n8n (pronounced n-eight-n) is a source-available and fair-code licensed workflow automation tool designed to connect different applications and manipulate data with minimal to no code. It empowers users to build complex automations using a visual, node-based editor, offering immense flexibility by bridging the gap between simple low-code platforms and custom-coded solutions. Unlike many competitors, n8n provides the choice between a convenient cloud-hosted service and a self-hosted option, giving you complete control over your data, security, and costs. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about n8n.
What Really Sets n8n Apart?
So, you’ve heard of Zapier and Make. They’re great tools, and I’ve used them extensively. But eventually, you might hit a wall. You need more complex logic, custom error handling, or the ability to run a script that’s just not possible in a purely no-code environment. That’s precisely the gap n8n was built to fill.
At its heart, n8n’s philosophy is about flexibility and control. It doesn’t treat you like a user who needs to be shielded from the technical details. Instead, it assumes you’re smart and gives you the tools to build whatever you can imagine. Think of it like this: if other platforms give you a set of pre-built Lego models, n8n gives you a massive box of Lego Technic pieces. You can still build the simple models, but you can also build a fully functional, remote-controlled car if you want to.
This is most evident in its dual approach:
- Visual Drag-and-Drop: The primary interface is a beautiful canvas where you connect nodes (which represent apps or functions) to create a workflow. It’s intuitive and fast for building standard automations.
- Code on Demand: When you hit a limitation, you aren’t stuck. The Code Node is your escape hatch. You can drop in JavaScript or Python to transform data, make custom API calls, or implement logic that would be impossible otherwise. This is a game-changer.
The Big Decision: n8n Cloud vs. Self-Hosting
One of the first things to understand about n8n is that you have a fundamental choice in how you use it. This decision impacts cost, maintenance, and control.
| Feature | n8n Cloud | Self-Hosted (Community Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Setup & Maintenance | Fully managed by n8n. No setup required. | You host it on your own server (e.g., Docker, npm). Requires technical setup and updates. |
| Cost | Subscription-based (though with a very generous free tier and execution model). | Free software license. You only pay for your server costs (which can be as low as a few dollars a month). |
| Data Privacy & Control | Your data and credentials are on n8n’s secure servers. | You have 100% control. You can run it on-prem or even in an air-gapped environment. |
| OAuth & Credentials | Handled for you. Connecting to Google, Microsoft, etc., is a simple login process. | You often need to create your own OAuth client apps (and let’s be honest, setting this up in Google Cloud can be a pain). |
| Custom Packages | Limited to the built-in nodes. | You can install external npm or Python libraries to use within your Code nodes for ultimate power. |
In my experience, startups and developers often lean towards self-hosting for the cost savings and control. Larger organizations or those less technically inclined might prefer the Cloud version for its convenience.
A Real-World n8n Automation Example
Let’s make this tangible. Imagine you want to automate your company’s customer feedback loop. New reviews are posted to a public platform, and you need to process them efficiently.
Here’s how you could build this in n8n:
-
The Trigger: You’d start with a Webhook Node or an RSS Feed Trigger Node. The review platform sends data to your webhook every time a new review is posted.
-
AI Analysis: The review text is passed to an OpenAI Node. You provide a prompt like:
Analyze the following customer review. Extract the sentiment (Positive, Negative, or Neutral), summarize the key feedback points in three bullets, and categorize the feedback into one of these categories: UI/UX, Pricing, Customer Support, or Feature Request. -
Branching Logic: Now, an IF Node takes over. It looks at the sentiment extracted by the AI.
- If
sentimentis “Negative”: The workflow sends a notification to a specific Slack channel for the customer support team and simultaneously creates a high-priority ticket in Jira with the summary and category from the AI. - If
sentimentis “Positive”: The workflow adds the review and summary to a testimonial database in Airtable or Google Sheets.
- If
-
Consolidation: You can even have the branches merge back together at the end to log every processed review in a central database, regardless of sentiment.
This single workflow demonstrates n8n’s power: connecting disparate services (your review platform, AI, Slack, Jira, Airtable) and using complex conditional logic to perform different actions based on the data. Trying to build this in a simpler tool would be far more difficult, if not impossible.
Who is n8n Built For?
While anyone can use n8n, it truly shines for a few key groups:
- Developers & Technical Teams: They appreciate the source-available nature, the ability to write code, and the powerful debugging tools that let you inspect data at every step.
- IT & Security Professionals: The self-hosting option is a massive win for maintaining data sovereignty and meeting strict security compliance standards.
- Automation Power Users: If you’re the kind of person who has pushed other tools to their limits and needs more robust branching, merging, and error-handling capabilities, n8n will feel like a breath of fresh air.
- SaaS Founders & Bootstrappers: The ability to prototype and run a powerful backend for free on the Community Edition is invaluable when you’re just starting out.
Ultimately, n8n is more than just an automation tool; it’s a flexible framework for building system integrations. It respects your intelligence and gives you the freedom to build robust, scalable, and custom solutions to your most complex problems. If you’re ready to move beyond the basics, you should absolutely give n8n a try.
