Google Drive: generate docs from new code files

This workflow automates documentation generation for newly uploaded code files in Google Drive. It leverages DocuWriter.ai nodes to produce technical documentation and UML diagrams, then stores results in both Google Docs and Markdown formats. Finally, it notifies your team via email and Slack.

Workflow Overview

🟢 Trigger: Detect new file creation in a Drive folder
🔍 Filter: Allow only code file extensions
📥 Download: Retrieve file content
🛠️ Prepare: Convert binary to text and enrich metadata
📄 Generate Documentation: Create comprehensive docs via DocuWriter.ai
📊 Generate UML: Produce class diagrams from source
🔧 Format: Build HTML payload for Google Docs and content for Markdown
📂 Create Folder: Organize outputs in a timestamped Drive folder
📑 Create Google Doc: Save HTML-formatted documentation
📝 Create Markdown File: Save developer-friendly .md file
🗒️ Create Summary: Aggregate links and metadata
📧 Notify via Email: Send a rich HTML summary
💬 Notify via Slack: Post interactive message with buttons

flowchart TD
  A[Google Drive File Created] --> B[Filter Code Files]
  B --> C[Download File]
  C --> D[Prepare Source Code]
  D --> E[Generate Documentation]
  D --> F[Generate UML]
  E & F --> G[Format Documentation]
  G --> H[Create Docs Folder]
  H --> I[Create Google Doc]
  H --> J[Create Markdown File]
  I & J --> K[Create Summary]
  K --> L[Send Notification Email]
  K --> M[Notify Slack]

Node Summary

Node Name	Type	Purpose	Key Parameters
Google Drive File Created	n8n-nodes-base.googleDriveTrigger	Listen for new files in Drive folder	`event: fileCreated`
Filter Code Files	n8n-nodes-base.code	Skip non-code uploads	`.js, .ts, .py, .java`, etc.
Download File	n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive	Fetch binary data of the code file	`fileId: {{$json.id}}`
Prepare Source Code	n8n-nodes-base.code	Decode binary, extract `sourceCode`, metadata	`filename`, `extension`, `size`
Generate Documentation	n8n-nodes-docuwriter-ai.docuWriter	Call DocuWriter.ai for codeDocumentation	`resource: codeDocumentation`
Generate UML	n8n-nodes-docuwriter-ai.docuWriter	Call DocuWriter.ai for umlDiagram	`resource: umlDiagram`
Format Documentation	n8n-nodes-base.code	Build HTML & Markdown payloads	Inline JS combining docs & UML
Create Docs Folder	n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive	Make a timestamped folder for outputs	`operation: create`, `name`
Create Google Doc	n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive	Save HTML documentation into a Google Doc	`resource: document`, `bodyData`
Create Markdown File	n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive	Save `.md` version alongside the Doc	`uploadType: media`, `fileContent`
Create Summary	n8n-nodes-base.code	Aggregate links & metadata for notifications	Custom JS to collect IDs & URLs
Send Notification Email	n8n-nodes-base.emailSend	Email a styled summary with output links	HTML table, attachments
Notify Slack	n8n-nodes-base.slack	Post interactive card with buttons	`channel`, `attachments`, `actions`

Detailed Node Descriptions

1. Google Drive File Created

Watches a specified Drive folder and triggers on any new file.

Type: googleDriveTrigger
Credentials: OAuth2 service account
Parameters:
- event: fileCreated

2. Filter Code Files

Executes a JavaScript snippet to allow only files ending in common code extensions.

Type: code
Logic: Checks file.name extension against list such as .js, .py, .java

3. Download File

Downloads the binary content of the filtered file.

Type: googleDrive
Operation: download
Parameter: fileId from trigger output

4. Prepare Source Code

Converts binary data to UTF-8 text and enriches the JSON payload with filename, extension, and size.

Type: code
Output: { sourceCode, filename, fileId, extension, mimeType, size }

5. Generate Documentation

Calls the DocuWriter.ai action node with resource = codeDocumentation to generate technical documentation.

Type: docuWriter
Parameters:
- resource: codeDocumentation
- operation: generate

6. Generate UML

Calls the DocuWriter.ai action node with resource = umlDiagram to produce UML diagrams.

Type: docuWriter
Parameters:
- resource: umlDiagram
- operation: generate, diagramType: class

7. Format Documentation

A code node merges documentation HTML and UML code blocks into one rich HTML string for Google Docs, and composes Markdown content for the .md file.

Type: code
Features:
- Embeds generated documentation in <div> containers
- Inserts UML with <pre><code> blocks

8. Create Docs Folder

Creates a new folder in Drive, named with the current date or timestamp.

Type: googleDrive
Operation: create on folder
Parameter: name: Documentation - <timestamp>

9. Create Google Doc

Creates a Google Doc inside the new folder, using the HTML from Format Documentation.

Type: googleDrive
Resource: document, operation: create
Body: bodyData from formatting node

10. Create Markdown File

Creates a .md file in the same folder containing the Markdown version of the documentation and UML.

Type: googleDrive
Resource: file, operation: create
Options: uploadType: media, fileContent from formatting node

11. Create Summary

Aggregates the Drive folder ID, Doc ID, and Markdown file ID into a summary JSON object for notifications.

Type: code
Output: { summary: { sourceFile, docsFolder, googleDoc, markdownFile, timestamp } }

12. Send Notification Email

Sends an HTML email with a table of output links and metadata.

Type: emailSend
Credentials: SMTP
Features: Rich HTML table and bullet lists

13. Notify Slack

Posts a Slack message with interactive buttons to view the Google Doc and folder.

Type: slack
Attachments: Buttons View Google Doc, View Folder

This ready-to-adapt example demonstrates how to integrate DocuWriter.ai’s documentation and UML generation into Google Drive triggers. Simply adjust folder IDs, credential names, and formatting to match your workspace.

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