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HTTP Request credentials#

You can use these credentials to authenticate the following nodes:

Prerequisites#

You must use the authentication method required by the app or service you want to query.

If you need to secure the authentication with an SSL certificate, refer to Provide an SSL certificate for the information you'll need.

Supported authentication methods#

  • Predefined credential type
  • Basic auth (generic credential type)
  • Custom auth (generic credential type)
  • Digest auth (generic credential type)
  • Header auth (generic credential type)
  • OAuth1 (generic credential type)
  • OAuth2 (generic credential type)
  • Query auth (generic credential type)

Refer to HTTP authentication for more information relating to generic credential types.

Predefined credential types

n8n recommends using predefined credential types whenever there's a credential type available for the service you want to connect to. It offers an easier way to set up and manage credentials, compared to configuring generic credentials.

You can use Predefined credential types to perform custom operations with some APIs where n8n has a node for the platform. For example, n8n has an Asana node, and supports using your Asana credentials in the HTTP Request node. Refer to Custom operations for more information.

Using predefined credential type#

To use a predefined credential type:

  1. Open your HTTP Request node, or add a new one to your workflow.
  2. In Authentication, select Predefined Credential Type.
  3. In Credential Type, select the API you want to use.
  4. In Credential for <API name>, you can:
    1. Select an existing credential for that platform, if available.
    2. Select Create New to create a new credential.

Refer to Custom API operations for more information.

Using basic auth#

Use this generic authentication if your app or service supports basic authentication.

To configure this credential, enter:

  • The Username you use to access the app or service your HTTP Request is targeting
  • The Password that goes with that username

Using digest auth#

Use this generic authentication if your app or service supports digest authentication.

To configure this credential, enter:

  • The Username you use to access the app or service your HTTP Request is targeting
  • The Password that goes with that username

Using header auth#

Use this generic authentication if your app or service supports header authentication.

To configure this credential, enter:

  • The header Name you need to pass to the app or service your HTTP request is targeting
  • The Value for the header

Read more about HTTP headers.

Credential data can vary

The credential data required for header auth credentials depends on the type used. For example, if you need to provide an Authorization: Bearer <token> header, the credential data Name will be Authorization and the Value will be Bearer <token>.

Using OAuth1#

Use this generic authentication if your app or service supports OAuth1 authentication.

To configure this credential, enter:

  • An Authorization URL: Also known as the Resource Owner Authorization URI. This URL typically ends in /oauth1/authorize. The temporary credentials are sent here to prompt a user to complete authorization.
  • An Access Token URL: This is the URI used for the initial request for temporary credentials. This URL typically ends in /oauth1/request or /oauth1/token.
  • A Consumer Key: Also known as the client key, like a username. This specifies the oauth_consumer_key to use for the call.
  • A Consumer Secret: Also known as the client secret, like a password.
  • A Request Token URL: This is the URI used to switch from temporary credentials to long-lived credentials after authorization. This URL typically ends in /oauth1/access.
  • Select the Signature Method the auth handshake uses. This specifies the oauth_signature_method to use for the call. Options include:
    • HMAC-SHA1
    • HMAC-SHA256
    • HMAC-SHA512

For most OAuth1 integrations, you'll need to configure an app, service, or integration to generate the values for most of these fields. Use the OAuth Redirect URL in n8n as the redirect URL or redirect URI for such a service.

Read more about OAuth1 and the OAuth1 authorization flow.

Using OAuth2#

Use this generic authentication if your app or service supports OAuth2 authentication.

Requirements to configure this credential depend on the Grant Type selected. Refer to OAuth Grant Types for more information on each grant type.

For most OAuth2 integrations, you'll need to configure an app, service, or integration. Use the OAuth Redirect URL in n8n as the redirect URL or redirect URI for such a service.

Read more about OAuth2.

Authorization Code grant type#

Use Authorization Code grant type to exchange an authorization code for an access token. The auth flow uses the redirect URL to return the user to the client. Then the application gets the authorization code from the URL and uses it to request an access token. Refer to Authorization Code Request for more information.

To configure this credential, select Authorization Code as the Grant Type.

