đź’ˇ Feature Request: Save and Reuse Node "Patterns" or "Snippets" (Node Snippets)

Feature Requests
1

Hello n8n Team and Community,

I truly appreciate n8n’s flexibility. However, as I build more complex flows, I constantly find myself repeating the same combinations of nodes across multiple workflows.

The Problem

I often need to reuse common structures, for example:

  • A Try-Catch block for robust error handling.

  • A sequence of Set + Code + Merge nodes for formatting and transforming data.

  • A “Iterate and Consolidate” logic (Loop Over Items + Set).

Currently, the only way to do this is to find an old workflow, copy the nodes (Ctrl+C), and paste them (Ctrl+V) into the new one. This process is:

  1. Time-Consuming: It requires context switching, manual searching, and copying.

  2. Error-Prone: It’s easy to forget a node or a connection during the copy process.

  3. Hard to Maintain: If I find a better way to handle errors, I would have to update that “pattern” manually in dozens of workflows.

The Proposal: “Node Patterns” (Node Snippets)

I propose a new feature that allows us to save, manage, and import “Patterns” (or “Snippets”), which are simply pre-configured groups of nodes.

The user flow would be very simple:

1. To Save a Pattern:

  • The user selects two or more nodes on the editor canvas.

  • They right-click and see a new option: “Save as Pattern”.

  • A small modal pops up asking for a name (e.g., “Error Handling with Try-Catch”) and, optionally, a description and tags.

2. To Insert a Pattern:

  • In any workflow, the user right-clicks on the canvas (or accesses a new panel, similar to the templates panel).

  • They select “Insert Pattern”.

  • A library (with a search feature) of all saved patterns opens.

  • Clicking on one imports that group of nodes directly onto the canvas, ready to be connected.

This would be an intermediate element: it’s not as complex as a “sub-workflow,” but it’s much more powerful than a simple “copy-paste.”

Key Benefits

  • Speed: Drastically accelerates workflow building.

  • Consistency: Ensures all workflows use the same standardized, tested logic (especially useful for teams).

  • Productivity: Allows users to create and reuse their personal logical “building blocks.”

  • Fewer Errors: Reduces copy-paste errors.

I believe this feature would greatly enhance the developer experience (DX) in n8n.

What does the community think? Would this feature be useful to you? Has the n8n team considered something similar?

Thank you for reading!