n8n the open source automation

Automate anything easily

n8n is an Extensible Workflow Automation platform designed to bridge the gap between technical flexibility and ease of use. It allows you to build complex, logic-driven automations that connect your entire tech stack, giving you full control over your data flow without the "black box" limitations of traditional no-code tools.


name: n8n
services:
  n8n:
    image: docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n:latest
    ports:
      - NaN:5678
    environment:
      - N8N_ENFORCE_SETTINGS_FILE_PERMISSIONS=true
      - N8N_HOST=${SUBDOMAIN}.${DOMAIN_NAME}
      - N8N_PORT=5678
      - N8N_PROTOCOL=https
      - N8N_RUNNERS_ENABLED=true
      - NODE_ENV=production
      - WEBHOOK_URL=https://${SUBDOMAIN}.${DOMAIN_NAME}/
      - GENERIC_TIMEZONE=${GENERIC_TIMEZONE}
      - TZ=${GENERIC_TIMEZONE}
    volumes:
      - ./local-files:/files
      - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n
volumes:
  n8n_data:
    driver: local
    external: false

Summary: What is n8n?

n8n is an extensible workflow automation platform designed to orchestrate complex tasks across your entire tech stack. By combining a visual « node-based » interface with the flexibility of code, it enables teams to build sophisticated automations that go far beyond simple app-to-app triggers, all while maintaining total data ownership.

Core Features

1. Node-Based Workflow Engine

Uses a highly intuitive visual canvas where you connect « nodes » (individual apps or functions) to build logic.
Supports complex branching, merging, and loops, allowing for multi-step processes that mirror real-world business logic.
Data is passed between nodes in a transparent JSON format, making it easy to inspect and transform at every step.

2. Fair-Code & Self-Hosting

Source-available and self-hostable, giving you 100% sovereignty over your data and infrastructure.
Ideal for privacy-conscious industries (GDPR/HIPAA compliance) since your data never has to leave your own servers.
No « per-task » or « per-execution » pricing tiers when self-hosted, removing the financial barriers to scaling.

3. Advanced Logic & Developer Tools

JavaScript Integration: If a native node doesn’t do exactly what you want, you can write custom code within a « Code Node » to manipulate data.
HTTP Request Node: Connect to any service with a REST or GraphQL API, even if a native integration doesn’t exist yet.
Error Handling: Built-in « Error Trigger » workflows allow you to automatically manage and recover from failed processes.

4. Built-in AI & LangChain Support

Native integration with AI and LLMs (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.) via specialized LangChain nodes.
Build custom AI agents, memory-persistent chatbots, and automated content analysis tools directly within your workflows.

Typical Use Cases

Business Process Automation: Syncing leads from a CRM to Slack, email, and marketing databases simultaneously.
Data Transformation & ETL: Extracting data from multiple sources, cleaning it with custom logic, and loading it into a data warehouse.
AI Agents & Chatbots: Creating automated support systems that query your internal database to answer customer questions.
Backend Glue: Connecting disparate legacy systems that lack native integrations through webhooks and custom API calls.

Technical Foundation

Built with TypeScript and Node.js, ensuring high performance and a modern development experience.
Extensible Architecture: Developers can build and publish their own custom nodes to the n8n community or for private internal use.