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[DRAFT] n8n

n8n is an open-source workflow automation tool that allows you to connect different services and automate tasks without writing code. It provides a visual interface for building workflows, making it accessible for both technical and non-technical users to create complex automation pipelines.

Key Concepts​

  • Workflows: Visual representations of automation processes, consisting of nodes connected together to form a data flow.
  • Nodes: Individual components in a workflow that perform specific actions, such as triggering events, transforming data, or calling APIs.
  • Triggers: Special nodes that initiate workflows based on events, schedules, or manual execution.
  • Actions: Nodes that perform operations like sending emails, updating databases, or making API calls.
  • Credentials: Secure storage for authentication information used by nodes to connect to external services.
  • Executions: Individual runs of a workflow, which can be monitored, debugged, and analyzed.

Installation​

Using npm​

Install n8n globally using npm:

npm install n8n -g

Then start n8n:

n8n start

Using Docker​

Run n8n using Docker:

docker run -it --rm \
  --name n8n \
  -p 5678:5678 \
  -v ~/.n8n:/home/node/.n8n \
  n8nio/n8n

Using Docker Compose​

Create a docker-compose.yml file:

version: "3.8"

services:
  n8n:
    image: n8nio/n8n
    ports:
      - "5678:5678"
    environment:
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=admin
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=password
    volumes:
      - ~/.n8n:/home/node/.n8n

Then run:

docker-compose up -d

Core Features​

  • Visual Workflow Builder: Intuitive drag-and-drop interface for creating workflows without coding.
  • Extensive Integrations: Support for hundreds of services including APIs, databases, cloud services, and more.
  • Self-Hosted: Full control over your data and workflows by hosting n8n on your own infrastructure.
  • Code Nodes: Ability to write custom JavaScript/Python code within workflows for advanced transformations.
  • Webhook Support: Create and manage webhooks to trigger workflows from external services.
  • Error Handling: Built-in error handling and retry mechanisms for robust workflows.
  • Execution History: Track and monitor all workflow executions with detailed logs and debugging information.
  • Scheduling: Schedule workflows to run at specific times or intervals using cron expressions.
  • Data Transformation: Powerful data manipulation capabilities using expressions and functions.
  • Version Control: Export and import workflows as JSON for version control and sharing.

Basic Example​

Setting up the Environment​

After installing n8n, access the web interface at http://localhost:5678. You'll be prompted to create an account on first launch.

Simple Workflow Example​

Here's a basic workflow that demonstrates sending an email when a webhook is triggered:

  1. Create a Webhook Trigger:

    • Add a "Webhook" node
    • Set it as a trigger
    • Copy the webhook URL

  2. Add an Email Node:

    • Add an "Email Send" node
    • Configure your email credentials (Gmail, SMTP, etc.)
    • Set the recipient, subject, and body

  3. Connect the Nodes:

    • Connect the Webhook node to the Email node
    • The workflow will automatically pass data from the webhook to the email

  4. Activate and Test:

    • Click "Save" and "Activate" the workflow
    • Use the webhook URL to trigger the workflow

Code Node Example​

You can use Code nodes to perform custom data transformations:

// Example: Transform incoming data
const items = $input.all();

return items.map((item) => {
  return {
    json: {
      processed: true,
      originalData: item.json,
      timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
      transformedValue: item.json.value * 2,
    },
  };
});

Workflow with Multiple Steps​

A more complex example: Automatically post to social media when a new blog post is published:

  1. RSS Feed Trigger:

    • Add an "RSS Feed Read" node
    • Configure it to monitor your blog's RSS feed
    • Set it to check every hour

  2. Filter Node:

    • Add a "Filter" node to check if the post is new
    • Filter based on publication date

  3. Format Data:

    • Add a "Code" node to format the post data for social media
    • Extract title, excerpt, and URL

  4. Post to Twitter:

    • Add a "Twitter" node
    • Configure Twitter API credentials
    • Post the formatted content

  5. Post to LinkedIn:

    • Add a "LinkedIn" node
    • Configure LinkedIn credentials
    • Post the same content

Use Cases​

  • Data Synchronization: Automatically sync data between different services and databases.
  • Content Distribution: Automatically share content across multiple platforms when published.
  • Notification Systems: Send alerts and notifications based on events from various sources.
  • Data Processing: Transform and process data from APIs, files, or databases.
  • Customer Support Automation: Automate ticket creation, assignment, and follow-up processes.
  • Marketing Automation: Trigger email campaigns, social media posts, and other marketing activities.
  • Backup and Archiving: Automatically backup data from various services to cloud storage.
  • Monitoring and Alerting: Monitor systems and send alerts when specific conditions are met.
  • E-commerce Automation: Automate order processing, inventory management, and customer communications.
  • API Integration: Connect and orchestrate multiple APIs to create custom integrations.

Resources​