---
name: n8n-webhook
description: Trigger authenticated local n8n webhooks on the LAN for OpenClaw-to-n8n integration. Use when calling safe, narrow workflows on the dedicated local n8n-agent instance, such as ping/test endpoints, an action-bus style router workflow, notifications, logging, or other preapproved webhook entrypoints. Do not use for broad n8n admin/API management, workflow mutation, credential management, or unrestricted orchestration.
---

# N8n Webhook

Use this skill to call the local `n8n-agent` webhook surface on:

- `http://192.168.153.113:18808` (primary LAN)
- `http://100.123.88.127:18808` (Tailscale)

Keep the integration narrow: let OpenClaw decide what to do, and let n8n execute a small set of explicit workflows.

## Policy

1. Prefer named webhook entrypoints over generic admin APIs.
2. Prefer one small router webhook (`openclaw-action`) when several agent-safe actions are needed.
3. Send JSON and expect JSON back.
4. Use header auth by default (`x-openclaw-secret`).
5. Use `/webhook-test/` only while building/editing a workflow.
6. Surface non-2xx responses clearly instead of pretending success.
7. Keep secrets in n8n credentials or local env vars, never inside shareable workflow JSON.
8. If a new workflow is needed, define its request/response contract before wiring callers.

## What ships with this skill

- direct webhook caller: `scripts/call-webhook.sh`
- action-bus caller: `scripts/call-action.sh`
- approval executor bridge: `scripts/resolve-approval-with-gog.py`
- workflow validator: `scripts/validate-workflow.py`
- importable router workflow: `assets/openclaw-action.workflow.json`
- sample payloads:
  - `assets/test-append-log.json`
  - `assets/test-notify.json`
  - `assets/test-send-notification-draft.json`
  - `assets/test-send-email-draft.json`
  - `assets/test-list-email-drafts.json`
  - `assets/test-delete-email-draft.json`
  - `assets/test-send-gmail-draft.json`
  - `assets/test-send-approved-email.json`
  - `assets/test-create-calendar-event.json`
  - `assets/test-list-upcoming-events.json`
  - `assets/test-update-calendar-event.json`
  - `assets/test-delete-calendar-event.json`

## Quick usage

Set the shared secret once for the shell session:

```bash
export N8N_WEBHOOK_SECRET='replace-me'
```

Call a production webhook directly:

```bash
scripts/call-webhook.sh openclaw-ping --data '{"message":"hello from OpenClaw"}'
```

Call the preferred action-bus route:

```bash
scripts/call-action.sh append_log --args '{"text":"backup complete"}' --request-id auto
scripts/call-action.sh get_logs --args '{"limit":5}' --pretty
scripts/call-action.sh list_email_drafts --args '{"max":10}' --pretty
scripts/call-action.sh list_upcoming_events --args '{"days":7,"max":10}' --pretty
```

Call a test webhook while editing a flow:

```bash
scripts/call-action.sh notify --args '{"message":"hello from OpenClaw"}' --test --pretty
```

Validate the shipped workflow asset:

```bash
python3 scripts/validate-workflow.py assets/openclaw-action.workflow.json
```

## Workflow

### Call an existing safe webhook directly

Use `scripts/call-webhook.sh` when the path is already defined and there is no benefit to the action-bus wrapper.

Current known direct endpoint:

- `openclaw-ping` — basic end-to-end connectivity check

### Call the action bus

Use `scripts/call-action.sh` when the n8n side exposes a router webhook such as `openclaw-action`.

Payload shape:

```json
{
  "action": "append_log",
  "args": {
    "text": "backup complete"
  },
  "request_id": "optional-uuid"
}
```

This keeps the external surface small while letting n8n route internally.

