Credentials

To use the Ethereum nodes, you need to configure two types of credentials: Ethereum RPC (required) and Ethereum Account (optional, only for write operations).

Ethereum RPC Credential

The Ethereum RPC credential is used to connect to an Ethereum node. This credential is required for all operations.

Configuration Steps:

1. Navigate to Credentials

   • In n8n, go to Credentials → New → Search for "Ethereum RPC"

2. Enter RPC URL (Required)

   • Provide the HTTP(S) or WebSocket endpoint for your Ethereum node
   • You must explicitly provide an RPC endpoint URL
   • Examples:
     • Infura: https://mainnet.infura.io/v3/YOUR-API-KEY
     • Alchemy: https://eth-mainnet.g.alchemy.com/v2/YOUR-API-KEY
     • QuickNode: https://YOUR-ENDPOINT.quiknode.pro/YOUR-API-KEY/
     • Public RPC: https://eth.llamarpc.com (not recommended for production)

3. Custom Headers (Optional)

   • Add authentication headers if required by your RPC provider
   • Format: JSON object
   • Example: {"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR-TOKEN"}

4. Block Limit (Optional)

   • Maximum number of blocks to query in a single request (default: 1000)
   • Used to prevent timeouts when querying large block ranges

Recommended RPC Providers:

Provider	Free Tier	Notes
Infura	100,000 requests/day	Reliable, widely used
Alchemy	300M compute units/month	Advanced features, good docs
QuickNode	Limited free trial	Fast, multiple chains
Ankr	Public endpoints	Free but rate limited
LlamaNodes	Public endpoints	Community-run

Example Configuration:

{
  "rpcUrl": "https://mainnet.infura.io/v3/YOUR-API-KEY",
  "customHeaders": {},
  "blockLimit": 1000
}

Ethereum Account Credential

The Ethereum Account credential contains your wallet's private key or mnemonic phrase. This credential is optional and only required for:

• Sending transactions
• Writing to smart contracts
• Signing messages
• Any operation that requires a wallet signature

Security Warning

Never share your private key or mnemonic phrase. Store these credentials securely in n8n's credential system. For production use, consider using a dedicated wallet with limited funds.

Configuration Steps:

1. Navigate to Credentials

   • In n8n, go to Credentials → New → Search for "Ethereum Account"

2. Choose Authentication Method

   • You can use either Private Key OR Mnemonic Phrase (not both)

3. Option A: Private Key

   • Enter your wallet's private key (64 hex characters)
   • Can start with or without 0x prefix
   • Example: 0x1234567890abcdef...

4. Option B: Mnemonic Phrase

   • Enter your 12 or 24-word seed phrase
   • Example: word1 word2 word3 ... word12
   • Set Derivation Path (default: m/44'/60'/0'/0/0) to derive different accounts
   • Optionally set Passphrase for additional BIP-39 security

Security Best Practices:

1. Use Dedicated Wallets

   • Create a separate wallet specifically for n8n automation
   • Only fund it with the amount needed for operations

2. Test on Testnet First

   • Always test your workflows on testnets (Sepolia, Goerli) before using mainnet
   • Testnet ETH is free from faucets

3. Monitor Activity

   • Regularly check wallet transactions
   • Set up alerts for unexpected activity

4. Limit Permissions

   • Only give n8n credentials access to users who need it
   • Use n8n's credential sharing features wisely

When Do You Need This Credential?

Required for:

• Transaction → Send Transaction
• Contract → Write Contract
• Contract → Deploy Contract
• ERC20 → Transfer, Approve, Transfer From
• ERC721 → Transfer From, Safe Transfer From, Approve, Set Approval For All
• ERC1155 → Safe Transfer From, Safe Batch Transfer From, Set Approval For All
• Signature → Sign Message, Sign Typed Data

NOT Required for:

• Account → Get Balance, Get Transaction Count, Get Code
• Block → Get Block, Get Block Number
• Transaction → Get Transaction, Get Transaction Receipt, Estimate Gas
• Contract → Read Contract, Multicall, Simulate Contract, Get Logs
• ERC20 → Get Balance, Get Allowance, Get Total Supply, Get Decimals, Get Name, Get Symbol
• ERC721 → Get Balance, Owner Of, Get Approved, Is Approved For All, Token URI
• ERC1155 → Balance Of, Balance Of Batch, Is Approved For All, URI
• ENS → All operations
• Gas → All operations
• Utils → All operations

Example Configuration:

Using Private Key:

{
  "privateKey": "0x1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef"
}

Using Mnemonic:

{
  "mnemonic": "test test test test test test test test test test test junk",
  "path": "m/44'/60'/0'/0/0",
  "passphrase": ""
}

Using Mnemonic with Custom Path:

{
  "mnemonic": "test test test test test test test test test test test junk",
  "path": "m/44'/60'/1'/0/0"
}

Testing Your Credentials

After configuring credentials, test them:

1. Test RPC Connection

   • Create a workflow with an Ethereum node
   • Select Resource: Block → Operation: Get Block Number
   • Select your RPC credential
   • Execute the node
   • You should get the current block number

2. Test Account Credential (if configured)

   • Select Resource: Account → Operation: Get Balance
   • Leave address empty (uses credential's wallet address)
   • Select both RPC and Account credentials
   • Execute the node
   • You should see your wallet's balance

Troubleshooting

RPC Connection Issues

• Invalid RPC URL: Verify the URL is correct and includes protocol (https://)
• Rate Limited: You may have exceeded your provider's rate limit
• Firewall/Proxy: Check if your network allows connections to the RPC endpoint
• Wrong Network: Ensure your RPC endpoint points to the correct network (mainnet, testnet, etc.)

Account Credential Issues

• Invalid Private Key: Ensure it's 64 hex characters (with or without 0x)
• Invalid Mnemonic: Verify all words are spelled correctly and in order
• Wrong Account: If using mnemonic, try different account indexes

Next Steps

After configuring your credentials, explore the available resources to start building workflows.