n8n openHAB Community Node

Custom n8n node for interacting with the openHAB REST API, with optional myopenHAB cloud access.

Features

• Send commands or update state for items (lights, sensors, virtual switches, etc.).
• Read item state, metadata, and list/filter items by tags.
• Inspect things and their status.
• List, trigger, enable/disable rules.
• Fetch system info for quick health checks.
• Trigger workflows from openHAB events.
• Works against local openHAB or remotely through myopenhab.org.

Requirements

• openHAB with REST API enabled (default on openHAB 3+).
• For local: openHAB API token (Settings → API Security → Create Token).
• For remote via myopenHAB: myopenHAB account email + password. Optionally add an openHAB API token for admin-level endpoints.
• n8n 1.0+ with custom nodes enabled.

Installation

1. Install from npm in n8n:
   • n8n UI: Settings -> Community Nodes -> Install and enter @openhab/n8n-nodes-openhab
   • CLI (in your n8n deployment): npm install @openhab/n8n-nodes-openhab
2. Restart n8n so it discovers the new node.

Local development install

1. Build the node:

   npm install
   npm run build

2. Point n8n custom extensions to this project path with N8N_CUSTOM_EXTENSIONS (or copy dist into your custom nodes directory).
3. Restart n8n.

Usage

openHAB node

1. Add the openHAB node to a workflow.
2. Set credentials:
   • Local: Base URL (e.g., http://localhost:8080) + API token.
   • Cloud (myopenHAB): Choose “myopenHAB Account” in credentials and enter your myopenHAB login. If needed, set optional openHAB API Token (optional) to send X-OPENHAB-TOKEN.
3. Choose a resource:
   • Item: list/get/state/command/update/metadata.
   • Thing: list/get/status.
   • Rule: list/run/enable/disable.
   • System: system info.
4. Execute the node; outputs are JSON objects ready for downstream n8n steps.

Usage examples

1. Read a light state:
   • Resource: Item
   • Operation: Get State
   • Item Name: LivingRoomLight
2. Turn a switch on:
   • Resource: Item
   • Operation: Send Command
   • Item Name: KitchenSwitch
   • Command: ON
3. Run a rule:
   • Resource: Rule
   • Operation: Run
   • Rule UID: evening_scene

openHAB Trigger node

1. Add the openHAB Trigger node to a workflow to listen for openHAB events and start workflows when they arrive.
2. Set credentials:
   • Local: Base URL (e.g., http://localhost:8080) + API token.
   • Cloud (myopenHAB): Choose “myopenHAB Account” in credentials and enter your myopenHAB login and set openHAB API Token (optional) to send X-OPENHAB-TOKEN.
3. Filter events by:
   • Topic: Comma-separated topic filters (supports * wildcard or RegEx and exclusions with !), e.g. openhab/items/*/command,!openhab/items/MyItem/* to listen for command to all Items except MyItem.
   • Type: Comma-separated event types to include, e.g. ItemCommandEvent,ItemStateChangedEvent,ItemStateUpdatedEvent.
   • Source: Comma-separated event sources to exclude, e.g. org.openhab.ui=>org.openhab.core.io.rest,. The node’s own source is always excluded to prevent loops.

The trigger emits incoming events with the following properties:

• type: event type
• topic: event topic
• payload: parsed JSON payload (if possible)
• source: event source (if present)
• rawPayload: raw payload string
• receivedAt: ISO timestamp

Example event:

{
   "type": "ItemCommandEvent", 
   "topic": "openhab/items/Kitchen_Light/command",
   "payload": {
      "type": "OnOff", 
      "value": "ON"
   },
   "source": "org.openhab.ui=>org.openhab.core.io.rest",
   "rawPayload": "{\"type\":\"OnOff\",\"value\":\"ON\"}",
   "receivedAt": "2026-04-20T19:12:18.056Z"
}

Notes

• Authentication is applied through the credential type (used by httpRequestWithAuthentication), so each request automatically uses the selected auth mode.
• In myopenHAB cloud mode, you can add an optional openHAB API token for endpoints that require elevated permissions.
• Self-signed certificates are supported only for local openHAB HTTPS, not for myopenHAB cloud authentication.
• When sending commands, use values your item accepts (e.g., ON, OFF, 22, 50%, UP, DOWN).

Development

• Lint: npm run lint
• Test: npm run test
• Build: npm run build
• TypeScript config targets Node 18+.

License

MIT. See LICENSE.