### Import the shipped router workflow

Use the included workflow asset when you want a ready-made local router for:

- `append_log` → append small records into workflow static data (`actionLog`, latest 200)
- `get_logs` → read the most recent retained records from `actionLog`
- `notify` → send through the current Telegram + Discord notification paths
- `send_notification_draft` → queue approval-gated notifications that execute on approve through Telegram + Discord
- `send_email_draft` → queue approval-gated email draft creation proposals in workflow static data
- `list_email_drafts` → queue approval-gated Gmail draft list requests (read-only, low mutation level)
- `delete_email_draft` → queue approval-gated Gmail draft deletion requests
- `send_gmail_draft` (alias: `send_approved_email`) → queue approval-gated Gmail draft send requests
- `create_calendar_event` → queue approval-gated calendar creation proposals in workflow static data
- `list_upcoming_events` → queue approval-gated calendar event listing requests (read-only, low mutation level)
- `update_calendar_event` → queue approval-gated calendar event update requests
- `delete_calendar_event` → queue approval-gated calendar event deletion requests
- `approval_queue_add` / `approval_queue_list` / `approval_queue_resolve` → manage pending approvals and recent history
- `approval_history_attach_execution` → let a host-side executor attach real execution metadata back onto approval history entries
- `fetch_and_normalize_url` → fetch + normalize URL content using n8n runtime HTTP helpers
- `inbound_event_filter` → classify, dedupe, store, and optionally notify on inbound events
- normalized JSON success/failure responses
- unknown-action handling

Important:
- the workflow export intentionally leaves Webhook authentication unset
- after import, manually set **Authentication = Header Auth** on the Webhook node and bind a local credential using `x-openclaw-secret`
- the shipped asset uses workflow static data for small queues/state; it does not embed secrets or require provider credentials for the starter approval-gated actions

See `references/openclaw-action.md` for import and test steps.

### Host execution bridge for Gmail/Calendar

When email/calendar provider creds live on the host via `gog` rather than inside n8n, use:

```bash
python3 scripts/resolve-approval-with-gog.py --id <approval-id> --decision approve
```

Supported host-executed approval kinds:
- `email_draft` → `gog gmail drafts create`
- `email_list_drafts` → `gog gmail drafts list`
- `email_draft_delete` → `gog gmail drafts delete`
- `email_draft_send` → `gog gmail drafts send`
- `calendar_event` → `gog calendar create`
- `calendar_list_events` → `gog calendar events`
- `calendar_event_update` → `gog calendar update`
- `calendar_event_delete` → `gog calendar delete`

Practical note:
- unattended execution needs `GOG_KEYRING_PASSWORD` available to the executor because `gog`'s file keyring cannot prompt in non-TTY automation
- the included bridge auto-loads `/home/openclaw/.openclaw/credentials/gog.env` when present, so you can keep `GOG_ACCOUNT` and `GOG_KEYRING_PASSWORD` there with mode `600`
- for safe plumbing tests without touching Google state, add `--dry-run`

### Add a new webhook-backed capability

1. Write down the webhook path, required auth, request JSON, and response JSON.
2. If the path should become part of the shared action bus, document the `action` name and `args` shape in `references/payloads.md`.
3. If the shipped workflow should support it, update `assets/openclaw-action.workflow.json` and rerun `scripts/validate-workflow.py`.
4. Keep the first version small and explicit.
5. Only add the new endpoint to regular use after a successful `/webhook-test/` run.
6. For append-style event logging, prefer workflow static data for small recent breadcrumbs; use MinIO later for rotation, batching, archival, or sharing rather than tiny object-per-line writes.

## Environment variables

- `N8N_BASE_URL` — override base URL (default `http://192.168.153.113:18808`)
- `N8N_WEBHOOK_SECRET` — required shared secret for authenticated calls
- `N8N_SECRET_HEADER` — header name (default `x-openclaw-secret`)
- `N8N_ACTION_PATH` — router path for `call-action.sh` (default `openclaw-action`)

## Resources

- `scripts/call-webhook.sh` — authenticated POST helper for direct local n8n webhooks
- `scripts/call-action.sh` — wrapper for action-bus style calls against `openclaw-action`
- `scripts/validate-workflow.py` — local structural validator for the shipped workflow asset
- `assets/openclaw-action.workflow.json` — importable starter workflow for the action bus
- `references/openclaw-action.md` — import, auth-binding, and testing guide
- `references/payloads.md` — request/response contracts and naming conventions