Description

N8N Text Templater Node – Dynamic Template Engine for Workflow Automation

Transform your N8N workflows with powerful text templating – Generate dynamic content using Mustache, Handlebars, Nunjucks, or EJS template engines for AI prompts, email automation, reports, and more.

📑 Table of Contents

• Why Text Templater?
• Key Features
• Installation
• Quick Start Guide
• Templating Engines
• Use Cases
• Examples
• Configuration
• Best Practices
• Troubleshooting
• Contributing
• License

🎯 Why Text Templater?

The N8N Text Templater is a must-have community node for anyone building automated workflows that require dynamic text generation. Whether you're creating AI prompts, personalizing emails, generating reports, or building API requests, this node provides professional-grade templating capabilities directly in your N8N workflows.

Perfect for:

• AI & LLM Integration – Generate dynamic prompts for ChatGPT, Claude, GPT-4, and other AI models
• Email Marketing – Personalize bulk emails with customer data and conditional content
• Report Generation – Create formatted reports with charts, tables, and dynamic data
• API Development – Build dynamic JSON/XML payloads for REST APIs
• Documentation – Auto-generate technical docs, release notes, and changelogs
• Content Creation – Produce blog posts, social media content, and marketing copy
• Workflow Automation – Transform data between services with custom formatting

✨ Key Features

🎨 Multiple Template Engines

Choose from 4 industry-standard templating engines, each optimized for different use cases:

🚀 Zero Configuration

• Works immediately after installation
• Sensible defaults for all parameters
• No external dependencies or API keys required
• Runs entirely within your N8N instance

🔒 Security First

• Built-in XSS protection with autoescape
• Sandboxed template execution
• No eval() or arbitrary code execution (except EJS)
• Secure by default for all engines

⚡ Performance Optimized

• Fast template compilation and rendering
• Minimal memory footprint
• Batch processing support for multiple items
• Efficient caching for repeated templates

📊 Rich Output

Every execution returns:

• Rendered text content
• Character and line counts
• Engine used for rendering
• Timestamp of generation
• Error details (if any)

🔗 N8N Integration

• Full support for N8N expressions (={{$json.field}})
• Works with all N8N data types
• Seamless integration with other nodes
• Visual workflow builder compatible

📦 Installation

Option 1: N8N Community Nodes (Recommended)

The easiest way to install the Text Templater node:

1. Open your N8N instance
2. Navigate to Settings → Community Nodes
3. Click "Install a community node"
4. Enter: n8n-nodes-text-templater
5. Click Install and wait for completion
6. Refresh your browser

Option 2: Manual Installation (npm)

For self-hosted N8N installations:

# Navigate to your N8N custom nodes directory
cd ~/.n8n/nodes

# Install the package
npm install n8n-nodes-text-templater

# Restart N8N
n8n restart

Option 3: Docker Installation

Add to your docker-compose.yml or environment variables:

services:
  n8n:
    image: n8nio/n8n
    environment:
      - N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES=n8n-nodes-text-templater
    ports:
      - "5678:5678"

Or use environment variable:

docker run -it --rm \
  -e N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES=n8n-nodes-text-templater \
  -p 5678:5678 \
  n8nio/n8n

Option 4: Development Installation

For developers who want to modify the node:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/llmx-de/n8n-nodes-text-templater.git
cd n8n-nodes-text-templater

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build the node
npm run build

# Link for development
npm link
cd ~/.n8n/nodes
npm link n8n-nodes-text-templater

# Restart N8N
n8n restart

🚀 Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Add Text Templater to Your Workflow

1. Click the "+" button in your N8N workflow
2. Search for "Text Templater" or "template"
3. Select the Text Templater node

Step 2: Select a Template Engine

Choose from Mustache, Handlebars, Nunjucks, or EJS based on your needs:

• Mustache: For simple variable replacement
• Handlebars: For conditional content and loops
• Nunjucks: For filters and template inheritance
• EJS: For full JavaScript expressions

Step 3: Write Your Template

Enter your template with placeholders for dynamic data:

Hello {{name}}!

Your order #{{orderId}} has been confirmed.

Step 4: Provide Variables

Add your data as JSON:

{
  "name": "John Doe",
  "orderId": "12345"
}

Step 5: Execute and View Results

Click "Execute node" to see your rendered template:

Hello John Doe!

Your order #12345 has been confirmed.

🎨 Templating Engines

1. Mustache – Simple & Logic-Free

Use Mustache when: You need simple variable substitution without complex logic.

Syntax: {{variable}}

Features:

• ✅ Variable substitution
• ✅ Sections (loops and conditionals)
• ✅ Comments
• ✅ Partials
• ❌ No complex logic
• ❌ No custom helpers

Example:

Hello {{name}}!

