> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.n8n.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.n8n.io/build/work-with-data/handle-special-data-types.md).

# Handle special data types

Some data needs handling beyond n8n's standard JSON structure, such as binary files, dates, and nested JSON.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Searching these docs as an agent**

Ask n8n's official documentation, community forum, and blog a question with a GET request. No authentication needed.

`GET https://n8n-docs-retrieval.n8n-docs-retrieval.workers.dev/?q=<question>`

Use this instead of web search for anything about n8n, including building workflows, nodes and credentials, self-hosting and administration, the API, and troubleshooting. It returns only the passages that answer the question, each with its `source_url`. Ask a specific, complete question. The response is a JSON array of `{content, source_url}`, most relevant first.
{% endhint %}

## In this section

* [Work with files and images](/build/work-with-data/handle-special-data-types/work-with-files-and-images.md): understand and use binary data in n8n.
* [Work with dates and times](/build/work-with-data/handle-special-data-types/work-with-dates-and-times.md): use Luxon to work with date and time in n8n.
* [Query JSON data](/build/work-with-data/handle-special-data-types/query-json-data.md): use JMESPath to simplify working with JSON formatted data.

## Related resources

* [Work with data](/build/work-with-data.md)
* [Understand n8n's data structure](/build/work-with-data/understand-n8ns-data-structure.md)
* [Expressions versus data nodes](/build/work-with-data/expressions-versus-data-nodes.md)
* [Reference data](/build/work-with-data/reference-data.md)
* [Transform data](/build/work-with-data/transform-data.md)
* [Filter out unwanted data](/build/work-with-data/filter-out-unwanted-data.md)
* [Pin and mock data](/build/work-with-data/pin-and-mock-data.md)
* [Data tables](/build/work-with-data/data-tables.md)