The idea is:
Allow holding Ctrl or Shift while dragging a variable (e.g., from Google Sheets) to auto-insert the full node reference by name, like:
{{ $('Google Sheets').item.json.row_number }}
instead of the default shorter form:
{{ $json.row_number }}
My use case:
In more complex workflows, $json.row_number can be unclear—especially when multiple nodes have similar structures or outputs. I often rename my nodes for clarity, and would prefer that variable insertions reflect those names automatically.
Having to manually type $('Google Sheets').item.json.row_number each time is tedious. It would be much smoother if holding Ctrl or Shift while dragging a variable inserted the full reference with the node name.
I think it would be beneficial to add this because:
- Improves clarity in workflows with multiple similar nodes
- Makes debugging and collaboration easier
- Speeds up editing by reducing manual typing
- Gives power users more control without changing default behavior
Any resources to support this?
Reddit discussion for context: Best way to force n8n to use the full node name
Are you willing to work on this?
Yes—happy to test or provide feedback!