The n8n HTTP Request Node: A Complete Guide to Calling Any API (2025)
The HTTP Request node is the most powerful node in n8n. When there's no dedicated integration, this one node lets you talk to any REST API on the internet. Master it and nothing is off-limits. Here's the complete guide.
The basics: method and URL
Pick your method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH) and enter the endpoint URL. Use expressions like {{ $json.id }} to build dynamic URLs from previous node data. That alone covers a huge share of API calls.
Authentication done right
Don't hardcode API keys in the node. Use n8n's Predefined or Generic credential types — Header Auth, Query Auth, Basic Auth, or OAuth2 — so secrets stay encrypted and reusable across workflows. For a bearer token, a Header Auth credential with Authorization: Bearer <token> is the clean pattern.
Sending data: query params, headers, and body
The node gives you dedicated sections for query parameters, headers, and body. For JSON APIs set the body to JSON and let n8n handle the content-type. Use the "Import cURL" button to paste a cURL command and auto-configure the whole node — a massive time-saver.
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Pagination without pain
The node has built-in pagination options: cursor-based, offset, or "next URL in response." Configure it once and n8n loops through every page automatically instead of you building a manual loop.
Error handling and retries
Turn on Retry On Fail for flaky endpoints, and set Continue On Fail when you'd rather handle a bad response downstream than halt the workflow. Check the status code with an IF node to branch on success vs. error.
Rate limits
Respect provider limits by adding a Wait node inside loops or using batching. Getting rate-limited mid-run is the most common cause of "my workflow randomly fails."
Conclusion
Once you're comfortable with the HTTP Request node, the phrase "n8n doesn't have an integration for that" stops mattering. If it has an API, you can automate it.
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