How can I manually remove a broken custom node and troubleshoot clone errors in n8n?

Below is some guidance on how to remove the problematic community node manually and some pointers on troubleshooting the "could not be cloned" error:

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Manually Removing the Node

Since the uninstall via the UI fails, you can remove the package manually from within your Docker container:

1. Access the Docker Shell:
   Open a shell inside your n8n container. For example:

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   docker exec -it n8n sh

2. Uninstall the Package Using npm:
   Once inside the container, run the npm uninstall command on your package:

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   npm uninstall @eavfw/n8n-nodes-eavfw

3. Restart n8n:
   After uninstalling, restart your n8n instance so that any cached or loaded references are cleared.

Note: If you installed the node manually (for example in ~/.n8n/nodes), ensure those files are also removed. If you follow our manual installation guidelines, you can also remove the package using npm from within that directory.

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Troubleshooting the "could not be cloned" Error

The error message refers to something in the node’s definition that cannot be cloned during the uninstall (and possibly install) process. Here are a few points to consider:

• Inspect Node Properties:
  The error may occur because one or more properties on the node (for example, a function or a non-serializable object) are not clonable. Verify that your custom node’s exported object uses only plain data (e.g., strings, numbers, plain objects) for properties that the system needs to clone.

• Review Naming Consistency:
  When dealing with custom nodes or credentials, ensure that names are consistent. For instance, the names used in the configuration and in credential arrays must match those in the respective classes.

• Follow n8n Node Conventions:
  Check that your custom node follows the structure and conventions as documented in our node development and troubleshooting guides. Any deviation (such as including inline functions in configuration objects) can lead to issues when n8n attempts to clone node definitions during operations like installation or uninstall.

• Test in Isolation:
  You might want to temporarily revert your node to a minimal version (or compare it against a known working community node) to understand which part of your implementation might be causing the cloning error.

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By removing the node manually and then investigating your node’s code (especially properties that aren’t plain data), you should be able to resolve the issue and reinstall your custom node once the underlying problem is fixed.