Overview
This node acts as a trigger for cronhooks.io, a service that allows scheduling HTTP callbacks based on CRON expressions. It listens for incoming webhook calls from cronhooks.io according to a configured schedule and triggers workflows in n8n when those webhooks are received.
Common scenarios include:
- Running workflows at specific times or intervals defined by CRON expressions.
- Grouping scheduled triggers under different group names or IDs for organizational purposes.
- Automating tasks such as data fetching, notifications, or system maintenance on a recurring schedule.
For example, you could use this node to trigger a workflow every 5 minutes to check for new data updates or run a daily report generation at midnight.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Title | A user-defined name for the scheduled trigger, used to identify it in cronhooks.io. |
| CRON Expression | The CRON expression defining the schedule (e.g., */5 * * * * for every 5 minutes). |
| Group Name or ID | Select a group from a list or specify a group ID to organize schedules within cronhooks.io. "None" means no group is assigned. |
Output
The node outputs JSON data representing the payload sent by cronhooks.io when the scheduled webhook is triggered. This JSON contains all information provided by cronhooks.io about the scheduled event.
If the webhook signature verification fails (i.e., the request is not authentic), the node outputs an empty object, effectively ignoring the trigger.
No binary data output is produced by this node.
Dependencies
- Requires an API key credential for cronhooks.io with permissions to manage schedules and receive webhook events.
- Needs the webhook secret from cronhooks.io credentials to verify incoming webhook signatures securely.
- The node uses the cronhooks.io API to create, check, and delete scheduled webhooks.
- The timezone is hardcoded as "europe/berlin" in the schedule creation.
Troubleshooting
- Webhook Signature Mismatch: If the node does not trigger workflows despite receiving requests, ensure the webhook secret in credentials matches the one configured in cronhooks.io. A mismatch causes the node to reject the webhook.
- Schedule Not Created: If the schedule creation fails, verify the API key credential and network connectivity to cronhooks.io.
- Group Selection Issues: If groups do not load or schedules cannot be assigned to groups, check the API permissions and that the group ID or name is valid.
- Duplicate Schedules: The node checks if a schedule already exists for the webhook URL before creating a new one. If schedules accumulate unexpectedly, manually clean up unused schedules in cronhooks.io.