# n8n — AI Workflow Automation Platform

> Visual workflow builder with 400+ integrations and native AI agent capabilities. Self-hostable, fair-code. 182K+ stars.

## Install

Copy the content below into your project:

# n8n — AI Workflow Automation Platform

## Quick Use

```bash
# Quick start with Docker
docker run -it --rm --name n8n -p 5678:5678 n8nio/n8n

# Or install globally
npm install -g n8n
n8n start
```

Open `http://localhost:5678` to access the visual workflow editor. Create your first AI workflow in minutes.

```bash
# Production Docker Compose
docker compose up -d  # using the official docker-compose.yml
```

## Introduction

n8n (pronounced "n-eight-n") is a **workflow automation platform with native AI agent capabilities**. It provides a visual canvas for building complex automations that connect hundreds of services, APIs, and AI models — all self-hostable and extensible.

Core capabilities:

- **Visual Workflow Builder** — Drag-and-drop canvas for connecting triggers, actions, and logic. No code required for most workflows, but JavaScript/Python available when needed
- **400+ Integrations** — Pre-built nodes for Slack, Gmail, GitHub, databases, CRMs, and hundreds more. Plus HTTP/webhook nodes for any API
- **AI Agent Nodes** — Native nodes for building AI agents with tool use, memory, and multi-step reasoning. Connects to OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, and more
- **RAG Pipelines** — Built-in vector store nodes (Pinecone, Qdrant, Supabase) for retrieval-augmented generation workflows
- **Code When Needed** — Write custom JavaScript or Python in any workflow step. Full access to npm packages
- **Self-Hosted** — Run on your own infrastructure with full data control. No vendor lock-in
- **Version Control** — Export workflows as JSON, store in git, import across environments

182,000+ GitHub stars. Used by 50,000+ companies for everything from data pipelines to customer support automation to AI-powered content workflows.

## FAQ

**Q: How is n8n different from Zapier or Make?**
A: n8n is self-hostable (your data stays on your servers), has a fair-code license (free for most uses), supports custom code in workflows, and has native AI agent capabilities. Zapier/Make are cloud-only SaaS with per-task pricing.

**Q: Can I build AI agents with n8n?**
A: Yes. n8n has dedicated AI agent nodes that support tool calling, memory (conversation and vector), and chains. You can build agents that use any of the 400+ integrations as tools.

**Q: Is it free?**
A: n8n uses a "fair-code" license — free to self-host for any size team. The cloud version has a free tier (limited executions) and paid plans. Enterprise features require a license.

**Q: How does it compare to Dify or Langflow?**
A: Dify and Langflow are AI-focused workflow builders. n8n is a general automation platform that also does AI. Choose n8n if you need broad integration coverage beyond AI (CRMs, databases, SaaS tools). Choose Dify/Langflow for pure AI app building.

## Works With

- OpenAI / Anthropic / Ollama / Google AI for LLM operations
- Pinecone / Qdrant / Supabase for vector storage
- 400+ pre-built service integrations
- PostgreSQL / MySQL / MongoDB for data storage
- Docker / Kubernetes for deployment
- Webhooks for triggering from any source

## Source & Thanks

- GitHub: [n8n-io/n8n](https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n)
- License: Sustainable Use License (fair-code, free to self-host)
- Stars: 182,000+
- Maintainer: n8n GmbH

Thanks to the n8n team for building the most versatile self-hosted automation platform, proving that powerful workflow automation doesn't require vendor lock-in or per-execution pricing.


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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/f256d674-c105-4cdf-aef3-5f13d415ac90
Author: AI Open Source