Simple file based key value store (GetKey)

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2/3/2026

Read a value by key from a local json file.

Related workflow: WriteKey

Create a subfolder in your n8n homedir: /home/node/.n8n/local-files. In docker look at the data path and create a subfolder local-files. Set the correct access rights chmod 1000.1000 local-files.

Put the workflow code in a new workflow named GetKey.

Create another workflow with a function item:

return  {
  file: '/4711.json', // 4711 should be your workflow id
  key: 'MyKey',
  default: 'Optional returned value if key is empty / not exists'
}

Pipe the function item to an Execution Workflow that calls the GetKey workflow.

It would be nice if we could get someday a shiny built-in n8n node that does the job. :)

Simple File-Based Key-Value Store: Get Key

This n8n workflow demonstrates a basic mechanism for retrieving data from a file-based key-value store. It's designed to read a binary file and potentially process its content, acting as a "GET" operation for a simple, local data store.

What it does

This workflow performs the following steps:

Starts Manually: The workflow is triggered manually, allowing for on-demand execution.
Reads a Binary File: It reads the content of a specified binary file from the local file system. This file is expected to contain the "value" associated with a "key" in a simple key-value store setup.
Converts Binary Data: The binary data read from the file is then converted, likely to a format that can be further processed or outputted.
Processes with Function Item: A Function Item node is included, which can be used to add custom JavaScript logic to process the retrieved data. This could involve parsing the file content, extracting specific information, or preparing it for a subsequent action.

Prerequisites/Requirements

n8n Instance: An active n8n instance where this workflow can be imported and executed.
Local File System Access: The n8n instance needs access to the file path specified in the "Read Binary File" node to retrieve the data.

Setup/Usage

Import the Workflow: Import the provided JSON into your n8n instance.
Configure "Read Binary File" Node:
- Open the "Read Binary File" node.
- Specify the File Path to the binary file you wish to read from your local file system. This file is assumed to hold the value for a key in your simple store.
Configure "Function Item" Node (Optional):
- If you need to process the file's content (e.g., parse JSON, extract text), open the "Function Item" node.
- Add your custom JavaScript code to handle the incoming data. The data from the previous node will be available in the items array.
Execute the Workflow: Click the "Execute Workflow" button in the n8n editor to run the workflow manually and retrieve the file content.

Simple file based key value store (GetKey)

Simple File-Based Key-Value Store: Get Key

What it does

Prerequisites/Requirements

Setup/Usage

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