Description

n8n-nodes-random-wait

This is an n8n community node. It lets you add randomized waiting delays inside your n8n workflows.

Random Wait is a utility node that pauses workflow execution for a random duration between two specified values. It is useful for rate-limiting, API scraping, simulating non-deterministic behavior, and avoiding predictable automation patterns.

n8n is a fair-code licensed workflow automation platform.

• Installation
• Operations
• Credentials
• Compatibility
• Usage
• Resources
• Version history

Installation

Follow the installation guide in the n8n community nodes documentation.

Operations

The node exposes a single operation :

• Random Wait: Pauses the current workflow execution for a random amount of time between the configured Min Wait and Max Wait values.

Parameters

• Min Wait: number — Minimum duration to wait (default: 1). Must be >= 0.
• Max Wait: number — Maximum duration to wait (default: 5). Must be >= 0 and greater than or equal to Min Wait.
• Wait Unit: options — Time unit for the min/max values. One of: milliseconds, seconds, minutes, hours, days (default: seconds).

Behavior

• The node picks a random floating-point value uniformly between min and max (inclusive of min, exclusive of max), multiplies by the unit multiplier and calls putExecutionToWait with the resulting future timestamp. When the wait time elapses, n8n resumes the workflow and the node outputs the input data unchanged.

Credentials

No credentials are required.
This node performs only local timing and does not interact with external services.

Compatibility

• n8n nodes API: n8nNodesApiVersion: 1 (see package.json).
• Node: This package declares n8n-workflow as a peer dependency and is intended for use with n8n installations that support custom community nodes (n8n >= 1.x).
• Known issues: none

If you run into compatibility issues with a specific n8n or Node.js version, please open an issue in the repository.

Usage

Use this node when you need to introduce non-deterministic delays in your workflow, such as:

• Avoiding detection when scraping public websites
• Introducing jitter between API calls
• Simulating human-like timing
• Throttling workflow execution without fixed intervals

Notes and tips

• Decimal values are supported (e.g., 1.5 seconds).
• The node does not change or consume the incoming data — it simply resumes the workflow with the same input once the wait completes.
• Because it uses n8n's waiting mechanism, it is suitable for long waits without consuming runtime CPU.

Resources

• Node implementation: nodes/RandomWait/RandomWait.node.ts
• Validation helpers: nodes/RandomWait/validation.ts
• repository link
• n8n community nodes documentation

Version history

0.1.1

• Initial release
• Added support for random wait duration between min and max
• Added unit selection (ms, seconds, minutes, hours, days)

0.1.2

• Add relevant keywords in package.json