Host n8n Locally: A Step-by-Step Guide

n8n is an open-source tool for creating and managing workflows. It helps automate tasks across different applications without needing extensive coding.

Hosting n8n locally gives you full control over your automation setup. It’s ideal for development, testing, or personal use without relying on external servers.

Host n8n Locally: Getting Started

Before you begin, ensure your device has Node.js (version 16 or higher) and npm installed. You can download them from nodejs.org.

Optionally, install Docker for a containerized setup. Get it from docker.com if you prefer this method.

Method 1: Hosting with npm

Installing n8n Globally

Open your terminal and run npm install n8n -g to install n8n globally. This makes it accessible from any directory on your device.

Starting n8n

Launch n8n with n8n start in your terminal. Access it by visiting http://localhost:5678 in your browser.

Using a Tunnel for Testing

For testing webhooks, run n8n start --tunnel. This creates a temporary public URL without exposing your device permanently.

Stopping n8n

Press Ctrl + C in the terminal to stop the n8n process. Your workflows and settings are saved in ~/.n8n.

Method 2: Hosting with Docker

Pulling the n8n Image

In your terminal, run docker pull n8nio/n8n to get the official n8n image. This downloads the latest version to your device.

Running a Temporary Instance

Start n8n with docker run -it --rm --name n8n -p 5678:5678 n8nio/n8n. This runs n8n interactively and removes the container when stopped.

Running a Persistent Instance

For saving workflows, use docker run -it --name n8n -p 5678:5678 -v ~/.n8n:/home/node/.n8n n8nio/n8n. This mounts ~/.n8n for persistence.

Stopping the Container

Press Ctrl + C to stop the container. For persistent setups, restart later with docker start n8n.

Configuring n8n

Using a .env File

Create a .env file in your working directory with entries like N8N_HOST=localhost and N8N_PORT=5678. Add N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY=your_secret_key for data security.

Setting Up a Database (Optional)

Install PostgreSQL locally and create a database named n8n. Update .env with DB_TYPE=postgresdb and your database details.

Applying Configuration Changes

For npm, restart n8n with n8n start after editing .env. For Docker, use --env-file .env in the run command.

Securing Your Local Setup

Enabling Basic Authentication

Add N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true, N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=your_username, and N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=your_password to .env. Restart n8n to apply these settings.

Maintaining n8n

Updating n8n

For npm, run npm update -g n8n to get the latest version. For Docker, use docker pull n8nio/n8n and restart the container.

Backing Up Your Data

Regularly back up the ~/.n8n directory to preserve workflows and credentials. This ensures you don’t lose important settings.

Advanced Features

Testing Webhooks with a Tunnel

Use n8n start --tunnel (npm) or -e N8N_TUNNEL=true (Docker) for a temporary public URL. This is useful for webhook testing without permanent exposure.

Adding Custom Nodes

Place custom nodes in ~/.n8n/custom for npm setups. For Docker, mount the directory with -v /path/to/custom:/home/node/.n8n/custom.

Conclusion

Key Takeaways

Hosting n8n locally is straightforward with npm or Docker. Choose npm for direct integration or Docker for isolation and simplicity.

Further Resources

Explore the official n8n Documentation for more details. You can also check the GitHub Repository for updates and community support.