The workflow JSON
Copy or download the full n8n JSON below. Paste it into a new n8n workflow, add your credentials, activate. Full import guide →
{
"nodes": [
{
"id": "3e2820cb-24a4-491b-8f8b-60f97b0748dc",
"name": "Backup Now - Manual Trigger",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.manualTrigger",
"position": [
520,
320
],
"parameters": {},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "bc5588e5-b67a-4713-b8e7-c21227048a2d",
"name": "n8n",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.n8n",
"position": [
980,
520
],
"parameters": {
"filters": {
"tags": "={{ $('Globals').first().json.tags_to_match_for_backup }}"
},
"requestOptions": {}
},
"credentials": {
"n8nApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "2a5af64d-b5c3-4180-bae5-9efeeaeba99d",
"name": "Globals",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
"position": [
740,
400
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"assignments": {
"assignments": [
{
"id": "150135fb-c0fb-444b-aeed-eac851af255d",
"name": "gitlab_owner",
"type": "string",
"value": "mygitlabownername"
},
{
"id": "8a9359c0-5a16-482b-8f3a-c8b20fbc13c0",
"name": "gitlab_project",
"type": "string",
"value": "n8n_workflow_backups"
},
{
"id": "00843c18-7d09-4d60-ab70-534ca0791504",
"name": "gitlab_workflow_path",
"type": "string",
"value": "workflow_definitions"
},
{
"id": "8fbcc201-dbff-440b-b440-42e8f1735548",
"name": "tags_to_match_for_backup",
"type": "string",
"value": "gitlab_backup_enabled"
},
{
"id": "e17051bc-d8b3-4cef-bad0-efe38a7be464",
"name": "execution_type",
"type": "string",
"value": "={{ ( $('Schedule Trigger').isExecuted) ? 'Scheduled' : 'Manual' }}"
},
{
"id": "8b90fba9-df11-4e07-a7ae-31405143e831",
"name": "execution_time",
"type": "string",
"value": "={{ $now }}"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 3.4
},
{
"id": "b6b44b4b-e5a7-4ce6-9cff-e7a21679ad32",
"name": "Create New File(s)",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.gitlab",
"position": [
2060,
540
],
"parameters": {
"owner": "={{ $('Globals').first().json.gitlab_owner }}",
"branch": "main",
"filePath": "={{ $('Globals').first().json.gitlab_workflow_path }}/{{ $('Derive Filename From Workflow Name').item.json.normalized_filename }}",
"resource": "file",
"repository": "={{ $('Globals').first().json.gitlab_project }}",
"fileContent": "={{ JSON.stringify($('n8n').item.json, null, 4) }}",
"commitMessage": "=(Initial) {{ $('Globals').first().json.execution_type }} Backup - {{ $('Globals').first().json.execution_time }}."
},
"credentials": {
"gitlabApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "167ae6cd-b8dd-4e01-aca4-4888fcaf9958",
"name": "Edit Existing File(s)",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.gitlab",
"position": [
2060,
340
],
"parameters": {
"owner": "={{ $('Globals').first().json.gitlab_owner }}",
"branch": "main",
"filePath": "={{ $('Globals').first().json.gitlab_workflow_path }}/{{ $('Derive Filename From Workflow Name').item.json.normalized_filename }}",
"resource": "file",
"operation": "edit",
"repository": "={{ $('Globals').first().json.gitlab_project }}",
"fileContent": "={{ JSON.stringify($('n8n').item.json, null, 4) }}",
"commitMessage": "={{ $('Globals').first().json.execution_type }} Backup - {{ $('Globals').first().json.execution_time }}."