Then enter:

  • An Authorization URL
  • An Access Token URL
  • A Client ID: The ID or username to log in with.
  • A Client Secret: The secret or password used to log in with.
  • Optional: Enter one or more Scopes for the credential. If unspecified, the credential will request all scopes available to the client.
  • Optional: Some services require more query parameters. If your service does, add them as Auth URI Query Parameters.
  • An Authentication type: Select the option that best suits your use case. Options include:
    • Header: Send the credentials as a basic auth header.
    • Body: Send the credentials in the body of the request.
  • Optional: Choose whether to Ignore SSL Issues. If turned on, n8n will connect even if SSL validation fails.

Client Credentials grant type#

Use the Client Credentials grant type when applications request an access token to access their own resources, not on behalf of a user. Refer to Client Credentials for more information.

To configure this credential, select Client Credentials as the Grant Type.

Then enter:

  • An Access Token URL: The URL to hit to begin the OAuth2 flow. Typically this URL ends in /token.
  • A Client ID: The ID or username to use to log in to the client.
  • A Client Secret: The secret or password used to log in to the client.
  • Optional: Enter one or more Scopes for the credential. Most services don't support scopes for Client Credentials grant types; only enter scopes here if yours does.
  • An Authentication type: Select the option that best suits your use case. Options include:
    • Header: Send the credentials as a basic auth header.
    • Body: Send the credentials in the body of the request.
  • Optional: Choose whether to Ignore SSL Issues. If turned on, n8n will connect even if SSL validation fails.

PKCE grant type#

Proof Key for Code Exchange (PKCE) grant type is an extension to the Authorization Code flow to prevent CSRF and authorization code injection attacks.

To configure this credential, select PKCE as the Grant Type.

Then enter:

  • An Authorization URL
  • An Access Token URL
  • A Client ID: The ID or username to log in with.
  • A Client Secret: The secret or password used to log in with.
  • Optional: Enter one or more Scopes for the credential. If unspecified, the credential will request all scopes available to the client.
  • Optional: Some services require more query parameters. If your service does, add them as Auth URI Query Parameters.
  • An Authentication type: Select the option that best suits your use case. Options include:
    • Header: Send the credentials as a basic auth header.
    • Body: Send the credentials in the body of the request.
  • Optional: Choose whether to Ignore SSL Issues. If turned on, n8n will connect even if SSL validation fails.

Using query auth#

Use this generic authentication if your app or service supports passing authentication as a single key/value query parameter. (For multiple query parameters, use Custom Auth.)

To configure this credential, enter:

  • A query parameter key or Name
  • A query parameter Value

Using custom auth#

Use this generic authentication if your app or service supports passing authentication as multiple key/value query parameters or you need more flexibility than the other generic auth options.

The Custom Auth credential expects JSON data to define your credential. You can use headers, qs, body or a mix. Review the examples below to get started.

Sending two headers#

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{
	"headers": {
		"X-AUTH-USERNAME": "username",
		"X-AUTH-PASSWORD": "password"
	}
}

Body#

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{
	 "body" : {
		"user": "username",
		"pass": "password"
	}
}

Query string#

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{
	"qs": { 
		"appid": "123456",
		"apikey": "my-api-key"
	}
}

Sending header and query string#

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{
	"headers": {
		"api-version": "202404"
	},
	"qs": {
		"apikey": "my-api-key"
	}
}

Provide an SSL certificate#

You can send an SSL certificate with your HTTP request. Create the SSL certificate as a separate credential for use by the node:

  1. In the HTTP Request node Settings, turn on SSL Certificates.
  2. On the Parameters tab, add an existing SSL Certificate credential to Credential for SSL Certificates or create a new one.

To configure your SSL Certificates credential, you'll need to add:

  • The Certificate Authority CA bundle
  • The Certificate (CRT): May also appear as a Public Key, depending on who your issuing CA was and how they format the cert
  • The Private Key (KEY)
  • Optional: If the Private Key is encrypted, enter a Passphrase for the private key.

If your SSL certificate is in a single file (such as a .pfx file), you'll need to open the file to copy details from it to paste into the appropriate fields:

  • Enter the Public Key/CRT as the Certificate
  • Enter the Private Key/KEY in that field