I’m a coder who’s been working with Python and AI for quite some time. I recently discovered n8n, and it seems like a robust tool for creating workflows. I want to experiment by setting up a simple integration with my own API:
When a Google Calendar event starts, send a bot to the Google Meet using the Vexa API.
When an agent tool is requested, return the current meeting transcript.
However, the drag-and-drop interface is quite cumbersome—it feels like I’m forced to click endlessly instead of simply writing a quick script. I’d much prefer coding the workflow directly or even using an AI to generate it all at once.
I’ve seen some shared JSON flows online for n8n. Are these typically built with the visual editor, or is someone really using AI to generate them? What has your experience been like?
As a developer who’s worked extensively with n8n, I can confirm that programmatic workflow creation is indeed possible. While the visual interface is the primary method, n8n does offer a REST API that allows for programmatic manipulation of workflows. This includes creating, updating, and managing workflows without touching the UI.
For your specific use case, you could leverage the n8n API to create your workflow programmatically. You’d need to familiarize yourself with the API endpoints and structure your workflow as JSON. It’s a bit more complex than writing a quick script, but it offers more flexibility and integration possibilities.
Regarding AI-generated workflows, it’s an interesting concept but not widely implemented yet. Most shared JSON flows are likely created through the visual editor and exported. However, with the growing capabilities of AI, it’s conceivable that we might see AI-assisted workflow generation in the future.
If you’re looking for a more code-centric approach, you might also consider exploring n8n’s custom nodes feature. This allows you to write your own nodes in TypeScript, giving you more direct control over the workflow logic.
I’ve been using n8n for a while now, and I can tell you from experience that programmatic workflow creation is definitely possible. While the visual interface is great for beginners, power users like us often prefer more direct control.
I’ve had success using n8n’s REST API to create and manage workflows programmatically. It takes some getting used to, but once you’re familiar with the API structure and endpoints, it’s quite powerful. You’ll need to construct your workflow as JSON, which can be a bit verbose, but it gives you full control over every aspect of the workflow.
For your specific use case with Google Calendar and Meet integration, I’d recommend starting with a simple workflow in the visual editor to get a feel for the structure, then export it as JSON. You can use this as a template to build your more complex workflow programmatically.
As for AI-generated workflows, I haven’t seen much of that in practice yet. Most shared JSON flows are still manually created. But given how fast AI is advancing, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see AI-assisted workflow generation tools popping up soon. It’s an exciting time to be in this space!
yeah, you can define n8n workflows using their REST api, tho it’s a tad more verbose than coding in python directly. might take some tinkering with endpoints, but for projects like your google calendar + meet integration, it’s a neat alternative to endless ui clicks.