> 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/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.merge.md).
# Merge
Documentation for the Merge node in n8n, a workflow automation platform. Includes guidance on usage, and links to examples.
Use the Merge node to combine data from multiple streams, once data of all streams is available.
{% hint style="info" %}
**Feature availability**
The Merge node was overhauled in n8n 0.194.0. This document reflects the latest version of the node. Documentation for older versions of n8n is available in the [pre-overhaul Merge node docs](https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n-docs/blob/4ff688642cc9ee7ca7d00987847bf4e4515da59d/docs/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.merge.md).
Using the Merge node with more than two inputs, and the **Mode > SQL Query** feature, are both available from n8n 1.49.0. Older versions only support up to two inputs and don't include **Mode > SQL Query**. If you're running an older version and want to combine multiple inputs, use the [Code node](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.code/).
{% endhint %}
## Node parameters
You can specify how the Merge node should combine data from different data streams by choosing a **Mode**:
### Append
Keep data from all inputs. Choose a **Number of Inputs** to output items of each input, one after another. The node waits for the execution of all connected inputs.
Append mode inputs and output
### Combine
Combine data from two inputs. Select an option in **Combine By** to determine how you want to merge the input data.
#### Matching Fields
Compare items by field values. Enter the fields you want to compare in **Fields to Match**.
n8n's default behavior is to keep matching items. You can change this using the **Output Type** setting:
* **Keep Matches**: Merge items that match. This is like an inner join.
* **Keep Non-Matches**: Merge items that don't match.
* **Keep Everything**: Merge items together that do match and include items that don't match. This is like an outer join.
* **Enrich Input 1**: Keep all data from Input 1, and add matching data from Input 2. This is like a left join.
* **Enrich Input 2**: Keep all data from Input 2, and add matching data from Input 1. This is like a right join.
Combine by Matching Fields mode inputs and output
#### Position
Combine items based on their order. The item at index 0 in Input 1 merges with the item at index 0 in Input 2, and so on.
Combine by Position mode inputs and output
#### All Possible Combinations
Output all possible item combinations, while merging fields with the same name.
Combine by All Possible Combinations mode inputs and output
#### Combine mode options
When merging data by **Mode > Combine**, you can set these **Options**:
* **Clash Handling**: Choose how to merge when data streams clash, or when there are sub-fields. Refer to [Clash handling](#clash-handling) for details.
* **Fuzzy Compare**: Whether to tolerate type differences when comparing fields (enabled), or not (disabled, default). For example, when you enable this, n8n treats `"3"` and `3` as the same.
* **Disable Dot Notation**: This prevents accessing child fields using `parent.child` in the field name.
* **Multiple Matches**: Choose how n8n handles multiple matches when comparing data streams.
* **Include All Matches**: Output multiple items if there are multiple matches, one for each match.
* **Include First Match Only**: Keep the first item per match and discard the remaining multiple matches.
* **Include Any Unpaired Items**: Choose whether to keep or discard unpaired items when merging by position. The default behavior is to leave out the items without a match.
**Clash Handling**
If multiple items at an index have a field with the same name, this is a clash. For example, if all items in both Input 1 and Input 2 have a field named `language`, these fields clash. By default, n8n prioritizes Input 2, meaning if `language` has a value in Input 2, n8n uses that value when merging the items.
You can change this behavior by selecting **Options** > **Clash Handling**:
* **When Field Values Clash**: Choose which input to prioritize, or choose **Always Add Input Number to Field Names** to keep all fields and values, with the input number appended to the field name to show which input it came from.
* **Merging Nested Fields**
* **Deep Merge**: Merge properties at all levels of the items, including nested objects. This is useful when dealing with complex, nested data structures where you need to ensure the merging of all levels of nested properties.
* **Shallow Merge**: Merge properties at the top level of the items only, without merging nested objects. This is useful when you have flat data structures or when you only need to merge top-level properties without worrying about nested properties.
### SQL Query
Write a custom SQL Query to merge the data.
Example:
```sql
SELECT * FROM input1 LEFT JOIN input2 ON input1.name = input2.id
```
Data from previous nodes are available as tables and you can use them in the SQL query as input1, input2, input3, and so on, based on their order. Refer to [AlaSQL GitHub page](https://github.com/alasql/alasql/wiki/Supported-SQL-statements) for a full list of supported SQL statements.
#### Use query parameters
When creating a SQL query in the Merge node, you can use the **Query Parameters** field in the **Options** section to load values into the query. n8n treats query parameter values as data, which helps avoid changing the SQL query structure with dynamic values.
For example, you want to find a person by their name. Given the following data in `input1`:
```js
[
{
"name": "Alex",
"age": 21
},
{
"name": "Jamie",
"age": 33
}
]
```
You can write a query with `?` placeholders:
```sql
SELECT * FROM input1 WHERE name = ? AND age > ?;
```
Then in **Query Parameters**, provide the values to use. You can provide comma-separated values or an expression that returns an array. For this example, use an array:
```js
{{ [ "Alex", 20 ] }}
```
#### Handle queries that return no rows
{% hint style="info" %}
**Feature availability**
The **Empty Query Result** option is available from n8n 1.95.0, on Merge node version 3.2. Merge nodes created before that use an older node version, don't show the option, and always output `{ "success": true }` when the query returns no rows. To use the option, add a new Merge node, then copy over your query and options.
