Custom node not appearing in local n8n instance

Other Questions N8n
1

I’ve made a custom node for n8n but it’s not showing up when I run n8n locally. Here’s what I did:

  1. Created assistant.node.ts with the node logic
  2. Made assistant.node.json for node info
  3. Set up assistant.credentials.ts for API authentication

Everything seems to be set up correctly, yet my custom node still doesn’t appear. Can anyone guide me on what might be missing or suggest a fix?

Below is a simplified version of my node code:

export class CustomNode implements INodeType {
  description: INodeTypeDescription = {
    displayName: 'My Custom Node',
    name: 'customNodeExample',
    icon: 'file:example.svg',
    group: ['transform'],
    version: 1,
    description: 'Does something cool',
    inputs: ['main'],
    outputs: ['main'],
    properties: [
      {
        displayName: 'Input',
        name: 'userInput',
        type: 'string',
        default: '',
        description: 'Enter some text',
      },
    ],
  };
}

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

2

yo, make sure ur node’s properly registered in n8n’s config. the name in ur class def should match the subdirectory in ~/.n8n/custom/nodes/. also, did u build & link it right? run ‘npm run build’ in ur node dir, then ‘npm link’, and ‘npm link ’ in n8n dir. check logs for errors too. good luck!

3

Have you checked if your custom node is properly registered in n8n’s configuration? The node’s name in your class definition should match the subdirectory in ~/.n8n/custom/nodes/. This is a common oversight.

Another crucial step is building and linking your node correctly. Run ‘npm run build’ in your node’s directory, then ‘npm link’, and finally ‘npm link ’ in your n8n installation directory. This ensures n8n can find and load your custom node.

Also, double-check your file locations. Your node files should be in ~/.n8n/custom/nodes/CustomNode/ (replace CustomNode with your actual node name).

If these steps don’t work, try restarting n8n and clearing your browser cache. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to refresh the system and make your node appear.

Lastly, review n8n logs for any error messages related to custom nodes. They often provide valuable insights into what might be going wrong during the node loading process.

4

Hey there! I’ve been through the custom node struggle myself, and I think I might have a few ideas for you.

First off, make sure your node is properly registered in n8n’s configuration. The node’s name in your class definition should exactly match the subdirectory name in ~/.n8n/custom/nodes/. It’s a detail that’s easy to overlook.

Have you built and linked your node correctly? Try running ‘npm run build’ in your node’s directory, then ‘npm link’, and finally ‘npm link ’ in your n8n installation directory. This ensures that n8n can find and load your custom node.

Also, double-check that your node files are in the right place — they should be in ~/.n8n/custom/nodes/CustomNode/ (replace CustomNode with your actual node name). If all else fails, restarting n8n and clearing your browser cache might help.

Finally, take a look at the n8n logs for any error messages related to custom nodes. They could give you insights into what might be going wrong.