DEV Community

Cover image for 🚀 Stop Clicking. Start Coding. How to Supercharge n8n with VS Code and AI
Etienne Lescot
Etienne Lescot

Posted on

🚀 Stop Clicking. Start Coding. How to Supercharge n8n with VS Code and AI

#n8n #automation #vscode #developertools

If you love n8n for automation but feel like you could be moving faster, this tutorial is for you.

French version here: [https://dev.to/etienne_lescot_728112921e/arretez-de-cliquer-commencez-a-coder-comment-booster-n8n-avec-vs-code-et-lia-25jc]

We all know the scenario: n8n is incredible. But sometimes, building complex logic with a mouse takes time. You find yourself thinking: "If only I could copy-paste this workflow like code..."

Good news: Now you can.

By connecting n8n to your code editor (VS Code), you shift paradigms. You are no longer limited by the graphical interface. You unlock a superpower:

  1. Open VS Code (or an AI editor like Cursor).
  2. Ask an AI Agent: "Create a workflow that scrapes Google News every morning and sends it to Slack".
  3. The AI writes the JSON code.
  4. Boom. The workflow appears instantly in your n8n interface, ready to run.

No need to be a DevOps expert. Let's set up this "magic bridge" in 2 minutes using a ready-made open-source tool.

🛠 How does it work?

The idea is simple. Instead of viewing your workflows as graphical boxes, we treat them as source files.

We use a tool called n8n-as-code that acts as a transparent intermediary:

  • 👀 It watches what you (or the AI) write on your computer.
  • 🔄 It pushes everything to n8n instantly.
  • 🛡 It sanitizes the code automatically to prevent bugs and keep your Git history clean.

(Caption: Your new workspace: Code on the left, n8n Execution on the right)

⚡️ Quick Start (2 minutes)

You need Node.js installed and an active n8n instance (local or cloud).

Step 1: Clone the Repo

Don't reinvent the wheel. I've packaged the sync logic into a clean repo for you:

git clone https://github.com/EtienneLescot/n8n-as-code.git
cd n8n-as-code
npm install
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Step 2: Connection

Create a .env file at the root to tell the script where your n8n is located.

# .env
N8N_HOST=http://localhost:5678
# Get your key in n8n > Settings > Developer API
N8N_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Step 3: Launch

Run the sync engine:

node sync.js
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

The script will automatically download all your existing workflows into the ./synced_workflows folder. You are ready!

🚀 Demo: Let the AI Work

Here is where the magic happens. Now that node sync.js is running:

  1. Open the ./synced_workflows folder in VS Code. You will see your existing workflows.
  2. Option A (Edit): Open an existing file, change a node parameter (e.g. rename a node), and Save. Watch n8n update instantly.
  3. Option B (Create): Create a new file My_New_Bot.json. Ask your AI: "Generate the JSON for an n8n workflow. It should run every day at 9 AM, fetch a joke from a public API, and send it to a Slack channel."
  4. Save (CTRL + S).
  5. Boom. The workflow is created in n8n!

💡 Why You'll Love It

  • 10x Speed: AI is much faster at writing JSON boilerplate than you are at dragging and dropping 10 nodes.
  • GitOps: Your workflows are now clean files. You can finally commit them to GitHub and work in teams.
  • Reliability: The tool handles the bidirectional sync and cleanup for you, so you don't break your workflows.

Ready to try?

Get the open-source code here: github.com/EtienneLescot/n8n-as-code

Happy coding! 🚀

Top comments (0)