This article provides a complete, practical walkthrough of the Manual Stickynote Automation Webhook n8n agent. It connects HTTP Request, Webhook across approximately 1 node(s). Expect a Intermediate setup in 15-45 minutes. One‑time purchase: €29.

What This Agent Does

This agent orchestrates a reliable automation between HTTP Request, Webhook, handling triggers, data enrichment, and delivery with guardrails for errors and rate limits.

It streamlines multi‑step processes that would otherwise require manual exports, spreadsheet cleanup, and repeated API requests. By centralizing logic in n8n, it reduces context switching, lowers error rates, and ensures consistent results across teams.

Typical outcomes include faster lead handoffs, automated notifications, accurate data synchronization, and better visibility via execution logs and optional Slack/Email alerts.

How It Works

The workflow uses standard n8n building blocks like Webhook or Schedule triggers, HTTP Request for API calls, and control nodes (IF, Merge, Set) to validate inputs, branch on conditions, and format outputs. Retries and timeouts improve resilience, while credentials keep secrets safe.

Third‑Party Integrations

• HTTP Request
• Webhook

Import and Use in n8n

1. Open n8n and create a new workflow or collection.
2. Choose Import from File or Paste JSON.
3. Paste the JSON below, then click Import.
4. Show n8n JSON

   Title:  
   Automating URL Shortening with Dub.co Using n8n: A No-Code Workflow Guide
   
   Meta Description:  
   Learn how to build a powerful n8n workflow that shortens URLs using the Dub.co API. This guide walks you through API integration, slug customization, and automation logic using n8n’s visual interface.
   
   Keywords:  
   n8n workflow, URL shortener, Dub.co API, no-code automation, API integration, Dub project slug, create short URL, Dub API key, webhook automation, custom short links
   
   Third-Party APIs Used:
   - Dub.co API (https://dub.co/docs/api)
   
   Article:
   
   Streamlining URL Shortening with n8n and Dub.co
   
   If you're frequently sharing links as part of your workflow—whether for marketing, analytics, or user engagement—URL shortening can make those links more manageable and professional. With n8n, a powerful open-source workflow automation tool, and Dub.co, a modern link management platform, you can fully automate the process of generating customized short URLs through a visual, no-code interface.
   
   In this article, we explore a comprehensive n8n workflow that integrates with the Dub.co API to create, retrieve, optionally update, and return shortened URLs—all automatically.
   
   🛠 About the Workflow
   
   This n8n workflow—dubbed “Dub.co URL Shortener”—is triggered manually for testing but is built for easy automation and scalability. It uses the Dub.co API to shorten long URLs and optionally apply a custom slug and domain. The streamlined process allows you to quickly input your link and configuration data and get back a clean, shortened URL ready to use.
   
   Key Highlights:
   
   - Uses HTTP Request nodes to interface with Dub.co’s API
   - Handles authentication via API token
   - Supports optional custom slugs and custom domains
   - Updates existing links if a conflict occurs
   - Returns the final shortened URL
   
   🧩 Workflow Components Overview
   
   Let’s walk through the main components that make the workflow work:
   
   1. Manual Trigger Node (“When clicking Test Workflow”)
      This node initializes the workflow for manual testing. It can be swapped with actual triggers like Webhook, Schedule, or API call for live uses.
   
   2. Set Node: “API Auth”
      This node gathers user-specified inputs necessary for the API call:
      - Dub API Key
      - Long URL (the one you want to shorten)
      - Optional Custom Slug
      - Required Project Slug
      - Optional Custom Domain
   
      📌 Note: According to the built-in documentation in the sticky notes, these values must be configured in the “API Auth” node before running the workflow.
   
   3. HTTP Request Node: “CREATE”
      This node sends a POST request to Dub.co's /links endpoint to create a new short link. It includes parameters like:
      - Long URL: The URL to be shortened
      - Optional custom key (slug)
      - Optional custom domain
      The request’s headers carry the required bearer token generated from the Dub API Key.
   
   4. IF Node: “IF Slug available”
      This node checks if the link creation was successful by evaluating if the status code is 200. If it was, the workflow moves on to display the shortened link. If not, it assumes the slug may already exist and proceeds to try and update the existing link.
   
