n8n-docs/docs/code-examples/methods-variables.md

Built-in methods and variables

n8n provides built-in methods and variables for working with data and accessing n8n data. This document provides a reference list of available methods and variables, with a short description, and whether they're available in the expressions editor, Function node, or both.

For usage examples, refer to Expressions examples and JavaScript examples.

Node input

Method	Description	Availability
$binary	Shorthand for $input.item.binary. Incoming binary data from a node	Expressions editor
$data	Incoming raw data from a node.	Both
$input.item	The paired item. [TODO: explain what this is]	Expressions editor
$input.all()		Both
$input.first()		Both
$input.last()		Both
$input.params		Both
$input.context		Both
$json	Shorthand for $input.item.json. Incoming JSON data from a node	Expressions editor

Node output

Method	Description	Availability
$("<node-name>").all(branchIndex?, runIndex?)	Returns all items from a given node. Replaces $items.	Both
$("<node-name>").first(branchIndex?, runIndex?)		Both
$("<node-name>").last(branchIndex?, run Index?)		Both
$("<node-name>").item	The paired item. [TODO: explain what this is].	Expressions editor
$("<node-name>").itemAt(itemIndex, branchIndex?, runIndex?)	[TODO: is this in? not working in expr] Returns an item at a given index. Replaces $item().	Both
$("<node-name>").itemMatching(currentNodeinputIndex)	[TODO: not yet implemented?]	Both
$("<node-name>").params
$("<node-name>").context

Working with data

Method	Description	Availability
$evaluateExpression	Evaluates a string as an expression	Both
$jmespath()	Perform a search on a JSON object using JMESPath.	Both
$now	A Luxon object containing the current timestamp. Equivalent to DateTime.now().	Both
$today	A Luxon object containing the current timestamp, rounded down to the day. Equivalent to DateTime.now().set({ hour: 0, minute: 0, second: 0, millisecond: 0 }).	Both

n8n data

This includes:

• Access to n8n environment variables for self-hosted n8n.
• Metadata about workflows, executions, and nodes.

Method	Description	Availability
$env	Contains environment variables.	Both
$execution.id		Both
$execution.mode		Both
$execution.resumeUrl	The webhook URL to call to resume a waiting workflow.	Both
$parameters	Parameters of the current node.
$position	The index of an item in a list of items.
$prevNode.name	Note that $prevNode always takes the first input. This is important when using it in a node with multiple inputs, such as the Merge node.	Both
$prevNode.outputIndex	Note that $prevNode always takes the first input. This is important when using it in a node with multiple inputs, such as the Merge node.	Both
$prevNode.runIndex	Note that $prevNode always takes the first input. This is important when using it in a node with multiple inputs, such as the Merge node.	Both
$runIndex	How many times n8n has executed the node. Zero-based (the first run is 0, the second is 1, and so on).	Both
$workflow.active		Both
$workflow.id		Both
$workflow.name		Both