Skip to main content

Convert parquet, feather, ORC & Avro files with ParquetReader

Workflow preview

Workflow preview
100%
Convert parquet, feather, ORC & Avro files with ParquetReader preview
Open on n8n.io

Important notice

This workflow is provided as-is. Please review and test before using in production.

1. Workflow Overview

Convert Parquet, Feather, ORC & Avro Files with ParquetReader This workflow allows you to upload and inspect Parquet, Feather, ORC, or Avro files via the [ParquetReader API](https://parquetreade...

Best for

  • Engineering automation workflows
  • beginner n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.httprequest, n8n-nodes-base.webhook, n8n-nodes-base.stickynote, n8n-nodes-base.code

Source and attribution

This workflow is cataloged by N8N Workflows and links back to its original n8n.io source page by ParquetReader.

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title
Convert parquet, feather, ORC & Avro files with ParquetReader
Workflow name
Convert parquet, feather, ORC & Avro files with ParquetReader

πŸ“„ Convert Parquet, Feather, ORC & Avro Files with ParquetReader

This workflow allows you to upload and inspect Parquet, Feather, ORC, or Avro files via the ParquetReader API. It instantly returns a structured JSON preview of your data β€” including rows, schema, and metadata β€” without needing to write any custom code.


βœ… Perfect For

  • Validating schema and structure before syncing or transformation
  • Previewing raw columnar files on the fly
  • Automating QA, ETL, or CI/CD workflows
  • Converting Parquet, Avro, Feather, or ORC to JSON

βš™οΈ Use Cases

  • Catch schema mismatches before pipeline runs
  • Automate column audits in incoming data files
  • Enrich metadata catalogs with real-time schema detection
  • Integrate file validation into automated workflows

πŸš€ How to Use This Workflow

πŸ“₯ Trigger via File Upload

You can trigger this flow by sending a POST request with a file using curl, Postman, or from another n8n flow.

πŸ”§ Example (via curl):
curl -X POST http://localhost:5678/webhook-test/convert \
-F "[email protected]"

> Replace converted.parquet with your local file path. You can also send Avro, ORC or Feather files.

πŸ” Reuse from Other Flows

You can reuse this flow by calling the webhook from another n8n workflow using an HTTP Request node.
Make sure to send the file as form-data with the field name file.

πŸ” What This Flow Does:
  • Receives the uploaded file via webhook (file)
  • Sends it to https://api.parquetreader.com/parquet as multipart/form-data (field name: file)
  • Receives parsed data (rows), schema, and metadata in JSON format

πŸ§ͺ Example JSON Response from this flow

{
  "data": [
    {
      "full_name": "Pamela Cabrera",
      "email": "[email protected]",
      "age": "24",
      "active": "True",
      "latitude": "-36.1577385",
      "longitude": "63.014954",
      "company": "Carter, Shaw and Parks",
      "country": "Honduras"
    }
  ],
  "meta_data": {
    "created_by": "pyarrow",
    "num_columns": 21,
    "num_rows": 10,
    "serialized_size": 7598,
    "format_version": "0.12"
  },
  "schema": [
    { "column_name": "full_name", "column_type": "string" },
    { "column_name": "email", "column_type": "string" },
    { "column_name": "age", "column_type": "int64" },
    { "column_name": "active", "column_type": "bool" },
    { "column_name": "latitude", "column_type": "double" },
    { "column_name": "longitude", "column_type": "double" },
    { "column_name": "company", "column_type": "string" },
    { "column_name": "country", "column_type": "string" }
  ]
}

πŸ” API Info

  • Authentication: None required
  • Supported formats: .parquet, .avro, .orc, .feather
  • Free usage: No signup needed; API is currently open to the public
  • Limits: Usage and file size limits may apply in the future (TBD)

1.2 Logical Blocks

This catalog entry is organized from the workflow JSON. The node-level section below shows the executable blocks available for review before importing the template.

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - Send to Parquet API

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest - httpRequest
Config choices
Version 1

Block 2 - Webhook

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.webhook - webhook
Config choices
Version 2

Block 3 - Sticky Note

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 4 - Parse API Response

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.code - code
Config choices
Version 2

3. Summary Table

Workflow Convert parquet, feather, ORC & Avro files with ParquetReader
Complexity beginner
Nodes 4
Categories Engineering
Author ParquetReader
Published 30 Mar 2025

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/3365/3365.json as the source template for this automation.

  2. 2. Import the template into n8n

    Open n8n, import the downloaded JSON, and review each node before activating the workflow.

  3. 3. Configure credentials and variables

    Replace placeholder credentials, API keys, webhook URLs, account IDs, and environment-specific values with your own settings.

  4. 4. Test with sample data

    Run the workflow manually or in a staging workspace, inspect node output, and confirm downstream systems receive the expected data.

  5. 5. Activate and monitor

    Enable the workflow only after testing, then monitor executions, errors, and rate limits during the first production runs.

5. General Notes & Resources

Review imported nodes carefully before activation. This catalog entry is intended to help you inspect the workflow structure, understand required services, and find related templates faster.

Node names, credentials, schedules, webhook paths, and external service limits may need adjustment for your workspace.

Frequently asked questions

What does Convert parquet, feather, ORC & Avro files with ParquetReader do?

Convert Parquet, Feather, ORC & Avro Files with ParquetReader This workflow allows you to upload and inspect Parquet, Feather, ORC, or Avro files via the [ParquetReader API](https://parquetreade...

What do I need before importing this workflow?

Review the workflow JSON, configure any required credentials in n8n, and test the automation in a safe workspace before using it in production.

Can I customize this workflow?

Yes. Use the block-by-block analysis and the downloadable JSON to inspect each node, then adjust credentials, prompts, schedules, filters, or destinations for your Engineering use case.