n8n

What is n8n?

n8n (pronounced "n-eight-n") is an open-source workflow automation platform. Like Zapier or Make, it connects your apps and automates repetitive tasks through a visual node-based editor. Unlike them, you can run it on your own server, meaning unlimited executions, zero data ownership concerns, and no usage-based billing.

The workflow editor is a visual canvas where you drag, drop, and connect nodes. Each node is a trigger, an action, or a data transformation. You wire them together with lines, configure each one, and run the whole chain automatically on a schedule or when an event fires.

n8n vs Zapier vs Make

n8n's self-hosted version is free with no task limits. This makes it the obvious choice if you run high-volume automations or need sensitive data to stay on your infrastructure.

The magic moment

Build a workflow that: (1) fires when a form is submitted, (2) passes the data to Claude via the AI node, (3) runs a JavaScript code block to parse the response, (4) writes results to a Google Sheet, and (5) sends a Slack notification. Run it. Pay nothing per execution. That combination of AI + code + integrations with no per-task fee is why developers love n8n.

Step-by-step setup

Option 1: Local with Docker (fastest start)

1. Install Docker from docker.com
2. Run n8n:

   docker run -it --rm --name n8n -p 5678:5678 n8nio/n8n
   

3. Open http://localhost:5678 in your browser
4. Create a local account (no email confirmation needed)

Option 2: Deploy to a VPS (permanent, recommended)

Popular options: Railway, Render, DigitalOcean, or Hetzner

1. Follow the official deployment guide for your chosen host
2. Set up environment variables (encryption key, timezone, etc.)
3. Configure your domain with SSL

Budget 1–2 hours for a first VPS deployment.

Building your first workflow

Once n8n is running:

1. Click New Workflow
2. Click + and search for a trigger. Try Schedule (runs on a timer) or Webhook (fires when called)
3. Click the + on the right edge of your trigger to add the next node (this is an "action")
4. Search for your app (Gmail, Slack, Airtable, etc.) and configure it
5. Continue adding nodes and connect them by dragging from one node's output to the next node's input
6. Add a Code node anywhere in the chain to run JavaScript that transforms data
7. Click Execute Workflow to test with real data
8. Click Activate to turn it on permanently

AI-native workflows

n8n has built-in AI agent capabilities. You can drop in a "Basic LLM Chain" or "AI Agent" node and connect it to OpenAI, Anthropic, or a local Ollama model. This enables workflows like:

• Customer email triage: receive email → Claude classifies intent → routes to the right Slack channel
• Content pipeline: daily schedule fires → scrape RSS feed → Claude summarises → post to Notion
• Data extraction: receive PDF webhook → extract text → Claude parses fields → write to database

These AI-integrated workflows are where n8n is significantly ahead of Zapier and Make.

Compare with Zapier and Make

Choose n8n if:

• You need unlimited executions without a growing bill
• You want to run custom JavaScript or Python inside workflows
• Data privacy or compliance prevents using third-party hosted services
• You're comfortable with Docker and basic server management

Choose Zapier if:

• You need the simplest possible setup and don't want to manage infrastructure
• You're under the free-tier limit (100 tasks/month)

Choose Make if:

• You want a visual builder with more power than Zapier but no server to manage
• You need complex data routing and transformation without writing code