Restore workflows from GitHub to another n8n instance via the n8n API

by Adriaan van Niekerk ✓ · 6 views · created 2026-09-02 · DevOps

What this workflow does

This workflow has 12 nodes and runs manually, when you click “Execute workflow”. It uses only n8n's built-in nodes.

How it runs

Trigger: Manually, when you click “Execute workflow”.

1. Set Restore Configurations (Edit Fields (Set)): sets or maps fields
2. Check Selected Path (If): checks a condition and branches into true / false
3. Generate Restore Item Code (Code): runs custom JavaScript code
4. Fetch GitHub Workflow Files (HTTP Request): calls an HTTP API
5. Download GitHub Workflow File (HTTP Request): calls an HTTP API
6. Generate Restore File List (Code): runs custom JavaScript code
7. Sanitize Workflow Data (Code): runs custom JavaScript code
8. Fetch Target Workflow (HTTP Request): calls an HTTP API
9. Check Workflow Existence (If): checks a condition and branches into true / false
10. Update Existing Workflow (HTTP Request): calls an HTTP API

…plus 1 more step. See the full node list below.

Before you upgrade to n8n 3.0

Nodes used (5)

• Manual Triggern8n-nodes-base.manualTrigger
• Edit Fields (Set)n8n-nodes-base.set
• Ifn8n-nodes-base.if
• Coden8n-nodes-base.code
• HTTP Requestn8n-nodes-base.httpRequest

From the author

Quick overview Restore one or all n8n workflows from a GitHub repository into any n8n instance — in one click. Use it for disaster recovery, migrating to a new n8n instance, bulk importing workflows, or recovering a single accidentally deleted workflow. How…

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