How to Use Expressions in n8n to Reference Dynamic Data

1// Access a top-level field
2{{ $json.name }}
3// Output: "Alice"
4
5// Access a nested field
6{{ $json.address.city }}
7// Output: "New York"
8
9// Access an array element
10{{ $json.tags[0] }}
11// Output: "important"
12
13// Access the full item including metadata
14{{ $json }}
15// Output: the entire JSON object

1// Get a field from the first item of a specific node
2{{ $('HTTP Request').first().json.status }}
3// Output: 200
4
5// Get a field from the last item of a specific node
6{{ $('Webhook').last().json.body.email }}
7// Output: "user@example.com"
8
9// Get the number of items output by a node
10{{ $('Fetch Orders').all().length }}
11// Output: 15
12
13// Access item at a specific index
14{{ $('Code Node').all()[2].json.name }}
15// Output: "Third Item"

1// Current date and time in ISO format
2{{ $now.toISO() }}
3// Output: "2026-03-27T14:30:00.000+00:00"
4
5// Today's date formatted
6{{ $today.toFormat('yyyy-MM-dd') }}
7// Output: "2026-03-27"
8
9// Yesterday's date
10{{ $now.minus({ days: 1 }).toFormat('yyyy-MM-dd') }}
11// Output: "2026-03-26"
12
13// Add 2 hours to current time
14{{ $now.plus({ hours: 2 }).toISO() }}
15
16// Parse a date string from input data
17{{ DateTime.fromISO($json.createdAt).toFormat('dd/MM/yyyy') }}
18// Output: "27/03/2026"
19
20// Check if a date is in the past
21{{ DateTime.fromISO($json.expiresAt) < $now }}

1// Extract all names from an array of objects
2{{ $jmespath($json.users, '[*].name') }}
3// Output: ["Alice", "Bob", "Carol"]
4
5// Filter array items where status is active
6{{ $jmespath($json.orders, '[?status==`active`]') }}
7// Output: array of orders with status "active"
8
9// Get the first matching item's email
10{{ $jmespath($json.contacts, '[?role==`admin`] | [0].email') }}
11// Output: "admin@example.com"
12
13// Flatten nested arrays
14{{ $jmespath($json, 'departments[*].employees[*].name[]') }}
15// Output: flat array of all employee names across departments

1// Build a dynamic message
2Hello {{ $json.name }}, your order #{{ $json.orderId }} has been shipped!
3
4// Build a dynamic API URL
5https://api.example.com/users/{{ $json.userId }}/orders?status={{ $json.status }}
6
7// Multi-expression string
8Processed {{ $('Fetch Data').all().length }} items on {{ $now.toFormat('yyyy-MM-dd') }}