What is n8n and why should you know about this automation tool?
N8N is a platform that allows you to create automated workflows without the need to be an expert programmer. Its name comes from “node-to-node”, which perfectly describes how it works: you connect different actions and services as if they were pieces of a digital puzzle.
With n8n you can automate repetitive tasks by connecting apps visually. Do you want an email to automatically create a task in your project manager? ¿.
Key Points of Automation with N8N
Discover the essential secrets to mastering n8n and creating powerful automations without writing complex code:
• n8n is open source and self-hosted: Unlike Zapier, it allows full data control and no execution limits in the free Community version.
• Simplified installation with Docker Compose: A single configuration file deploys the entire n8n, ideal for production and development environments.
• Node-based visual interface: Drag and connect functional blocks to create complex flows, from triggers to actions to AI integrations.
• Five key automations for businesses: Sync CRM with spreadsheets, post to social media, monitor mentions, generate reports, and create tickets automatically.
• Advanced AI integrations: Connect REST APIs, webhooks, and services like OpenAI to create intelligent agents that process natural language and analyze data.
The combination of visual simplicity and technical power makes n8n the perfect tool for automating everything from basic tasks to complex business processes, while always maintaining full control over your data and workflows.
An open-source platform you can control
What makes n8n special is that it’s open source. This means you can see exactly how it works and what it does with your data. For companies that handle sensitive information, this transparency is essential.
The interface works with visual nodes. Each node represents a specific action: sending an email, processing data, or connecting to an external API. You simply drag and connect these nodes to create your automation, as if you were building with digital blocks.
One aspect you’ll like is that n8n combines simplicity and power. You can create basic flows without touching code, but if you need advanced customization, you can also incorporate JavaScript or Python when needed.
n8n Cloud or Community? We help you choose
N8N offers two main options:
n8n Community is completely free. You can install it on your own server and have full control over your data. There are no limits on the number of workflows or executions. If you’re technically savvy and value data privacy, we recommend this release.
n8n Cloud is the managed version that starts at approximately €20 per month and includes 2,500 workflow executions. It’s perfect if you prefer an out-of-the-box solution without worrying about technical maintenance.
The Community version includes almost all functionality, except for a few enterprise features such as custom variables, environments, external secrets, Git versioning, workflow history, and SSO (SAML, LDAP). You can unlock additional features by registering your Community instance for free, such as folders to organize your flows and a history day.
Why choose n8n over Zapier and Make?
Compared to other popular platforms such as Zapier and Make (formerly Integromat), n8n has significant advantages:
Control of your data: While Zapier and Make only work in the cloud, n8n can host it on your own server. This guarantees full control of your data, which is vital for sectors such as finance or healthcare.
More favorable pricing model: Zapier charges per task and Make per operation, but n8n charges per full-flow execution. For complex workflows with many steps, this can be much more economical.
Limitless customization: n8n allows for greater customization through code and custom node creation. You can integrate any API and create solutions specific to your business.
No limits on the self-hosted version: Run as many workflows as you need without worrying about task limits or unexpected price increases.
Remember that while n8n has fewer native integrations (300-400) than Zapier (5,000+) or Make (1,000+), its open-source nature allows you to create custom connections for virtually any API service available.
Step-by-step n8n installation with Docker Compose
Docker Compose makes installing n8n a simple and reproducible process. Below, we’ll show you how to set up n8n on your own server by following a few clear and straightforward steps.
Prerequisites: Docker and Docker Compose
Before you begin, you should verify that your system meets the necessary requirements. Docker and Docker Compose must be installed on your machine. Instructions vary depending on your Linux distribution.
For Ubuntu, you can install Docker with these commands:
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg
echo "deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin
If you prefer to run Docker unused sudo, configure your user:
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
Remember that n8n recommends self-hosting only for technically experienced users. It requires knowledge of server configuration, container management, and security. Errors can lead to data loss or security issues.
Step 1: Create the docker-compose.yml file
The docker-compose.yml file is the core of your installation. Defines all the services required to run n8n correctly.
A basic example of configuration:
version: '3'
services:
n8n:
image: n8nio/n8n:latest
container_name: n8n
environment:
- GENERIC_TIMEZONE=Europe/Madrid
- NODE_ENV=production
- N8N_SECURE_COOKIE=false
ports:
- "5678:5678"
volumes:
- n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n
restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
n8n_data:
name: n8n_data
This basic configuration exposes n8n on port 5678 and creates a volume to persist your data. The section environment customizes variables such as the time zone and runtime environment.