Your order #{{orderId}} has been {{status}}.

{{#premium}}
🌟 Thank you for being a premium member!
Enjoy your {{discount}}% discount.
{{/premium}}

{{^premium}}
💡 Upgrade to premium for exclusive benefits!
{{/premium}}

Variables:

{
  "name": "Alice Smith",
  "orderId": "ORD-12345",
  "status": "shipped",
  "premium": true,
  "discount": 20
}

Output:

Hello Alice Smith!

Your order #ORD-12345 has been shipped.

🌟 Thank you for being a premium member!
Enjoy your 20% discount.

Learn more: Mustache Documentation

2. Handlebars – Logic & Helpers

Use Handlebars when: You need conditional logic, loops, and custom formatting.

Syntax: {{#if}}, {{#each}}, helpers

Features:

• ✅ All Mustache features
• ✅ If/else conditionals
• ✅ Each loops with @index
• ✅ Built-in helpers
• ✅ Custom helper support
• ✅ Block expressions

Example:

# Order Summary for {{customer.name}}

{{#if customer.isPremium}}
## VIP Customer 🌟
Loyalty Points: {{customer.points}}
Discount Rate: {{customer.discountRate}}%
{{else}}
## Standard Customer
{{/if}}

## Items Ordered

{{#each items}}
{{@index}}. {{this.name}} - ${{this.price}} x {{this.quantity}}
   Subtotal: ${{multiply this.price this.quantity}}
{{/each}}

---
**Total: ${{total}}**

{{#if customer.isPremium}}
After {{customer.discountRate}}% discount: ${{discountedTotal}}
{{/if}}

Variables:

{
  "customer": {
    "name": "Bob Johnson",
    "isPremium": true,
    "points": 1250,
    "discountRate": 15
  },
  "items": [
    {"name": "Laptop", "price": 999, "quantity": 1},
    {"name": "Mouse", "price": 25, "quantity": 2}
  ],
  "total": 1049,
  "discountedTotal": 891.65
}

Learn more: Handlebars Documentation

3. Nunjucks – Filters & Inheritance

Use Nunjucks when: You need advanced formatting, filters, and template inheritance.

Syntax: {% if %}, {{ var | filter }}

Features:

• ✅ Jinja2-inspired syntax
• ✅ Powerful filters (upper, lower, replace, etc.)
• ✅ Template inheritance
• ✅ Macros and includes
• ✅ Async support
• ✅ Autoescape for security

Example:

# Welcome {{ name | title }}!

{% if memberSince %}
Member since: {{ memberSince | date("MMMM YYYY") }}
Status: {{ status | upper }}
{% endif %}

## Your Recent Activity

{% for activity in activities %}
- {{ activity.date | date("MMM DD") }}: {{ activity.description }}
  {% if activity.important %}⭐ Important{% endif %}
{% endfor %}

{% if activities | length > 5 %}
Showing 5 of {{ activities | length }} activities.
{% endif %}

---
Email: {{ email | lower }}
Phone: {{ phone | default("Not provided") }}

Variables:

{
  "name": "charlie brown",
  "memberSince": "2023-01-15",
  "status": "gold",
  "email": "Charlie.Brown@EXAMPLE.com",
  "activities": [
    {"date": "2025-11-01", "description": "Logged in", "important": false},
    {"date": "2025-11-05", "description": "Made purchase", "important": true}
  ]
}

Learn more: Nunjucks Documentation

4. EJS – Embedded JavaScript

Use EJS when: You need full JavaScript power for complex calculations.

Syntax: <%= expression %>, <% code %>

Features:

• ✅ Full JavaScript expressions
• ✅ Loops and conditionals with JS syntax
• ✅ Functions and calculations
• ✅ Array/object manipulation
• ⚠️ Powerful but less secure
• ⚠️ Use only with trusted data

Example:

# Analytics Report - <%= new Date().toLocaleDateString() %>

## Performance Metrics

<%
const growth = ((metrics.current - metrics.previous) / metrics.previous * 100).toFixed(2);
const status = growth > 0 ? '📈 UP' : '📉 DOWN';
%>

- Total Revenue: $<%= metrics.current.toLocaleString() %>
- Previous Period: $<%= metrics.previous.toLocaleString() %>
- Growth: <%= status %> <%= Math.abs(growth) %>%

## Top Products

<% products.sort((a, b) => b.sales - a.sales).slice(0, 3).forEach((product, index) => { %>
<%= index + 1 %>. <%= product.name.toUpperCase() %>
   Sales: $<%= product.sales.toLocaleString() %>
   Units: <%= product.units %>
   Avg Price: $<%= (product.sales / product.units).toFixed(2) %>
<% }); %>

