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Fetch Data from an API

Difficulty
1/10
Tags
EssentialsHTTP RequestAPIJSON

You are a headhunter working with an elite network where only the best candidates come through. A promising new CV has arrived from a highly trusted source.

Your first task is to fetch this CV from the API and inspect what you're working with.

What you'll practice:

  • HTTP Request node basics
  • Fetching data from an API endpoint
  • Inspecting JSON response structures

Your Task

  1. 1Copy the exercise below
  2. 2Paste into your n8n editor (Ctrl+V)
  3. 3Solve it — use hints if you get stuck
  4. 4Check the solution when done

A new candidate CV has arrived from your elite headhunter network. Fetch it from the API to see what you're working with.

  1. Add a Manual Trigger to start the workflow
  2. Add an HTTP Request node to fetch the CV from: https://www.node-bench.com/api/challenges/wookiee/cv
  3. Execute the workflow and inspect the response

Expected output: A JSON object containing the candidate's information (name, species, homeworld, experience, languages, and references).

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Hints

  1. Start with a Manual Trigger node - every workflow needs a trigger
  2. Add an HTTP Request node and connect it to the trigger
  3. Set the URL to https://www.node-bench.com/api/challenges/wookiee/cv
  4. The default method (GET) is correct for fetching data
  5. Click "Execute Workflow" to see the response
  6. Look at the output - notice anything unusual about the data?

Explanation

Why this solution works:

The HTTP Request node is n8n's workhorse for communicating with external APIs. In this case, we're making a simple GET request to fetch data.

What you should notice:

The CV data looks... strange. The candidate information appears to be encoded in some kind of growl language. The name field contains "RAAAAWRGWAWGGR" instead of a normal name, and similar patterns appear throughout the data.

This is Chewbacca's CV, written entirely in Wookiee! In the upcoming challenges, you'll build a workflow to decode this CV and transform it into something readable.

Key concepts:

  • HTTP Request node: Fetches data from URLs using various HTTP methods (GET, POST, etc.)
  • GET requests: Used to retrieve data without modifying anything on the server
  • JSON responses: Most APIs return data in JSON format, which n8n automatically parses

Copy the Solution

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