For more robust installations, we recommend adding PostgreSQL as a database:
services:
n8n:
# Configuración de n8n...
environment:
- DB_TYPE=postgresdb
- DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=db
- DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=5432
- DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=n8n
- DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=n8n
- DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=n8n
depends_on:
- db
db:
image: postgres:12
volumes:
- db-data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
environment:
- POSTGRES_USER=n8n
- POSTGRES_PASSWORD=n8n
- POSTGRES_DB=n8n
restart: unless-stopped
Step 2: Launch n8n and access the interface
Once the docker-compose.yml file is created, start n8n with:
docker compose up -d
The parameter -d runs the containers in the background. After a few moments, n8n will be working.
To access the web interface, open your browser and go to http://localhost:5678. If you’re using a remote server, replace “localhost” with the corresponding IP address.
Have you set up Basic Authentication? If you added the , and N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD, N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVEvariables, you’ll be prompted for credentials when signing in.
Step 3: Configure Safety for Production
For production environments, consider setting up a reverse proxy such as Traefik to handle SSL/TLS certificates. This allows n8n to be accessed over HTTPS, which is especially important when the instance is exposed to the internet.
To stop containers when necessary:
docker compose down
This installation method isolates n8n in a contained environment, making it easy to deploy, update, and maintain without interfering with other services on your system.
Creating n8n workflows from scratch
Once you have n8n installed, we’ll show you how to create your first workflows. You’ll find that the platform offers a visual environment that makes it easy to design automations without writing complex code.
How to use the visual canvas and basic nodes?
The n8n canvas is your main workspace where you’ll design the flows. When creating a new workflow, you’ll see a blank space where you can drag and connect nodes to build your automation. Nodes are the building blocks – each one represents a specific action in your flow.
We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the different types of nodes available:
- Trigger nodes: These are the ones that start your workflow. They can be triggered manually, by scheduled time, via webhooks or events from apps like Gmail or Google Sheets.
- Action nodes: They execute specific tasks such as sending emails or querying APIs.
- Utility nodes: They help you manipulate and transform information within the flow.
- Conditional nodes: Allow you to create logical branches with true/false options.
To add a node, simply click on the “+” button and select the node you need from the catalog. N8n includes more than 400 pre-built integrations, making it easy to connect with multiple external services.
Import workflows from JSON or URL
Do you want to save time on creating flows? N8n allows you to import previously created workflows, which significantly speeds up your work. You have two main options:
Import from JSON file: n8n streams are saved in JSON format. To import one, click on the main menu, select “Import workflow” and upload the corresponding JSON file.
Import from URLs: You can also import workflows directly from a URL. Remember that the URL must end in .json order to be recognized correctly by the system.
We recommend taking advantage of the more than 2,000 pre-built workflows available in repositories like GitHub. These range from simple integrations to complex business automation systems.
Run and debug flows manually
To test your workflow, n8n offers you several options that will make the process easier for you:
Step 1: Manual execution
Use the “Test workflow” button or the corresponding keyboard shortcut to run the entire flow at once.
Step 2: Run by individual
nodesYou can run each node separately by clicking “Execute” within its settings. This is especially useful for testing specific components.
Step 3: Real-time
visual debuggingDuring execution, n8n visually shows you the flow of data between nodes, illuminating the successful nodes in green.
To make testing easier, you can “pin” results from specific nodes using the pin button. This allows you to test without running the entire flow again.
N8n keeps a detailed log of executions in the “Executions” tab, where you can review both successes and failures. This feature includes valuable information about execution times and processed data, being crucial for identifying and resolving problems in complex workflows.
5 N8n Automation Examples You Can Implement Today
Want to see the true potential of n8n in action? Here are five practical automations you can create to solve everyday tasks in your business. These examples demonstrate how n8n adapts to real business needs.
Data synchronization between CRM and spreadsheets
Keep customer data up to date between your CRM like HubSpot or Salesforce and Google Sheets without manual effort. The flow automatically detects new contacts in the CRM, extracts their main properties, and updates the corresponding records in your spreadsheet.
If it finds duplicate records, the system updates them instead of creating new entries, ensuring the consistency of your data. This automation eliminates hours of manual work and reduces human error.
Automatic social media posting
Schedule and publish content to multiple social platforms from a single spreadsheet. Set up the flow to pull scheduled content from Google Sheets, format messages specifically for each platform, and publish at optimal times to maximize reach.
You can add images, custom hashtags, and mentions automatically. Your marketing team will save valuable time while maintaining a consistent social media presence.
Alerts for brand mentions on Twitter
Monitor Twitter 24 hours a day for mentions of your brand or specific terms. The workflow pulls up recent tweets mentioning your company, analyzes content sentiment, and sends immediate notifications to Slack or email when it detects important mentions.
For community managers, this system allows quick responses to negative mentions, avoiding potential reputation crises. Artificial intelligence helps you prioritize which mentions require urgent attention.
