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n8n

n8n is a self-hosted, fair-code workflow-automation platform that connects 400+ apps and application programming interfaces (APIs) on a visual, node-based…

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n8n is a self-hosted, fair-code workflow-automation platform that connects 400+ apps and application programming interfaces (APIs) on a visual, node-based canvas, adds code nodes for custom scripting, and lets homelabbers, developers, and small teams automate data workflows, sync services, and trigger actions from webhooks, schedules, or events.

Platform availability

Available on 6 of 9 platforms

Health score?A 0-100 score computed nightly from four factors: maintained (40%: recent commits and steady activity), popular (25%: GitHub stars, log scale), easy to install (20%: platforms, install notes, setup guides, Docker image) and light to run (15%: minimum RAM, ARM support). When the source code has been checked, a fifth factor, security check (20%: automated scan for committed secrets, unsafe desktop-app settings, known-vulnerable dependencies and project hygiene; any serious finding caps it at 20), is added. Factors without data are left out and the rest are rescaled.

39/100 Low

Maintained
0GitHub repository no longer exists
Popular
No data
Easy to install
1006 install platforms, install notes, setup guide, Docker image
Light to run
602 GB minimum RAM, runs on ARM

Based on 3 of 4 factors.

Availability: platform listings confirmed today, links checked 16 days ago

No GitHub repository data collected yet.

Checked 17 days ago - source: GitHub (BigBearTechWorld/n8n)

Resources & Compatibility

Minimum requirements: 2 GB RAM, 2 CPU core(s), 20 GB disk. ARM (e.g. Raspberry Pi) is supported.

Checked 17 days ago - source: Docker Hub image tags and published docs

First-install notes

  • Add your site to Allowed Origins (CORS) In the Chat Trigger node, enter your website's domain in Allowed Origins (CORS — a browser rule that says which sites may call n8n). If you skip this, the browser can block the chat widget from sending messages to your workflow. source
  • Turn your workflow Active before testing Set the workflow to Active before testing the chat. An inactive workflow will not respond, so visitors will see the chat but get no reply. source
  • Set up the database before first start The Unraid template defaults to PostgreSQL (recommended): create the database and a user first, then enter the Postgres host, database, user, and password. To use SQLite instead, set DB Type to 'sqlite' and leave the Postgres fields blank. source
  • Make the AppData folder writable (Unraid) n8n runs as user 'node' (UID 1000) with no PUID/PGID. Create the AppData folder and make it writable by UID 1000 once on the Unraid console: mkdir -p /mnt/user/appdata/n8n/files && chown -R 1000:1000 /mnt/user/appdata/n8n source

Fetched 9 days ago - each note links to its source

Alternatives (12)

  • Activepieces - Activepieces is a self-hosted, open-source no-code workflow automation platform.
  • Apache Airflow - Airflow is a platform to programmaticaly author, schedule and monitor data pipelines.
  • Automa - A Chrome extension for automating your browser by connecting blocks.
  • Automatisch - Automatisch is a business automation tool that lets you connect different services like Twitter, Slack, and more to automate your business…
  • Cronicle - Cronicle is a self-hosted, multi-server task scheduler and runner with a web interface that executes scheduled, repeating, and on-demand jo…
  • Flowise - Open source low-code tool for developers to build customized LLM orchestration flow and AI agents.
  • Google Opal - Build, edit and share mini-AI apps using natural language.
  • Huginn - Huginn is a self-hosted automation platform for building custom agents that monitor online sources, react to events, and take actions on yo…
  • IFTTT - Automates over 1000 apps and devices with non-coding integrations and partnerships with 900+ brands, creating a billion Applets monthly.
  • Kestra - Kestra is an open-source, event-driven, language-agnostic orchestration platform that lets teams schedule and manage data, AI, and infrastr…
  • Make.com - Design, build, and automate workflows and tasks with a visual, no-code platform.
  • Node-RED - Node-RED is a low-code programming tool for building event-driven applications by wiring together hardware devices, APIs, and online servic…

Checked 14 days ago - source: AlternativeTo

Common questions

What should I check if an n8n Chat Trigger widget is visible but does not reply?

Add your site's domain to Allowed Origins in the Chat Trigger node and set the workflow to Active. Browsers can block chat messages without the allowed origin, and inactive workflows will not respond.

Is self-hosting n8n difficult to run at scale?

A basic Docker setup on a VPS is described as straightforward, but scaling with queue mode, a separate performant database, and backups is more complex.

Can n8n be deployed in an air-gapped environment?

Yes, n8n can be deployed on-prem, air-gapped if needed, and with Docker.

Does n8n use a fair-code license?

Yes, the n8n documentation describes n8n as a fair-code licensed workflow automation tool.

What problems were reported after starting a basic n8n Docker setup?

One self-hoster found it harder than expected and dealt with random crashes, lost workflows, and infrastructure debugging.

Answers sourced from community.n8n.io, docs.n8n.io, n8n.io, www.npmjs.com, www.reddit.com

Community

Collected 11 days ago - public community threads

Install guides