANCE_UID_ATADRESU}}/search",
        "responseMode": "lastNode",
        "options": {}
      },
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [200, 300],
      "id": "webhook-1",
      "name": "Webhook Trigger",
      "webhookId": "{{USERDATA_PROCESS_INSTANCE_UID_ATADRESU}}"
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "resource": "processManagement",
        "operation": "initWorkflow"
      },
      "type": "n8n-nodes-codika.codika",
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "position": [400, 300],
      "id": "init-1",
      "name": "Codika Init"
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "url": "=https://api.tavily.com/search",
        "sendBody": true,
        "specifyBody": "json",
        "jsonBody": "={{ JSON.stringify({ query: $('Webhook Trigger').first().json.body.payload.query, max_results: 5 }) }}",
        "options": {}
      },
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "typeVersion": 4.2,
      "position": [600, 300],
      "id": "search-1",
      "name": "Tavily Search",
      "credentials": {
        "tavilyApi": {
          "id": "{{FLEXCRED_TAVILY_ID_DERCXELF}}",
          "name": "{{FLEXCRED_TAVILY_NAME_DERCXELF}}"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "jsCode": "const results = $input.first().json.results || [];\nconst formatted = results.map((r, i) => `${i+1}. **${r.title}**\\n   ${r.url}\\n   ${r.content}`).join('\\n\\n');\nreturn [{ json: { results: formatted || 'No results found.' } }];"
      },
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [800, 300],
      "id": "format-1",
      "name": "Format Results"
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "conditions": {
          "options": { "caseSensitive": true, "leftValue": "" },
          "conditions": [
            {
              "leftValue": "={{ $json.results }}",
              "rightValue": "",
              "operator": { "type": "string", "operation": "exists" }
            }
          ]
        }
      },
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.if",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [1000, 300],
      "id": "if-1",
      "name": "IF Success"
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "resource": "processManagement",
        "operation": "submitResult",
        "resultData": "={{ JSON.stringify({ results: $json.results }) }}"
      },
      "type": "n8n-nodes-codika.codika",
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "position": [1200, 200],
      "id": "submit-1",
      "name": "Codika Submit Result"
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "resource": "processManagement",
        "operation": "reportError",
        "errorMessage": "Search failed or returned no results",
        "errorType": "external_api_error"
      },
      "type": "n8n-nodes-codika.codika",
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "position": [1200, 400],
      "id": "error-1",
      "name": "Codika Report Error"
    }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Webhook Trigger": { "main": [[{ "node": "Codika Init", "type": "main", "index": 0 }]] },
    "Codika Init": { "main": [[{ "node": "Tavily Search", "type": "main", "index": 0 }]] },
    "Tavily Search": { "main": [[{ "node": "Format Results", "type": "main", "index": 0 }]] },
    "Format Results": { "main": [[{ "node": "IF Success", "type": "main", "index": 0 }]] },
    "IF Success": {
      "main": [
        [{ "node": "Codika Submit Result", "type": "main", "index": 0 }],
        [{ "node": "Codika Report Error", "type": "main", "index": 0 }]
      ]
    }
  },
  "settings": {
    "executionOrder": "v1",
    "errorWorkflow": "{{ORGSECRET_ERROR_WORKFLOW_ID_TERCESORG}}",
    "timezone": "Europe/Brussels"
  }
}

Step 5: Validate

codika verify use-case .

Fix any issues:

codika verify use-case . --fix

Step 6: Deploy

codika deploy use-case .

Step 7: Test

codika trigger web-search --poll --payload-file - <<'EOF'
{"query": "best practices for n8n workflows"}
EOF

Final folder structure

web-search/
  config.ts
  version.json
  project.json
  workflows/
    web-search.json
  deployments/           # Created after deploy
    {projectId}/
      project-info.json
      process/
        1.1/
          deployment-info.json
          config-snapshot.json
          workflows/
            web-search.json

Key takeaways

Every use case needs config.ts, version.json, and workflows/
The config exports WORKFLOW_FILES and getConfiguration()
Workflows follow the mandatory pattern: Trigger → Init → Logic → Submit/Error
Credentials use placeholders (FLEXCRED, USERCRED, etc.)
The CLI handles versioning, encoding, and API communication

Getting Started

Why Codika

Core Concepts

Guides

Builder System

Examples

What you’ll build

Prerequisites

Step 1: Create the project

Step 2: Create version.json

Step 3: Create config.ts

Step 4: Create the workflow

Step 5: Validate

Step 6: Deploy

Step 7: Test

Final folder structure

Key takeaways

​What you’ll build

​Prerequisites

​Step 1: Create the project

​Step 2: Create version.json

​Step 3: Create config.ts

​Step 4: Create the workflow

​Step 5: Validate

​Step 6: Deploy

​Step 7: Test

​Final folder structure

​Key takeaways

What you’ll build

Prerequisites

Step 1: Create the project

Step 2: Create version.json

Step 3: Create config.ts

Step 4: Create the workflow

Step 5: Validate

Step 6: Deploy

Step 7: Test

Final folder structure

Key takeaways