n8n HTTP Request: Retry Each Request in Batches (1 Item) Workflow

Retry HTTP requests in item-sized batches—so your n8n run only advances after each item succeeds

This n8n HTTP Request workflow retries each request in controlled batches (Batch Size = 1), giving every input item its own retry scope and collecting the completed responses when done.

What this workflow does

Designed for automation developers working with multiple API writes, this workflow executes HTTP calls per item and applies a retry budget before moving on:

• Manual trigger + fixtures: You start manually in the n8n editor. The workflow uses two synthetic render operations with IDs 42 and 43, each containing its own nested styling object.
• Loop Over Items (Batch Size = 1): The loop outputs one input item at a time to the Render HTTP Request node (loop output sends one input item, keeping retry scope local to the current item).
• HTTP Request with retry budget: The Render node posts a complete JSON payload (including shortId and renderOptions) to your configured test endpoint. It uses Max Tries = 2 (two total attempts) with a one-second wait and a ten-second request timeout.
• Stop on persistent failure: If an item fails twice, the workflow stops for operator handling.
• Collect results on success: The done output collects completed response items. In the acceptance scenario, the observed sequence is 42, 42, 43, and Done contains both response items.

Use cases

• Retrying API writes safely when you process many records and need per-record reliability.
• Implementing item-scoped backoff so one failed request doesn’t contaminate other in-flight inputs.
• Validating retry behavior with predictable fixtures (e.g., a controlled 503 followed by success).

Technical details

• Nodes: manual trigger, split in batches (Loop Over Items), HTTP Request (Render), code, no op, sticky note.
• HTTP behavior: POST JSON to /renders/{{ $json.shortId }} at your test service base URL (replace https://api.example.com with yours).
• Retry settings: Max Tries = 2, one-second wait, ten-second timeout; Batch Size = 1 with retry scope local to each item.