Setting Credentials

[cmskunkworks]

How can you preset node credential selection in the JSON, I can't seem to get that to work. Thanks!

[czlonkowski]

Hey @cmskunkworks — the shape n8n expects is subtle and the UI hides it, so it is an easy one to trip on. Here is what works:

Credentials go on the node as a map keyed by the credential type, not the credentials display name. Like this:

{
  "id": "1",
  "name": "Airtable",
  "type": "n8n-nodes-base.airtable",
  "typeVersion": 2.1,
  "position": [250, 300],
  "parameters": { "resource": "record", "operation": "create" },
  "credentials": {
    "airtableTokenApi": {
      "id": "sSVnxV9AcBmBOYn8",
      "name": "My Airtable Token"
    }
  }
}

Three things that usually bite people:

1. The outer key is the credential type, not your credentials display name. For Airtable token auth it is airtableTokenApi, for Slack OAuth2 it is slackOAuth2Api, for HTTP header auth it is httpHeaderAuth, etc. Case-sensitive.
2. The id must already exist in your target n8n instance. If you import a workflow referencing a credential ID that is not present, the node ends up unbound and the UI shows "Choose credential". You cannot create the credential and the workflow in the same JSON import.
3. OAuth2 credentials cannot be created end-to-end via the API — they need the browser auth dance to finish. Token / header / basic auth are fine.

The workflow I would use with n8n-mcp:

1. get_node({ nodeType: "nodes-base.airtable", detail: "full" })
   → look at the credentials[] array to see which credential types the node accepts

2. n8n_manage_credentials({ action: "list" })
   → find the id of an existing credential of that type in your instance

3. Build your workflow JSON with the shape above, using that id

4. n8n_create_workflow(...) or n8n_update_full_workflow(...)

detail: "full" is the bit people miss — at standard the credential type names only show up indirectly as authentication parameter options. Full detail gives you a clean credentials[].name list that maps 1:1 to the key you need in workflow JSON.

If you want to create a new credential from scratch rather than reuse one, n8n_manage_credentials({ action: "getSchema", credentialType: "airtableTokenApi" }) will show you what fields the type requires.

Want me to walk through a specific node you are stuck on? Paste the node JSON you are pushing and I will tell you what is off.