Advanced n8n Workflows: Building an Automated Incident Response Email System

Most people use n8n for simple data transfers. But the real power of this tool lies in its ability to handle complex logic and multi-step integrations. Today, we’re building a Self-Healing Notification System: an automated workflow that identifies a code culprit after a crash and sends a detailed technical report via email.

The Logic Flow

Our workflow doesn't just send an email; it enriches data. Here is the pipeline:

1. Webhook: Receives an error payload from your production server.
2. HTTP Request (GitHub API): Fetches the last commit metadata for the failing service.
3. Function Node: A custom JavaScript block to merge error logs with developer info.
4. HTML Template: Generating a responsive, technical email body.
5. SMTP/SendGrid: Dispatching the high-priority alert.

1. Handling the Webhook Payload

Your server sends a POST request with the service_name and error_stack. In n8n, we use the Webhook Node. Ensure you set the HTTP Method to POST and the Path to something unique.

2. The "Intelligence" – Custom JavaScript Node

This is where we go beyond basic automation. We need to parse the error and decide the priority. In the Code Node, we use JavaScript to transform the data:

// n8n Code Node (JavaScript)
const items = $input.all();

for (let item of items) {
    const error = item.json.error_stack;
    
    // Logic: If the error contains 'Database', set priority to CRITICAL
    item.json.priority = error.includes('Database') ? 'CRITICAL' : 'HIGH';
    
    // Formatting the timestamp for the email
    item.json.formattedDate = new Date().toISOString().replace('T', ' ').substring(0, 19);
    
    // Creating a dynamic HTML snippet for the email
    item.json.emailHtml = `
        

            
[${item.json.priority}] Incident Alert
            
Service: ${item.json.service_name}
            
Detected at: ${item.json.formattedDate}
            
${error.substring(0, 500)}...
        
    `;
}

return items;

3. Integrating the GitHub API

To make this professional, we want to know who to blame (or notify). Use the HTTP Request Node to call:

GET https://api.github.com/repos/{owner}/{repo}/commits?path=src/main.js&per_page=1

Pass your GitHub Personal Access Token in the Header (Authorization: token YOUR_TOKEN). This allows the email to address the specific developer who last touched the code.

4. Advanced Email Configuration (SMTP)

Instead of the basic Gmail node, use the Send Email Node (SMTP) for better deliverability and custom headers. You can map the emailHtml variable from our Code Node directly into the Body field.

Field	Expression/Value
To Email	{{ $json["commit"]["author"]["email"] }}
Subject	{{ $json["priority"] }}: Error in {{ $json["service_name"] }}

Technical Challenges to Consider

• Node Concurrency: If your server sends 100 errors at once, n8n might struggle. Implement a Wait Node or use a message queue (like RabbitMQ) before the workflow.
• Data Security: Never log sensitive customer data from the error stack into the email. Use the Code Node to sanitize strings (Regex) before sending.
• Retry Logic: If the SMTP server is down, use n8n’s "Error Trigger" node to log the failure in a database so no alert is ever lost.

Conclusion

Moving from simple notifications to an enriched, data-driven workflow is what separates a junior dev from a system architect. With n8n and a bit of JavaScript, you've created a mini-DevOps tool that saves time and improves incident response.

How are you handling your production alerts? Let's discuss advanced automation patterns in the comments!