Generation of weekly reports by email
Automate the creation and sending of periodic reports by collecting data from multiple sources such as Google Analytics, CRMs or databases. Set up the workflow to run every Monday, collect relevant KPIs, generate a structured PDF, and automatically distribute it to your team.
Forget about spending hours each week creating manual reports. The data will always be up-to-date and the format will be consistent.
Creating tickets from web forms
Automatically convert web form submissions into support tickets. When a customer fills out a form, n8n pulls the information, creates a ticket in systems like Zendesk or Jira, assigns it to the appropriate department, and sends an automatic confirmation to the customer.
This automation significantly reduces response time and improves the user experience, while your support team focuses on solving problems instead of managing data.
How to take advantage of advanced integrations and AI in n8n?
This is where n8n really demonstrates its potential. When you start exploring advanced integrations and artificial intelligence, you’ll find that you can create automations that are much more sophisticated than you initially imagined.
Connect REST APIs and Webhooks in your flows
Do you know what webhooks are? Think of them as the “doorbell” of your digital home. While traditional APIs require you to constantly ask “has something new happened?”, webhooks automatically alert you when an important event occurs.
Webhooks work as perfect triggers to start your workflows. When a customer makes a purchase in your online store, when someone subscribes to your newsletter, or when a new support ticket arrives, the webhook immediately notifies n8n to trigger the corresponding automation.
We recommend using webhooks whenever possible, as they optimize resources and reduce response times significantly.
Transform data with HTTP and JavaScript nodes
The HTTP Request node will become one of your favorites. It allows you to query data from any service with REST APIs , from social networks to billing systems.
For more complex transformations, Function nodes are your best ally. You can run JavaScript code directly in the flow to:
- Validate and clean complex data structures
- Transform API responses in real-time
- Create advanced conditional logic
- Filter and group large volumes of information
Remember that JavaScript is n8n’s native language for manipulating data, which makes these transformations especially efficient.
Integrate OpenAI and LangChain to create intelligent agents
Want to make your automations really smart? n8n includes specific nodes for OpenAI and LangChain that allow you to incorporate artificial intelligence into your streams.
You can create agents capable of:
- Generate personalized content for each client
- Analyze images and extract relevant information
- Process natural language to classify emails or messages
- Automatically respond to customer inquiries
Integration with models like GPT-4 opens up incredible possibilities for automating tasks that previously required human intervention. If you need help implementing these advanced features, our support team will be happy to guide you through the process.
In short: you already have everything you need to automate with n8n
In this article, you’ve learned how n8n can become your go-to tool for automating workflows without writing complex code. Now you know the advantages of this open-source platform and understand why it gives you more control over your data than other alternatives.
Remember the five practical automations we’ve explained? From syncing your CRM with spreadsheets to building intelligent systems with AI, you have concrete examples to start automating real tasks in your business.
The installation with Docker Compose that we have shown you step by step allows you to have your own instance up and running in a few minutes. And if you prefer to start simpler, the free Community version gives you full access to try out all the features.
We recommend starting with simple automation. Create your first workflow by following the steps we’ve explained, test the visual node interface, and experiment with the integrations that interest you most for your project.
Do you need to connect n8n with specific services that are not listed in the catalog? Remember that you can use REST APIs and webhooks to connect virtually any application. The flexibility of n8n allows you to create customized solutions that are exactly tailored to your needs.
The combination of visual simplicity and technical power makes n8n the ideal choice for beginners and advanced users alike. If you encounter any difficulties during implementation, the open source community and official documentation are available to help you.
Get started today by downloading n8n and create your first automation. You’ll see tasks that used to take hours get done automatically in seconds.
FAQs
Q1. What advantages does n8n offer compared to other automation platforms?
N8N stands out for being open source and self-hosting, allowing full control of the data. In addition, it offers greater flexibility in customizing workflows and a more favorable pricing model for complex automations.
Q2. How do I install n8n on my own server?
Installing n8n is simplified using Docker Compose. You just need to create a docker-compose.yml file with the appropriate settings and run a command to deploy n8n along with all its necessary services.
Q3. Is it possible to create workflows in n8n without programming knowledge?
Yes, n8n uses a node-based visual interface that allows workflows to be created by dragging and connecting functional blocks, making it accessible even to users with no programming experience.
Q4. What types of tasks can I automate with n8n?
With n8n you can automate a wide range of tasks, from syncing data between CRM and spreadsheets, to automatically posting to social media, generating reports, creating support tickets, and monitoring brand mentions on social media.
Q5. How does n8n integrate artificial intelligence into your workflows?
n8n offers integration with AI services such as OpenAI and LangChain, allowing natural language processing, content generation, and data analysis capabilities to be incorporated into automated workflows.