},
"credentials": {
"gitlabApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "a4437388-9143-4c91-841e-c062ab9af3c0",
"name": "Derive Filename From Workflow Name",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
"position": [
1160,
520
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"assignments": {
"assignments": [
{
"id": "d2110dc6-1f31-46b3-991e-556b2255d76e",
"name": "normalized_filename",
"type": "string",
"value": "={{ $json.name.replace(/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/g, '') }}.json"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 3.4
},
{
"id": "cb0fca8f-dc43-4903-a8e1-5b7acf9157b1",
"name": "Fetch Existing File Content",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.gitlab",
"position": [
1640,
340
],
"parameters": {
"owner": "={{ $('Globals').first().json.gitlab_owner }}",
"filePath": "={{ $('Globals').first().json.gitlab_workflow_path }}/{{ $('Derive Filename From Workflow Name').item.json.normalized_filename }}",
"resource": "file",
"operation": "get",
"repository": "={{ $('Globals').first().json.gitlab_project }}",
"asBinaryProperty": false,
"additionalParameters": {
"reference": "main"
}
},
"credentials": {
"gitlabApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "816843c4-769c-4033-a38e-1c6ef5325e15",
"name": "Sticky Note",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
940,
120
],
"parameters": {
"color": 5,
"width": 401,
"height": 246,
"content": "## Gather Gitlab Info"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "19f3fe4d-acba-4e7b-b92c-ce9024a8f37d",
"name": "Sticky Note1",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
940,
460
],
"parameters": {
"color": 5,
"width": 398,
"height": 240,
"content": "## Gather n8n Info"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "418bef31-adf6-419b-87f1-faa2581e5766",
"name": "Sticky Note2",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
1380,
280
],
"parameters": {
"width": 598,
"height": 384.41789416257484,
"content": "## Decide Whether to Create or Edit or Skip"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "f3b98ded-c767-4822-bcf4-25931be03f48",
"name": "Skip Unchanged Files",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.filter",
"position": [
1820,
340
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"conditions": {
"options": {
"leftValue": "",
"caseSensitive": true,
"typeValidation": "strict"
},
"combinator": "and",
"conditions": [
{
"id": "3298ab8b-9934-4ed7-9c38-03f325dc71e2",
"operator": {
"type": "string",
"operation": "notEquals"
},
"leftValue": "={{ JSON.stringify($('n8n').item.json, null, 4) }}",
"rightValue": "={{ $json.content.base64Decode() }}"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 2
},
{
"id": "6bbf5146-7129-4ca8-8576-39d5cbe8e0b9",
"name": "Sticky Note3",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
480,
220
],
"parameters": {
"color": 4,
"width": 402,
"height": 452,
"content": "## Start / Trigger & Configure"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "0e5d9c9f-40b4-494d-8233-a2b4fea67d76",
"name": "Schedule Trigger",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger",
"position": [
520,
520
],
"parameters": {
"rule": {
"interval": [
{
"field": "cronExpression",
"expression": "30 21 * * 6"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1.2
},
{
"id": "be08176e-3961-43d7-b182-89a4f45805f6",
"name": "Fetch List of Existing Files",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.gitlab",
"position": [
980,
180
],
"parameters": {
"owner": "={{ $('Globals').first().json.gitlab_owner }}",
"filePath": "={{ $('Globals').first().json.gitlab_workflow_path }}",
"resource": "file",
"operation": "list",
"returnAll": true,
"repository": "={{ $('Globals').item.json.gitlab_project }}",
"additionalParameters": {
"ref": "main"
}
},
"credentials": {
"gitlabApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "674cdaa8-f8fe-4f6d-8743-062d3fd1ff95",
"name": "Combine Gitlab Existing Files as Single List Item",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.aggregate",
"position": [
1180,
180
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"fieldsToAggregate": {
"fieldToAggregate": [
{
"renameField": true,
"outputFieldName": "gitlab_existing_filenames",
"fieldToAggregate": "name"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "463ae3fb-4d66-497d-81eb-7e55b5945d84",
"name": "File Exists in Gitlab?",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.if",
"position": [
1440,
460
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"conditions": {
"options": {
"leftValue": "",
"caseSensitive": true,
"typeValidation": "strict"
},
"combinator": "and",
"conditions": [
{
"id": "0740c2be-ab9d-4249-af46-0d94f58c318f",
"operator": {
"type": "array",
"operation": "contains",
"rightType": "any"
},
"leftValue": "={{ $('Combine Gitlab Existing Files as Single List Item').first().json.gitlab_existing_filenames }}",
"rightValue": "={{ $('Derive Filename From Workflow Name').item.json.normalized_filename }}"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 2
}
],
"connections": {
"n8n": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Derive Filename From Workflow Name",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Globals": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Fetch List of Existing Files",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Schedule Trigger": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Globals",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Skip Unchanged Files": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Edit Existing File(s)",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"File Exists in Gitlab?": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Fetch Existing File Content",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
],
[
{
"node": "Create New File(s)",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Backup Now - Manual Trigger": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Globals",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Fetch Existing File Content": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Skip Unchanged Files",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Fetch List of Existing Files": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Combine Gitlab Existing Files as Single List Item",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Derive Filename From Workflow Name": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "File Exists in Gitlab?",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Combine Gitlab Existing Files as Single List Item": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "n8n",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
}
}
}
Credentials you'll need
Each integration node will prompt for credentials when you import. We strip credential IDs before publishing — you'll add your own.
gitlabApin8nApi
For the full experience including quality scoring and batch install features for each workflow upgrade to Pro
How this works
This workflow streamlines GitLab file management by automating backups and updates, saving you hours of manual repository maintenance and reducing errors in version control. It's ideal for developers or teams handling frequent code changes in GitLab projects, ensuring critical files are safely archived before modifications. The key step involves fetching existing file content via GitLab integration, allowing seamless editing or creation while preserving originals through automated backups.
Use this workflow when you need reliable, event-driven handling of GitLab file operations, such as pre-commit backups in collaborative environments. Avoid it for non-GitLab repositories or simple one-off tasks better suited to manual processes. Common variations include adding conditional logic for specific file types or integrating notifications for backup completion.
About this workflow
Gitlab Filter. Uses manualTrigger, n8n, gitlab, stickyNote. Event-driven trigger; 16 nodes.
Source: https://github.com/Zie619/n8n-workflows — original creator credit. Request a take-down →
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