How we discovered n8n's strengths in integrations and rapid prototyping and why developers should pay attention.
The Assignment That Led to Discovery
When we were tasked with exploring AI-compatible automation tools, I was curious to see what was possible. As developers, we are used to building robust, scalable solutions with proper error handling, authentication, and maintainable code. The idea of creating integrations through visual workflows seemed like it could be useful for certain use cases.
Sometimes the best solution is not the most technically impressive one. Sometimes it is the one that gets the job done quickly, reliably, and without requiring a full sprint to implement.
That is how we started with n8n — and why I think automation tools deserve a place in every developer's toolkit.
What Made n8n Stand Out
After evaluating Zapier, Make, and n8n, we chose n8n for three key reasons that make it particularly strong for integrations and prototyping:
1. Visual Logic That Makes Sense
The diagram-like interface is not just pretty — it is functional. Complex flows with IF statements, switches, and loops are immediately understandable. You can see the entire workflow at a glance, making debugging and maintenance surprisingly straightforward. This visual approach is especially powerful when prototyping integrations between multiple systems.
2. Visual Logic That Makes Sense
The code node gives you JavaScript capabilities when drag-and-drop is not enough. But here is the key insight: you do not have to use it everywhere. n8n's specific nodes (like the Filter node) are often more readable than equivalent code, making workflows self-documenting. This flexibility is great for rapid prototyping.
3. HTTP Requests for Any Integration
Beyond the extensive library of pre-built integrations, the HTTP Request node covers any REST API. This is very helpful — for example, the built-in Google Sheets node handles standard read/write/update operations but not all advanced API features such as batchUpdate, which can be accessed through the HTTP Request node. This universal API access makes n8n incredibly powerful for custom integrations.
Real-World Automation: Three Use Cases That Changed Our Workflow
OFFBOARDING AUTOMATION
From Manual Checklists to Automated Workflows
The Problem
Our offboarding process had room for improvement. Someone would manually copy a Confluence page with checkbox lists, then manually track progress across different offices and employees.
The Solution
We built an automated workflow that:
- Our offboarding process had room for improvement. Someone would manually copy a Confluence page with checkbox lists, then manually track progress across different offices and employees.
- Triggers when someone selects an employee from a dropdown form.
- Creates a dedicated Slack channel and keeps interactive checklists there.
- Automatically invites responsible parties to the channel.
- Sends only the checklists relevant to the current offboarding stage, reducing clutter.
- Schedules reminders (one week before last day).
- Uses consistent templates across all offices, still with support for office-specific tasks.
The Technical Details
Google Sheets stores the templates, Slack handles notifications, and HubSpot provides employee data. The workflow uses conditional logic to send different checklist items at the right times (upon resignation, last working day, after termination).
The Impact
Google Sheets stores the templates, Slack handles notifications, and HubSpot provides employee data. The workflow uses conditional logic to send different checklist items at the right times (upon resignation, last working day, after termination).
THE TECH ASSESSMENT
AI-Powered First Pass
The Problem
Technical assessments were bottlenecking our hiring process. Every candidate's code needed manual review, creating delays and inconsistent evaluation.
The Solution
We built an automated assessment pipeline that:
- Triggers when HubSpot contact status changes to "tech test".
- Sends the technical challenge to candidates (with a Slack prompt first for safety).
- Collects submissions via a form linked in-mail to the recruit.
- Uses AI to perform initial code review of GitHub repositories.
- Formats results into structured Slack messages for human reviewers.
- Gives human reviewers a starting point, complementing their review with AI insights.
The Technical Details
HubSpot webhooks trigger the workflow, AI processes GitHub links, and Slack delivers formatted results. The AI provides a starting point for human review, not a replacement for it.
The Impact
Developers get pre-processed insights, reducing review time while maintaining quality standards.
MEETINGS ENDPOINT
Rapid Prototyping at Its Best
The Problem
We needed a simple API endpoint to display selected meetings on a screen, sourced from HubSpot.
The Solution
Instead of building a custom service, we created an n8n workflow that:
- Fetches meetings from HubSpot.
- Filters for marked meetings.
- Provides a clean API endpoint.
- Took minutes to build and deploy.
The Technical Details
HTTP Request node calls HubSpot's API to fetch marked meetings, then makes additional HTTP calls to enrich the data with meeting owner and company information. n8n exposes the result as an endpoint using the Webhook and Respond to Webhook nodes.
The Impact
This is where n8n's prototyping strength really shines. What might have been a sprint became a half-day task (at most). We could validate the concept immediately, then decide whether to build a dedicated service or keep using n8n.
A Developer's Perspective: What We Learned
Not all prototypes are the same. Some look good on the surface but they don’t teach you much. Others offer powerful feedback early. By using tools like n8n we have learned to move beyond static mockups and into fast, functional prototypes that tell us what actually works.
1. The Good: Where n8n Excels
Credential Management: n8n's credential system securely stores credentials (encrypted at rest). OAuth flows, API keys, and access controls work seamlessly across workflows. You can share credentials between team members on collaborative plans without exposing sensitive data.
Project Organization: The Projects feature lets you group related workflows with their own credentials, though it is only available on paid plans. While global variables could be better implemented, the structure keeps complex automations organized.
Expression Flexibility: The expression system lets you manipulate data on-the-fly. Need to uppercase a name or map an array? You can do it inline by writing very little code. But beware — changing output property names will not warn you about broken references until runtime.
2. The Gotchas: What Caught Us Off Guard
The "Run Once Per Item" Trap: Most nodes run once per input item by default, but the Code node and "Execute Sub-workflow" node default to "Run once with all items". I accidentally ran a heavy AI node on a loop because I did not realize it was processing each item individually. Always check your data flow.
Data Matching Challenges: When you have two lists — say `{searchTerm, note}` and `{id, name}` from different systems, matching them becomes tricky unless they share common properties like IDs. Plan your data structure carefully.
Expression Flexibility: Expressions are powerful but fragile. A typo in a property name will not surface until you run the workflow to that point, making debugging more manual than traditional code.
When to Use n8n vs. Traditional Code
Use n8n when:
- Prototyping integrations between systems.
- Building API endpoints for internal tools.
- Automating repetitive processes with clear logic flows.
- Connecting multiple services that do not have native integrations (or to have a better overview in one place).
- Quick validation of integration concepts.
- Internal tools that do not require enterprise-grade security.
Stick with code when:
- Security is paramount (authentication, authorization, data protection).
- Complex error handling is required.
- High-performance or low-latency systems.
- Complex business logic that does not fit standard patterns.
- Quick validation of integration concepts.
- Production systems where reliability is critical.
The Bottom Line: A Developer's Honest Take
n8n is not trying to replace developers – it is trying to make us more efficient. For every "simple" integration that might take a sprint to build properly, n8n gives you a working solution in hours. That is smart prioritization, not laziness.
The key is knowing when to use it. I would not build our core authentication system in n8n, but I might prototype it there first to validate the concept. I would not trust n8n for mission-critical financial transactions, but I would use (and have used) it to automate routine HR processes.
Furthermore, n8n shows us that sometimes the best start is the one that gets you going. Instead of spending time building and setting up integrations and the necessary infrastructure, we can prototype to get a good picture of what is needed and then build and improve following agile practices.