## Summary

<% if (growth > 10) { %>
🎉 Excellent performance! Growth exceeded 10%.
<% } else if (growth > 0) { %>
✅ Positive growth. Keep it up!
<% } else { %>
⚠️ Negative growth. Review strategy.
<% } %>

Variables:

{
  "metrics": {
    "current": 125000,
    "previous": 98000
  },
  "products": [
    {"name": "Widget Pro", "sales": 45000, "units": 150},
    {"name": "Gadget Plus", "sales": 38000, "units": 200},
    {"name": "Tool Master", "sales": 42000, "units": 100}
  ]
}

Learn more: EJS Documentation

💡 Use Cases

1. AI Prompt Engineering

Generate dynamic prompts for ChatGPT, Claude, GPT-4, and other AI models:

You are a {{role}} assistant specializing in {{domain}}.

Task: {{task}}

Context:
{{#each contextItems}}
- {{this}}
{{/each}}

Requirements:
- Tone: {{tone}}
- Length: {{maxWords}} words
- Format: {{format}}
- Target Audience: {{audience}}

Additional Instructions:
{{#if includeExamples}}
Provide at least {{exampleCount}} examples.
{{/if}}

Please provide a comprehensive response following these guidelines.

2. Email Marketing Automation

Create personalized email campaigns:

Subject: {{#if isPremium}}🌟 Exclusive Offer for {{firstName}}{{else}}Special Offer Inside!{{/if}}

Hi {{firstName}},

{{#if isPremium}}
As a valued premium member, we're excited to offer you an exclusive {{discount}}% discount!
{{else}}
We have a special offer just for you!
{{/if}}

{{#each recommendedProducts}}
📦 {{this.name}}
   Regular Price: ${{this.originalPrice}}
   {{#if ../isPremium}}Your Price: ${{this.premiumPrice}}{{else}}Sale Price: ${{this.salePrice}}{{/if}}
{{/each}}

Use code: {{promoCode}}
Offer expires: {{expiryDate}}

Best regards,
The {{companyName}} Team

3. Report Generation

Generate formatted business reports:

# {{ reportTitle }} - {{ reportDate | date("MMMM DD, YYYY") }}

## Executive Summary

Total Revenue: ${{ revenue | formatNumber }}
Total Orders: {{ orderCount }}
Average Order Value: ${{ (revenue / orderCount) | round(2) }}

{% if growthRate > 0 %}
📈 Revenue Growth: +{{ growthRate }}%
{% else %}
📉 Revenue Change: {{ growthRate }}%
{% endif %}

## Regional Performance

{% for region in regions %}
### {{ region.name }}
- Revenue: ${{ region.revenue | formatNumber }}
- Orders: {{ region.orders }}
- Top Product: {{ region.topProduct }}
{% endfor %}

## Insights

{% for insight in insights %}
- {{ insight }}
{% endfor %}

4. API Request Building

Create dynamic API payloads:

{
  "query": "{{searchQuery}}",
  "filters": {
    "category": "{{category}}",
    "priceRange": {
      "min": {{minPrice}},
      "max": {{maxPrice}}
    },
    "inStock": {{inStock}},
    "tags": [{{#each tags}}"{{this}}"{{#unless @last}},{{/unless}}{{/each}}]
  },
  "sort": {
    "field": "{{sortField}}",
    "order": "{{sortOrder}}"
  },
  "pagination": {
    "page": {{page}},
    "limit": {{pageSize}}
  }
}

5. Documentation Generation

Auto-generate technical documentation:

# API Documentation - {{apiName}} v{{version}}

## Endpoints

{{#each endpoints}}
### {{this.method}} {{this.path}}

**Description:** {{this.description}}

**Authentication:** {{#if this.requiresAuth}}Required{{else}}Not required{{/if}}

**Parameters:**
{{#each this.parameters}}
- `{{this.name}}` ({{this.type}}) - {{this.description}}
  {{#if this.required}}**Required**{{else}}Optional{{/if}}
{{/each}}

**Example Request:**
\`\`\`{{this.exampleLanguage}}
{{this.exampleRequest}}
\`\`\`

**Response:**
\`\`\`json
{{this.exampleResponse}}
\`\`\`

---
{{/each}}

6. Social Media Content

Generate social media posts:

{{#if platform}}{{#eq platform "twitter"}}
🚀 {{announcement}}

{{#each features}}
✅ {{this}}
{{/each}}

Learn more: {{url}}
#{{hashtag1}} #{{hashtag2}}
{{/eq}}{{/if}}

{{#if platform}}{{#eq platform "linkedin"}}
I'm excited to announce: {{announcement}}

Key features:
{{#each features}}
• {{this}}
{{/each}}

This is a game-changer for {{audience}}.

