n8n-nodes-pdf-accessibility

AI-powered PDF accessibility automation for n8n workflows.

Installation

n8n Cloud & Desktop App

1. Go to Settings → Community Nodes
2. Click Install and enter: n8n-nodes-pdf-accessibility
3. Click Install and agree to the risks

Self-Hosted n8n

npm install n8n-nodes-pdf-accessibility

Docker

docker exec <container-id> npm install n8n-nodes-pdf-accessibility
docker restart <container-id>

Features

Transform any PDF into a fully accessible, WCAG-compliant document through intelligent automation. This n8n community node provides enterprise-grade accessibility analysis, remediation, and professional audit reporting powered by AI.

AI-Powered Accessibility Tools

This node includes 5 integrated accessibility tools:

• Image Alt-Text (WCAG 1.1.1) - AI-generated descriptive alt-text for images
• Heading Structure (WCAG 1.3.1, 2.4.6) - Document hierarchy optimization
• Table Accessibility (WCAG 1.3.1, 1.3.2) - Headers, captions, and structure enhancement
• Link Text (WCAG 2.4.4, 2.4.9) - Meaningful link descriptions
• Metadata Enhancer (WCAG 3.1.1, 3.1.2) - PDF metadata and language detection

Processing Modes

Choose from 4 intelligent processing modes:

• Auto - AI analyzes content and applies optimal accessibility improvements
• Analyze - Comprehensive accessibility analysis without modification
• Remediate - Apply accessibility improvements with detailed reporting
• Custom - Select specific accessibility tools for targeted improvements

WCAG Compliance Levels

• Level A - Essential accessibility (5 criteria)
• Level AA - Standard compliance (recommended)
• Level AAA - Highest accessibility (10 criteria)

Configuration

Required Settings

Processing Mode

• Auto: Complete AI-powered accessibility automation
• Analyze: Analysis only without document modification
• Remediate: Apply accessibility improvements
• Custom: User-defined tool selection

WCAG Compliance Level

• A: Essential accessibility compliance
• AA: Standard accessibility compliance (recommended)
• AAA: Highest accessibility compliance

PDF Input Method

• Binary Data: From previous n8n nodes (HTTP Request, Google Drive, etc.)
• URL: Download directly from URL (including Google Drive share links)
• File Path: Local file system access
• Base64: Encoded PDF data from previous nodes

Optional Settings

LLM Provider

• Auto: AI selects optimal provider (recommended)
• Anthropic (Claude): Best for detailed analysis
• OpenAI (GPT): Great for creative content
• Google (Gemini): Cost-effective for structured tasks

Advanced Settings

• Processing Depth: Basic, Full, or Deep analysis
• Language: Primary document language (en, es, fr, de, etc.)
• Output Format: PDF, Report, Summary, Log combinations
• Debug Mode: Enable detailed logging
• Cost Estimation: Preview LLM costs before processing

AI Provider Setup

Configure API credentials in n8n for AI-powered features:

Anthropic API

API Key: Your Anthropic Claude API key

OpenAI API

API Key: Your OpenAI GPT API key

Google AI API

API Key: Your Google AI Studio API key

Auto mode uses available credentials intelligently. Credentials only required when using specific providers.

Usage Examples

Complete Automation Workflow

HTTP Request Node (PDF Upload)
    ↓
PDF Accessibility
    ├── Mode: Auto
    ├── WCAG Level: AA
    └── LLM Provider: Auto
    ↓
Email Node (Send Report)

Google Drive Integration

Google Drive Node (Download PDF)
    ↓
PDF Accessibility
    ├── Mode: Analyze
    ├── Input: Binary Data
    └── Output: Report + Summary
    ↓
Google Sheets Node (Log Results)

Batch Processing

Schedule Trigger
    ↓
Read Binary Files Node
    ↓
Split in Batches Node
    ↓
PDF Accessibility
    ├── Mode: Auto
    └── WCAG Level: AA
    ↓
Merge Node
    ↓
Database Node (Save Results)

Custom Tool Selection

Webhook Node (PDF Upload)
    ↓
PDF Accessibility
    ├── Mode: Custom
    ├── Operations: [alttext, tables, metadata]
    └── WCAG Level: AAA
    ↓
HTTP Response Node (JSON Report)

Custom Operations

For Custom mode, specify operations:

• alttext - Image alt-text generation
• headings - Heading structure optimization
• tables - Table accessibility enhancement
• links - Link text improvement
• metadata - PDF metadata enhancement

Example:

{
  "mode": "custom",
  "customOperations": ["alttext", "tables", "metadata"],
  "wcagLevel": "AA"
}

Output Structure

Auto Mode Response

{
  "mode": "intelligent_auto",
  "wcagLevel": "AA",
  "documentInfo": {
    "fileName": "document.pdf",
    "pageCount": 12,
    "hasImages": true,
    "hasTables": true
  },
  "execution": {
    "toolsExecuted": 3,
    "totalIssuesFound": 15,
    "totalFixesApplied": 12,
    "success": true
  },
  "accessibilityReport": {
    "complianceScore": 87,
    "recommendations": ["Fix table headers", "Add image alt-text"]
  },
  "exports": {
    "json": "Full JSON report",
    "html": "Professional HTML report",
    "markdown": "Documentation format",
    "csv": "Data analysis format"
  }
}

Performance

Processing Times

• Simple Text (1-5 pages): 30-60s
• Mixed Content (5-15 pages): 60-180s
• Image-Heavy (10-25 pages): 120-300s
• Complex Reports (15-50 pages): 90-240s

Best Practices

• Use "Basic" depth for batch processing
• Enable cost estimation for large operations
• Process during off-peak hours for large documents
• Cache results to avoid re-processing

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Binary data not found"

• Ensure previous node provides PDF data
• Check binary property name configuration
• Verify file format is PDF

"LLM provider authentication failed"

• Check API credentials in n8n settings
• Verify API key permissions and quotas
• Enable debug mode for detailed error info

"Processing timeout"

• Large PDFs may need increased timeout
• Try Basic processing depth for faster results
• Consider splitting large documents

"PDF validation failed"

• Ensure PDF is not password-protected
• Check if PDF contains readable text (not just scanned images)
• Verify file size is within limits (default 20MB)

Security & Privacy

• No Data Storage: PDFs processed in memory only
• Secure Credentials: API keys encrypted by n8n
• HTTPS Only: Secure communication with all providers
• Auto Cleanup: Temporary data cleared after processing
• Audit Trail: Complete processing logs available

Support

• GitHub Issues - Bug reports and feature requests
• n8n Community Forum - General n8n support
• Documentation - Complete API reference

License

MIT © Jose Hurtado

Built for n8n workflow automation