How can I configure an n8n workflow to import JSON data into a MySQL database?

Below is an example workflow outline that reads raw JSON data and writes it into a MySQL database using the MySQL node. In this example, we’ll use a Set node to simulate raw JSON input and then pass that data to a MySQL node (using the Insert operation) to write the values into a table.

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1. Create the JSON Data Input

For testing, you can use a Set node to define your raw JSON. For example, assume you have data like this:

JSONCopied
[
  {
    "email": "alex@example.com",
    "name": "Alex",
    "age": 21 
  },
  {
    "email": "jamie@example.com",
    "name": "Jamie",
    "age": 33 
  }
]

To start, add a Set node and configure it with these values. If you’re working with multiple items, enable "Keep Key Matches" or use the JSON List mode so that each item is processed separately.

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2. Configure the MySQL Node

Next, add a MySQL node to insert this data into your database.

1. Select Operation – Choose Insert as the operation. This means you’ll be adding a new row for each input item.

2. Specify Table – Enter the name of the table you want to insert data into (for example, users).

3. Map Fields – You need to map the incoming JSON fields to the table columns. For each column, use an expression to reference the values from the previous node. For example, in the field configuration:

   • email: Set the value to {{ $json.email }}
   • name: Set the value to {{ $json.name }}
   • age: Set the value to {{ $json.age }}

   The MySQL node will then run an SQL statement under the hood similar to:

   SQLCopied
   INSERT INTO users (email, name, age) VALUES ($1, $2, $3);

   In this example, n8n sanitizes values in the query parameters to prevent SQL injection.

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3. Workflow Overview

Your workflow will look similar to this:

1. Set Node – Loads/simulates the JSON input.
2. MySQL Node – Inserts each JSON item into the MySQL table using the Insert operation.

If you already have JSON from some other source (e.g. an HTTP Request node), simply pass that data into the MySQL node instead of using the Set node.

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4. Test and Activate

1. Run the workflow in test mode.
2. Verify that the MySQL node is successfully inserting the data.
3. Once confirmed, activate the workflow to have it run as needed.

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With this workflow setup, you can easily read raw JSON data and write it into a MySQL database. For further details and options (like using query parameters to run custom SQL queries), see the MySQL node documentation on the n8n docs site. Enjoy automating your data workflows with n8n!