   5. HTTP Request Node: “RETRIEVE”
      This GET request fetches the existing link's metadata using the provided project slug, custom slug, and optional custom domain to retrieve the link’s unique ID.
   
   6. HTTP Request Node: “UPDATE”
      If a pre-existing link with the same custom slug is found, this PUT request updates it with the new long URL and meta comments.
   
   7. Set Node: “Shortened URL”
      This formatter node extracts and sets the shortened URL from the API response payload for display or further use in later nodes.
   
   8. Set Node: “Done”
      This final node acts as a placeholder for workflow completion and debugging. You can branch out to include notifications, database entries, or integrations with other services.
   
   📌 Dub.co API Usage Tips
   
   - API Rate Limits: Dub.co limits requests to 10 per second per user. If you're building a high-throughput workflow, use batching or time delays.
   - Project Slug: Critical for organizing and segregating links. You can find your project slug in your Dub dashboard URL (e.g., app.dub.co/acme → slug is 'acme').
   - Custom Slugs & Domains: Optional but powerful for branding and user recognition.
   
   🔐 Security Note
   
   Ensure that your Dub API Key is stored securely. Avoid hard-coding it directly into a public workflow. You can use environment variables or n8n's encrypted credential storage for extra security.
   
   📚 Extend the Workflow
   
   This workflow is easily extendable. You can:
   - Add a Webhook trigger to automatically shorten URLs submitted via form or API
   - Store shortened URL metadata in Google Sheets or Airtable
   - Send a confirmation email or Slack message with the shortened link
   - Attach UTM parameters to original links for analytics tracking
   
   🧪 Testing and Deployment
   
   Though manually triggered in this implementation for development, you can automate this workflow in production by triggering it via events (e.g., new records, webhooks, schedule).
   
   🌐 Final Thoughts
   
   This no-code integration between n8n and Dub.co is a fine example of how modern tools empower users to automate repetitive tasks. Instead of copying and pasting long URLs into external shorteners or writing custom code, you can automate link creation, editing, and management in a visual way.
   
   Whether you're running large marketing campaigns, managing internal tools, or building analytics systems, combining n8n and Dub.co helps you manage URLs at scale—cleanly, efficiently, and programmatically.
   
   Get started today and let automation handle your links!
   
   —
   
   For more information, visit:
   
   - Dub.co API Reference: https://dub.co/docs/api-reference
   - n8n Documentation: https://docs.n8n.io/

5. Set credentials for each API node (keys, OAuth) in Credentials.
6. Run a test via Execute Workflow. Inspect Run Data, then adjust parameters.
7. Enable the workflow to run on schedule, webhook, or triggers as configured.

Tips: keep secrets in credentials, add retries and timeouts on HTTP nodes, implement error notifications, and paginate large API fetches.

Validation: use IF/Code nodes to sanitize inputs and guard against empty payloads.

Why Automate This with AI Agents

AI‑assisted automations offload repetitive, error‑prone tasks to a predictable workflow. Instead of manual copy‑paste and ad‑hoc scripts, your team gets a governed pipeline with versioned state, auditability, and observable runs.

n8n’s node graph makes data flow transparent while AI‑powered enrichment (classification, extraction, summarization) boosts throughput and consistency. Teams reclaim time, reduce operational costs, and standardize best practices without sacrificing flexibility.

Compared to one‑off integrations, an AI agent is easier to extend: swap APIs, add filters, or bolt on notifications without rewriting everything. You get reliability, control, and a faster path from idea to production.

Best Practices

• Credentials: restrict scopes and rotate tokens regularly.
• Resilience: configure retries, timeouts, and backoff for API nodes.
• Data Quality: validate inputs; normalize fields early to reduce downstream branching.
• Performance: batch records and paginate for large datasets.
• Observability: add failure alerts (Email/Slack) and persistent logs for auditing.
• Security: avoid sensitive data in logs; use environment variables and n8n credentials.

FAQs

Can I swap integrations later? Yes. Replace or add nodes and re‑map fields without rebuilding the whole flow.

How do I monitor failures? Use Execution logs and add notifications on the Error Trigger path.

Does it scale? Use queues, batching, and sub‑workflows to split responsibilities and control load.

Is my data safe? Keep secrets in Credentials, restrict token scopes, and review access logs.