How can I detect if an n8n node executes more than once?

When using an expression like

JAVASCRIPTCopied
{{ $node["buscaEtapaPrimeiroContato"].runIndex >= 1 }}

you're not really “tracking” all of the past executions of that node. Instead, n8n returns data from the node’s last run (or, more precisely, for the current context item). In many cases—including when all data is processed at once—the node’s runIndex remains 0. That’s why your expression evaluates to false, even if you might expect the node to have been “hit” more than once in your overall workflow.

How to Work Around This

If you need to determine whether a node processed multiple items (or was executed multiple times), consider these approaches:

1. Rely on Batch or Loop Nodes:
   If you’re processing multiple items one by one (for example, by using the Loop Over Items node), you’ll know that the node will be triggered for each batch/item. You can then use information from that looping mechanism (for example, the current batch number) to decide if you’re in a subsequent run.

2. Set Up a Counter:
   An alternative is to maintain a counter value in your workflow. For example, you might store a number in a Set node that increments on each execution. This way, you can check the counter downstream to know if the node has processed more than one item.

3. Examine the Number of Incoming Items:
   Instead of relying solely on runIndex, you might check the number of items coming from the previous node. Typically, if you need to process only the first item you could toggle the Execute Once setting. Conversely, if multiple items are present, that might be your indicator that the node has (or will) run multiple times.

Note on runIndex Behavior

The runIndex property is meant to help you choose which item’s data to use in cases where a node has processed several items. It defaults to the last run when the referenced node ran multiple times. If the node in question is never forced to iterate over items (for example, by using Execute Once or by having a single incoming item), then runIndex remains 0.

Example with SplitInBatches

If you want to be sure that you’re processing items one at a time and can examine the corresponding index, consider setting up your workflow like this:

1. Use the Loop Over Items node to split an incoming array of items into batched single items (set Batch Size to 1).
2. Process each item individually in the subsequent node.
3. In your expression, if you need to see the current batch/index, you could reference the correct run by using the $item(index, runIndex) function.

For example:

TYPESCRIPTCopied
// Accessing a value from node "buscaEtapaPrimeiroContato" for the current batch.
// Here, runIndex will correspond to the specific iteration for this single item.
const value = $item(0, 0).$node["buscaEtapaPrimeiroContato"].json["yourKey"];

By setting up your workflow this way, you gain more control over how item processing is handled, and you can better detect when multiple executions are happening.

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In summary, the expression you tried is returning false because in the context of a single execution (or when using the default settings) the node’s runIndex doesn’t increase even if there are multiple items. Implementing a counter or leveraging batch processing (with nodes like SplitInBatches) is a common workaround among users needing to detect multiple executions.