n8n-binary-and-data
OfficialHandle files and binary data safely in n8n.
Software Engineering#n8n#file uploads#agent tools#binary data#chat hub images#storage staging#merge for context
Authorn8n-io
Version1.0.0
Installs0
System Documentation
What problem does it solve?
This Skill prevents broken workflows by teaching the correct way to handle binary files alongside JSON in n8n, especially when AI agents and MCP tool boundaries are involved.
Core Features & Use Cases
- Binary lives in $binary, not $json: avoids the common failure mode of trying to read file contents from JSON.
- Agent tool boundary workarounds: explains why binary cannot cross the agent/tool boundary and how to stage files in storage and pass keys/URLs through JSON.
- Reliable binary preservation through JSON transforms: shows how to keep binary using Merge (when nodes strip binary) for outputs like emails with attachments.
- Chat-hub image requirements: ensures generated images display by uploading to a CDN and returning a URL rather than raw binary.
- Reference-driven gotchas: consolidates practical patterns for binary basics, merge behavior, and inbound/outbound agent file flows.
Quick Start
Ask your AI agent to process an uploaded PDF by first staging the file, passing the storage key through tool calls, and returning a user-facing URL (not raw binary) for chat display.
Dependency Matrix
Required Modules
None requiredComponents
references
💻 Claude Code Installation
Recommended: Let Claude install automatically. Simply copy and paste the text below to Claude Code.
Please help me install this Skill: Name: n8n-binary-and-data Download link: https://github.com/n8n-io/skills/archive/main.zip#n8n-binary-and-data Please download this .zip file, extract it, and install it in the .claude/skills/ directory.
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