N8N101 Essentials: Your First Workflows

Essentials is the first part of n8n's Foundations program. It introduces the canvas, nodes, executions, and the structure of data moving between steps. The provider estimates two to four hours and supplies practice APIs, so the initial exercises do not require external service accounts or API keys.

What you will learn

• Build a workflow with a trigger and connected nodes
• Map and transform JSON properties between steps
• Merge data and work with binary items
• Inspect an execution to understand its data flow

Who this suits

Start here if a workflow template runs but you cannot explain why its fields connect. No previous n8n experience is required. Learning the data model first makes it easier to adapt an example when your own spreadsheet or application has different field names.

Before you enroll

You need an n8n instance that meets the course's access requirements. Cloud trials expire, and self-hosting brings setup and maintenance work. Check those requirements before starting; free tuition does not make every hosting arrangement free.

Course access is free. A passing grade of 70% earns a badge and certificate of completion. n8n explicitly distinguishes this from its separate professional certification program; do not treat a course badge as that certification.

Put it into practice

Make a tiny workflow that accepts two fictional records, renames a field, and combines the results. Before executing it, write down the output you expect at each node. Compare the actual output and explain one mismatch without replacing the whole workflow.

Source and review

This overview is based on the provider's published information, checked on 12 October 2026. It is an editorial assessment, not a claim that we completed the resource. Time filters are approximate study ranges; projects and exercises can take longer.

View the curriculum and current access options at n8n Academy.

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Supporting provider sources

• n8n.io: supporting course information