How To Self Host N8N

Self-hosting n8n gives you complete control over your workflow automation while ensuring data privacy and cost savings. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about setting up n8n on your own infrastructure, from basic requirements to advanced configurations.

Are you new to n8n?
Start with our complete beginner’s guide to n8n and workflow automation: What is n8n? Everything You Need to Know

Prerequisites and System Requirements for N8N

Before proceeding with any installation method, ensure your system meets these requirements:

Method 1: Using Docker

Follow the official guide to install Docker on your system https://docs.docker.com/get-started/get-docker/

To start your Docker container, run the command in dettached mode so that you can close the terminal.

# (optional) pull images before starting
docker compose pull

# start your container
docker compose up -d

# stop container
docker compose down

# to update n8n run the following commands in order
docker compose pull
docker compose down
docker compose build
docker compose up -d

After running this, your n8n will be running on localhost:5678 if not using Cloudflare Tunnel, if using Cloudflare Tunnel, then your n8n editor will be available on your custom domain you entered.

Setting up Cloudflare tunnel

If you plan to use Cloudflare tunnel, then make sure to set up Tunnels by visiting https://one.dash.cloudflare.com/, then Networks->Tunnels,

As you can see in the service section, I am using n8n:5678 because Cloudflare and n8n are in the same Docker stack, so we can access n8n by container name container_name: n8n.

Also, add your domain in the Docker Compose file and the public hostname.

For the Cloudflare section, go to the Tunnels Overview tab and copy the access token and save it to the .env file with the key CLOUDFLARE_TUNNEL_TOKEN

And you are done with the setup.

Method 2: NPM

First, make sure you have installed Node.js and npm.

Visit https://nodejs.org/en/download to get installation instructions for your platform.

# verify installation

node -v
npm -v

Install and configure n8n

# Install n8n globally
npm install -g n8n

# Install PM2 for process management
npm install -g pm2

# Start n8n with PM2
pm2 start n8n

# Configure auto-start
pm2 save
pm2 startup

# to updated n8n
npm install -g n8n@latest

If you don’t want to use pm2, then you can skip the steps, mentioning just install n8n globally and start the n8n server.

You can start the n8n server with a public tunnel so that you can integrate third-party services in your n8n workflows, just make sure to keep it secure.

# Install n8n globally
sudo npm install -g n8n

# Start n8n server
n8n start

# Start n8n with tunnel
n8n start --tunnel

Now visit localhost:5678 to access the n8n editor.