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N8N

What is N8N? ​

N8N is an open-source workflow automation tool that allows you to connect different applications and services together. It is an open-source alternative to tools like Zapier or Make.

Deployment Variants ​

N8N is available in three deployment configurations in Coolify:

n8n (Default) ​

  • Database: SQLite (embedded)
  • Use case: Simple deployments, testing, or low-volume workflows
  • Components: Single n8n container with built-in SQLite database

n8n with PostgreSQL ​

  • Database: PostgreSQL (external)
  • Use case: Production deployments requiring better performance, scalability, and data persistence
  • Components:
    • n8n container
    • PostgreSQL 16 container
    • Automatic database configuration and health checks

n8n with PostgreSQL and Worker ​

  • Database: PostgreSQL + Redis
  • Use case: High-volume production deployments with queue-based execution and parallel workflow processing
  • Components:
    • n8n main container
    • n8n-worker container for distributed execution
    • PostgreSQL 16 container
    • Redis container for queue management
    • Automatic database configuration and health checks

Screenshots ​

N8N Preview

Extending n8n with custom dependencies ​

To extend n8n with custom dependencies, you can add them following the example below to your Dockerfile:

dockerfile
...
RUN apk add --no-cache ffmpeg
...

Example Dockerfile ​

dockerfile
FROM n8nio/n8n:latest

# Switch to root user to install packages and modify system directories
USER root

# Install necessary system packages using apk
# build-base, python3-dev, geoip-dev are needed for potential native dependencies
# wget for downloading, git for source control (might be needed by Go), bash (useful shell)
RUN apk update && \
    apk add --no-cache \
        wget \
        ffmpeg


ENV N8N_HOST=${SUBDOMAIN}.${DOMAIN_NAME}
ENV N8N_PORT=5678
ENV N8N_PROTOCOL=https
ENV NODE_ENV=production
ENV WEBHOOK_URL=https://${SUBDOMAIN}.${DOMAIN_NAME}/

# Switch back to the non-root user that n8n runs as (typically 'node')
USER node