{% endhint %}
Use **Options > Empty Query Result** to choose what the node outputs when the query runs without errors but returns no rows:
* **Empty Result** (default): the node outputs no items.
* **Success**: the node outputs a single item, `{ "success": true }`.
### Choose Branch
Choose which input to keep. This option always waits until the data from both inputs is available. You can choose to **Output**:
* The **Input 1 Data**
* The **Input 2 Data**
* **A Single, Empty Item**
The node outputs the data from the chosen input, without changing it.
## Templates and examples
[Browse Merge integration templates](https://n8n.io/integrations/merge) or [search all templates](https://n8n.io/workflows/)
## Merging data streams with uneven numbers of items
The items passed into Input 1 of the Merge node will take precedence. For example, if the Merge node receives five items in Input 1 and 10 items in Input 2, it only processes five items. The remaining five items from Input 2 aren't processed.
## Branch execution with If and Merge nodes
{% hint style="info" %}
**0.236.0 and below**
n8n removed this execution behavior in n8n 1.0. This section applies to workflows using the **v0 (legacy)** workflow execution order. By default, this is all workflows built before n8n 1.0. You can change the execution order in your [workflow settings](/build/manage-workflows/configure-workflow-settings.md).
{% endhint %}
If you add a Merge node to a workflow containing an If node, it can result in both output data streams of the If node executing.
One data stream triggers the Merge node, which then goes and executes the other data stream.
For example, in the screenshot below there's a workflow containing an Edit Fields node, If node, and Merge node. The standard If node behavior is to execute one data stream (in the screenshot, this is the **true** output). However, due to the Merge node, both data streams execute, despite the If node not sending any data down the **false** data stream.
## Try it out: A step by step example
Create a workflow with some example input data to try out the Merge node.
### Set up sample data using the Code nodes
1. Add a Code node to the canvas and connect it to the Start node.
2. Paste the following JavaScript code snippet in the **JavaScript Code** field:
```js
return [
{
json: {
name: 'Stefan',
language: 'de',
}
},
{
json: {
name: 'Jim',
language: 'en',
}
},
{
json: {
name: 'Hans',
language: 'de',
}
}
];
```
3. Add a second Code node, and connect it to the Start node.
4. Paste the following JavaScript code snippet in the **JavaScript Code** field:
```js
return [
{
json: {
greeting: 'Hello',
language: 'en',
}
},
{
json: {
greeting: 'Hallo',
language: 'de',
}
}
];
```
### Try out different merge modes
Add the Merge node. Connect the first Code node to **Input 1**, and the second Code node to **Input 2**. Run the workflow to load data into the Merge node.
The final workflow should look like this:
{% @n8n-blocks/n8n-workflow-demo content="" url="" %}
Now try different options in **Mode** to see how it affects the output data.
#### Append
Select **Mode** > **Append**, then select **Execute step**.
Your output in table view should look like this:
| **name** | **language** | **greeting** |
| -------- | ------------ | ------------ |
| Stefan | de | |
| Jim | en | |
| Hans | de | |
| | en | Hello |
| | de | Hallo |
#### Combine by Matching Fields
You can merge these two data inputs so that each person gets the correct greeting for their language.
1. Select **Mode** > **Combine**.
2. Select **Combine by** > **Matching Fields**.
3. In both **Input 1 Field** and **Input 2 Field**, enter `language`. This tells n8n to combine the data by matching the values in the `language` field in each data set.
4. Select **Execute step**.
Your output in table view should look like this:
| **name** | **language** | **greeting** |
| -------- | ------------ | ------------ |
| Stefan | de | Hallo |
| Jim | en | Hello |
| Hans | de | Hallo |
#### Combine by Position
Select **Mode** > **Combine**, **Combine by** > **Position**, then select **Execute step**.
Your output in table view should look like this:
| **name** | **language** | **greeting** |
| -------- | ------------ | ------------ |
| Stefan | en | Hello |
| Jim | de | Hallo |
**Keep unpaired items**
If you want to keep all items, select **Add Option** > **Include Any Unpaired Items**, then turn on **Include Any Unpaired Items**.
Your output in table view should look like this:
| **name** | **language** | **greeting** |
| -------- | ------------ | ------------ |
| Stefan | en | Hello |
| Jim | de | Hallo |
| Hans | de | |
#### Combine by All Possible Combinations
Select **Mode** > **Combine**, **Combine by** > **All Possible Combinations**, then select **Execute step**.
Your output in table view should look like this:
| **name** | **language** | **greeting** |
| -------- | ------------ | ------------ |
| Stefan | en | Hello |
| Stefan | de | Hallo |
| Jim | en | Hello |
| Jim | de | Hallo |
| Hans | en | Hello |
| Hans | de | Hallo |
