n8n AI Agent Design
czlonkowski/n8n-skills
Guide to designing n8n AI agents: choosing between Agent, chain, classifier and extractor nodes, wiring model, memory, tools and parser, plus RAG and human review.
Load immediately after an Agent intent. An agent skill from n8n-io/n8n.
Install Agent Builder
$ npx skills add n8n-io/n8n --skill agent-builder -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install n8n-io/n8n agent-builder --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/packages/@n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder .claude/skills/agent-builder && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.
Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/
Install the "agent-builder" agent skill from https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/tree/master/packages/%40n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder into .claude/skills/agent-builder/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "agent-builder", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/tree/master/packages/%40n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builderType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add n8n-io/n8n --skill agent-builder -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install n8n-io/n8n agent-builder --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/packages/@n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder .agents/skills/agent-builder && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "agent-builder" agent skill from https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/tree/master/packages/%40n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder into .agents/skills/agent-builder/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "agent-builder", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add n8n-io/n8n --skill agent-builder -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install n8n-io/n8n agent-builder --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/packages/@n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder .cursor/skills/agent-builder && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "agent-builder" agent skill from https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/tree/master/packages/%40n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder into .cursor/skills/agent-builder/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "agent-builder", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n.git --path packages/@n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add n8n-io/n8n --skill agent-builder -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install n8n-io/n8n agent-builder --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/packages/@n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder .gemini/skills/agent-builder && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "agent-builder" agent skill from https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/tree/master/packages/%40n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder into .gemini/skills/agent-builder/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "agent-builder", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install n8n-io/n8n agent-builderInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add n8n-io/n8n --skill agent-builder -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/packages/@n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder .github/skills/agent-builder && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "agent-builder" agent skill from https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/tree/master/packages/%40n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder into .github/skills/agent-builder/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "agent-builder", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add n8n-io/n8n --skill agent-builder -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install n8n-io/n8n agent-builder --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/packages/@n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder .opencode/skills/agent-builder && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "agent-builder" agent skill from https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/tree/master/packages/%40n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder into .opencode/skills/agent-builder/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "agent-builder", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
agent-builder- GitHub stars
- 207k
- Token cost
- ~2.5k tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 1,401 words
- Files
- 1
- Skills in repo
- 12
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- Custom licence
At a glance
Load immediately after an Agent intent. An agent skill from n8n-io/n8n.
- Works in 3 steps: Build each child Agent under its own… → Call build-agent for the parent and… → Publication is not required for saved…
- Tasks that involve Building AI agents
- SKILL.md covers Routing, Supported channels &…, Faithful handoff and Prerequisites, plus 4 more sections
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
What it does
Agent Builder is an agent skill from n8n-io/n8n, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Load immediately after an Agent intent. Then call build-agent with the user's request after any required orchestrator-owned prerequisites are ready. Agent Builder owns Agent setup and implementation questions. Governs prerequisite creation, faithful handoff, targeting, testing, and publishing. Use directly for routine Agent follow-ups; rerun intent-recognition only when the requested artifact is no longer clear.
Its SKILL.md is about 2.5k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.
It sits in AI & LLM Engineering, covering Building AI agents and Workflow automation. It works with n8n and Model Context Protocol. The repository describes itself as: Fair-code workflow automation platform with native AI capabilities. Combine visual building with custom code, self-host or cloud, 400+ integrations.
When your agent uses it
- Tasks that involve Building AI agents
- Tasks that involve Workflow automation
Example prompts
- “/agent-builder”
Workflow steps
3 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.
- Build each child Agent under its own agentRef before attaching it to the
- Call build-agent for the parent and identify the child by its display name.
- Publication is not required for saved sub-agent delegation. Forward
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 60ad29f. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.
Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
No URLs in SKILL.md.
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Context cost
Agent Builder loads about 2.5k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 107 tokens; SKILL.md has 1,401 words of instructions outside code blocks.
Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.
Safety
Auto-check passed
The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.
Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.
SKILL.md
Its licence (Custom licence) doesn't allow us to republish the file, so here is its outline and opening line. It has 1,401 words (~2,458 tokens).
“Use this skill after intent-recognition chooses an agent-anchored design, or when the conversation already targets an Agent and the user is continuing that build. Do not rerun intent recognition for routine Agent edits or extensions. Use build-agent only for Agent…”
- name
- agent-builder
- shared_references
- credential-setup-with-computer-use
- recommended_tools
- build-agent, agent-context, build-workflow, data-tables
Files
Just SKILL.md in packages/@n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder of n8n-io/n8n.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 60ad29f
Compare with similar skills
Agent Builder next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agent Builder this skilln8n-io/n8n | 207k | — | ~2.5k | Automated safety check: Pass | Custom licence | |
| n8n AI Agent Designczlonkowski/n8n-skills | 6.4k | — | ~6.8k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Agents Onboardingfazer-ai/agents | 118 | — | ~4.4k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| n8n Custom Code Tool Guideczlonkowski/n8n-skills | 6.4k | — | ~4k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| n8n Multi-Instance Targetingczlonkowski/n8n-skills | 6.4k | — | ~3.2k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Apify Integration Developmentapify/agent-skills | 2.4k | — | ~3.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | None |
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Debugging Executions
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Debug failed or wrong-output workflow executions using executions tools.
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N8n CLI
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Use the n8n CLI to manage workflows, credentials, executions, and more on an n8n instance.
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Answers n8n product, setup, credential, node, hosting, API, and usage questions from current n8n docs.
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Workflow Builder
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Load before calling build-workflow. An agent skill from n8n-io/n8n.
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Planning
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ONLY for coordinated multi-artifact work: multiple workflows with dependencies, shared data-table schema/migration across tasks, or the user explicitly asked to review a plan first.
Related
Works with
Questions about Agent Builder
What does Agent Builder do?
Load immediately after an Agent intent. An agent skill from n8n-io/n8n. Agent Builder is an agent skill from n8n-io/n8n, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Load immediately after an Agent intent.
When should I use Agent Builder?
Agent Builder fits situations like: tasks that involve Building AI agents; tasks that involve Workflow automation.
How do I install Agent Builder in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add n8n-io/n8n --skill agent-builder -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (packages/@n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder in n8n-io/n8n) into .claude/skills/agent-builder in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Agent Builder in Codex?
Run `npx skills add n8n-io/n8n --skill agent-builder -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (packages/@n8n/instance-ai/skills/agent-builder in n8n-io/n8n) into .agents/skills/agent-builder in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Agent Builder in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?
Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add n8n-io/n8n --skill agent-builder -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/agent-builder, .gemini/skills/agent-builder, .github/skills/agent-builder and .opencode/skills/agent-builder in your project.
What does Agent Builder need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Agent Builder is instructions for the agent only.
Does Agent Builder access the network?
SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is Agent Builder safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does Agent Builder use?
Agent Builder has a licence file (the repository's licence) that doesn't match a standard licence. Read it on GitHub before reusing the skill.
How many tokens does Agent Builder use?
About 2.5k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 9.8k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.
What are the alternatives to Agent Builder?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Agent Builder: n8n AI Agent Design (czlonkowski/n8n-skills, 6.4k stars), Agents Onboarding (fazer-ai/agents, 118 stars), n8n Custom Code Tool Guide (czlonkowski/n8n-skills, 6.4k stars) and n8n Multi-Instance Targeting (czlonkowski/n8n-skills, 6.4k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Agent Builder?
n8n-io (a GitHub organization, an official publisher) maintains it in n8n-io/n8n, which has 206,847 GitHub stars. The repository holds 12 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 8, 2026.
Source: n8n-io/n8n on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.