{{url}}
{{/eq}}{{/if}}

⚙️ Configuration

Parameters

Engine Selection

The Template field automatically updates its placeholder based on the selected engine, showing you the appropriate syntax.

Using N8N Expressions

You can use N8N expressions in the Variables field:

// Pass all incoming data
={{$json}}

// Pass specific fields
={{"name": $json.customerName, "email": $json.email}}

// Combine static and dynamic data
={{"greeting": "Hello", "name": $json.name, "date": $now}}

// Use data from previous nodes
={{"userData": $node["Get User"].json, "orderId": $json.id}}

Output Format

The node returns:

{
  "text": "The rendered template text",
  "metadata": {
    "engine": "mustache",
    "charCount": 145,
    "lineCount": 8,
    "timestamp": "2025-11-08T10:30:00.000Z"
  }
}

🎓 Best Practices

1. Choose the Right Engine

• Simple substitution? → Use Mustache
• Need if/else? → Use Handlebars
• Need filters? → Use Nunjucks
• Need calculations? → Use EJS

2. Security Considerations

• ✅ DO use Mustache/Handlebars for user-generated content
• ✅ DO enable autoescape in Nunjucks
• ⚠️ CAREFUL with EJS and untrusted data
• ❌ DON'T put sensitive data in templates
• ❌ DON'T use EJS with user input without sanitization

3. Performance Tips

• Keep templates under 10KB for best performance
• Cache frequently used templates upstream
• Use simpler engines (Mustache/Handlebars) when possible
• Process large batches in chunks

4. Template Organization

// Good: Clear, organized template
const template = `
Hello {{name}}!

{{#if premium}}
  VIP Content
{{/if}}
`;

// Bad: Messy, hard to read
const template = "Hello {{name}}! {{#if premium}}VIP{{/if}}";

5. Error Handling

Always handle potential errors in your workflow:

1. Use an IF node to check for empty templates
2. Add error handlers for invalid JSON in variables
3. Test with edge cases (empty strings, null values)
4. Monitor the metadata output for issues

🐛 Troubleshooting

Node Not Showing Up?

1. Refresh browser (Cmd+Shift+R or Ctrl+Shift+F5)
2. Check installation:

   cd ~/.n8n/nodes
   ls | grep text-templater
   

3. Restart N8N:

   n8n restart
   

4. Check N8N logs for errors

Template Not Rendering?

1. Check syntax matches selected engine
2. Verify variable names match placeholders exactly
3. Validate JSON in variables field
4. Look at error messages in execution details

Variables Not Working?

1. Ensure JSON is valid (use a JSON validator)
2. Check for typos in variable names
3. Verify N8N expressions are correct: ={{$json.field}}
4. Test with static JSON first

Performance Issues?

1. Reduce template size (break into smaller chunks)
2. Use a simpler engine (Mustache instead of EJS)
3. Process fewer items per execution
4. Check for infinite loops in templates

Common Errors

🤝 Contributing

We welcome contributions! Here's how you can help:

Reporting Issues

Found a bug? Create an issue with:

• N8N version
• Node version
• Template engine used
• Steps to reproduce
• Expected vs actual behavior

Feature Requests

Have an idea? Open a feature request describing:

• The use case
• Proposed solution
• Alternative approaches considered

Pull Requests

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests if applicable
5. Run linting: npm run lint:fix
6. Commit: git commit -m 'Add amazing feature'
7. Push: git push origin feature/amazing-feature
8. Open a Pull Request

Development Setup

# Clone your fork
git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/n8n-nodes-text-templater.git
cd n8n-nodes-text-templater

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build
npm run build

# Link for testing
npm link
cd ~/.n8n/nodes
npm link n8n-nodes-text-templater

# Start N8N in dev mode
n8n start

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License – see the LICENSE file for details.

🔗 Links

• GitHub Repository: https://github.com/llmx-de/n8n-nodes-text-templater
• npm Package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/n8n-nodes-text-templater
• Issues & Support: https://github.com/llmx-de/n8n-nodes-text-templater/issues
• N8N Documentation: https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/community-nodes/
• LLMX Website: https://llmx.de

🌟 Show Your Support

If this node helps your workflow, please:

• ⭐ Star the repository on GitHub
• 📦 Rate the package on npm
• 🐦 Share with your network
• 💬 Contribute improvements

🏷️ Keywords

n8n n8n-node n8n-community-node workflow-automation template-engine mustache handlebars nunjucks ejs text-templating dynamic-content ai-prompts email-automation report-generation api-integration chatgpt gpt-4 claude workflow automation low-code no-code

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