refactor(core): Allow modules to define paths to load nodes from (#18193)

packages/@n8n/backend-common/src/modules/__tests__/module-registry.test.ts

@@ -218,3 +218,22 @@ describe('initModules', () => {
 		expect(moduleRegistry.getActiveModules()).toEqual([moduleName]);
 	});
 });
+
+describe('loadDir', () => {
+	it('should load dirs defined by modules', async () => {
+		const TEST_LOAD_DIR = '/path/to/module/load/dir';
+		const ModuleClass = {
+			entities: jest.fn().mockReturnValue([]),
+			loadDir: jest.fn().mockReturnValue(TEST_LOAD_DIR),
+		};
+		const moduleMetadata = mock<ModuleMetadata>({
+			getClasses: jest.fn().mockReturnValue([ModuleClass]),
+		});
+		Container.get = jest.fn().mockReturnValue(ModuleClass);
+		const moduleRegistry = new ModuleRegistry(moduleMetadata, mock(), mock(), mock());
+
+		await moduleRegistry.loadModules([]); // empty to skip dynamic imports
+
+		expect(moduleRegistry.loadDirs).toEqual([TEST_LOAD_DIR]);
+	});
+});

packages/@n8n/backend-common/src/modules/module-registry.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import { Logger } from '../logging/logger';
 export class ModuleRegistry {
 	readonly entities: EntityClass[] = [];
 
+	readonly loadDirs: string[] = [];
+
 	readonly settings: Map<string, ModuleSettings> = new Map();
 
 	constructor(
@@ -79,9 +81,11 @@ export class ModuleRegistry {
 		for (const ModuleClass of this.moduleMetadata.getClasses()) {
 			const entities = await Container.get(ModuleClass).entities?.();
 
-			if (!entities || entities.length === 0) continue;
+			if (entities?.length) this.entities.push(...entities);
 
-			this.entities.push(...entities);
+			const loadDir = Container.get(ModuleClass).loadDir?.();
+
+			if (loadDir) this.loadDirs.push(loadDir);
 		}
 	}
 

packages/@n8n/decorators/src/module/module.ts

@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@ export interface ModuleInterface {
 	shutdown?(): Promise<void>;
 	entities?(): Promise<EntityClass[]>;
 	settings?(): Promise<ModuleSettings>;
+
+	/**
+	 * @returns Path to a dir to load nodes and credentials from.
+	 * @example '/Users/nathan/.n8n/nodes/node_modules'
+	 */
+	loadDir?(): string;
 }
 
 export type ModuleClass = Constructable<ModuleInterface>;

packages/cli/src/__tests__/load-nodes-and-credentials.test.ts

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ describe('LoadNodesAndCredentials', () => {
 		let instance: LoadNodesAndCredentials;
 
 		beforeEach(() => {
-			instance = new LoadNodesAndCredentials(mock(), mock(), mock(), mock());
+			instance = new LoadNodesAndCredentials(mock(), mock(), mock(), mock(), mock());
 			instance.loaders.package1 = mock<DirectoryLoader>({
 				directory: '/icons/package1',
 			});
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ describe('LoadNodesAndCredentials', () => {
 	});
 
 	describe('convertNodeToAiTool', () => {
-		const instance = new LoadNodesAndCredentials(mock(), mock(), mock(), mock());
+		const instance = new LoadNodesAndCredentials(mock(), mock(), mock(), mock(), mock());
 
 		let fullNodeWrapper: { description: INodeTypeDescription };
 
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ describe('LoadNodesAndCredentials', () => {
 		let instance: LoadNodesAndCredentials;
 
 		beforeEach(() => {
-			instance = new LoadNodesAndCredentials(mock(), mock(), mock(), mock());
+			instance = new LoadNodesAndCredentials(mock(), mock(), mock(), mock(), mock());
 			instance.knownNodes['n8n-nodes-base.test'] = {
 				className: 'Test',
 				sourcePath: '/nodes-base/dist/nodes/Test/Test.node.js',
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ describe('LoadNodesAndCredentials', () => {
 		let instance: LoadNodesAndCredentials;
 
 		beforeEach(() => {
-			instance = new LoadNodesAndCredentials(mock(), mock(), mock(), mock());
+			instance = new LoadNodesAndCredentials(mock(), mock(), mock(), mock(), mock());
 			instance.types.nodes = [
 				{
 					name: 'testNode',
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ describe('LoadNodesAndCredentials', () => {
 		});
 
 		beforeEach(() => {
-			instance = new LoadNodesAndCredentials(mock(), mock(), mock(), mock());
+			instance = new LoadNodesAndCredentials(mock(), mock(), mock(), mock(), mock());
 			instance.loaders = { CUSTOM: mockLoader };
 
 			// Allow access to directory

packages/cli/src/load-nodes-and-credentials.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { inTest, isContainedWithin, Logger } from '@n8n/backend-common';
+import { inTest, isContainedWithin, Logger, ModuleRegistry } from '@n8n/backend-common';
 import { GlobalConfig } from '@n8n/config';
 import { Container, Service } from '@n8n/di';
 import type ParcelWatcher from '@parcel/watcher';
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ export class LoadNodesAndCredentials {
 		private readonly errorReporter: ErrorReporter,
 		private readonly instanceSettings: InstanceSettings,
 		private readonly globalConfig: GlobalConfig,
+		private readonly moduleRegistry: ModuleRegistry,
 	) {}
 
 	async init() {
@@ -98,6 +99,10 @@ export class LoadNodesAndCredentials {
 			);
 		}
 
+		for (const dir of this.moduleRegistry.loadDirs) {
+			await this.loadNodesFromNodeModules(dir);
+		}
+
 		await this.loadNodesFromCustomDirectories();
 		await this.postProcessLoaders();
 	}