DEV Community: Hisham Kherbouch

Ditching Doomscrolling for Daily Briefs!

Hisham Kherbouch — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:24:52 +0000

Hey everyone! So, college life, right? Between classes, studying, trying to have a social life, and maybe even attempting to cook something that isn't ramen, it feels like there's zero time to actually know what's going on in the world. I used to feel so out of the loop, scrolling endlessly through social media feeds only to get more confused or just plain depressed. But guess what? I found a game-changer!

My Secret Weapon Against Info Overload

Seriously, before this, I'd either spend too much time trying to catch up on current events or just totally give up. And let's be real, staying informed is super important, especially when you're trying to sound smart in discussion sections (or just, you know, be a functional adult). That's why I cooked up something pretty neat: an automated workflow that delivers a daily news brief right to me.

The Magic Behind the Daily Digest

It's not rocket science, but it feels like it sometimes! Basically, I've set up a system that taps into a bunch of the most reputable news journals out there. Think the big names, the ones actual professors recommend. Instead of me having to go to each site, sift through articles, and try to piece together what's important, my workflow does all the heavy lifting. Every single morning, like clockwork, it compiles the top headlines and key summaries from these sources and gives me a concise, daily brief. It's like having a personal news assistant!

Why This Is a Game-Changer for Students

Honestly, this workflow has been a lifesaver. I get to start my day knowing what's happening globally without having to sacrifice precious study time or sleep. I'm not drowning in clickbait or biased opinion pieces; I'm getting curated info from reliable sources. It's awesome for staying sharp, prepping for discussions, or just feeling more connected. No more FOMO about global events! Plus, it's super efficient – a quick read, and I'm good to go.

Final Thoughts: Stay Smart, Not Stressed!

If you're like me and want to stay informed without the stress and time sink of traditional news consumption, finding smart ways to automate your info intake is the way to go. This daily brief has made a huge difference for me, helping me feel more aware and less overwhelmed. Definitely something to think about for leveling up your own information game this semester!

Ditching the Laptop: My N8N Cloud Automation Adventure!

Hisham Kherbouch — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 07:19:37 +0000

Hey everyone! So, picture this: you've got these awesome automation workflows running with n8n, doing cool stuff like posting updates or organizing your files. But then you close your laptop, and poof! Everything stops. Major bummer, right? I totally ran into this, and I was like, "There has to be a better way!" Good news: there is! I'm going to tell you how I got my n8n workflows running 24/7, totally independent of my laptop, using some cloud magic.

What's N8N and Why Does it Need a Cloud Vacation?

First off, if you haven't heard of n8n, it's this super cool open-source tool that lets you connect different apps and automate tasks visually. Think of it like a personal digital assistant you program yourself. It's incredibly powerful for building custom workflows without coding. The usual setup involves running it right on your computer. That's fine for testing, but if you want something reliable that's always on – like a scheduled task or an API webhook that needs to respond instantly – having your laptop on all the time just isn't practical (or energy-efficient!).

Cloud Power: EC2 & Docker to the Rescue!

This is where the cloud comes in! I used Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2, which is basically like renting a virtual computer from Amazon that lives on the internet. Your laptop can be off, but your EC2 "computer" is still running and doing its thing!

Then there's Docker. Imagine Docker as a super neat little box that perfectly packages your n8n software and all its dependencies. This makes it incredibly easy to install and run n8n reliably on that EC2 instance. You just tell Docker to run n8n, and it handles all the complicated setup. So, instead of n8n running on my machine, it's running on Amazon's powerful cloud machine inside its own little Docker container. Pretty slick, right? This means my automations are always alive, ready to execute whenever they're triggered.

Making it Official: Giving it a Custom Domain

Having n8n running on some random IP address (like a string of numbers) is fine, but it's not very user-friendly or memorable. That's where a custom domain comes in! I got a domain name – something easy to remember, like myworkflows.tech (just an example!) – and pointed it to my EC2 instance. This makes accessing my n8n dashboard way easier and gives it a more professional feel. It's like giving your cloud-hosted n8n its own fancy address on the web! Plus, it opens the door to easily adding HTTPS (the little lock icon) for secure connections.

Mission Accomplished: Always-On Automation!

So there you have it! Getting n8n off my laptop and onto the cloud with EC2, Docker, and a custom domain has been a total game-changer. Now, my automations are truly "set it and forget it." I don't have to worry about my laptop going to sleep, losing internet, or anything like that. My workflows are just out there, living their best life on the internet, doing their job 24/7. If you're into automation, seriously consider giving your n8n instance a cloud home. It's super empowering!

Level Up Your Life: Automating with n8n & Docker (No Brainer!)

Hisham Kherbouch — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:10:20 +0000

Hey everyone! So, college is wild, right? Between classes, social life, and trying to remember what day it is, anything that saves time is a lifesaver. I just stumbled upon this super cool combo: n8n and Docker! It sounds techy, but trust me, it's like having your own personal robot to handle boring tasks. Let's dive in!

What Even Is n8n? (And Docker, Too!)

Okay, first things first: What are these mysterious tools? n8n (pronounced 'n-eight-n') is like if Zapier or IFTTT had a baby with open-source magic. You build automations visually – 'if this happens, do that.' Think "when my professor emails about grades, add it to my 'stress out' calendar." It's super powerful because you host it yourself, giving you total control and privacy.

And Docker? It's like a magical box for apps. Instead of installing a million different things on your computer and hoping they don't break each other, Docker puts your app and all its needs into one neat, isolated package. This means n8n runs perfectly every time, no matter what crazy stuff is on your laptop. Super stable, super simple.

Let's Get This Party Started: Docker Compose!

Now for the fun part: running n8n with Docker! The easiest way is using something called docker-compose. It's basically a recipe for Docker. You just create a small file called docker-compose.yml (I know, another file!) that tells Docker: "Hey, grab the n8n software, keep it running all the time, make it accessible on port 5678 (that's how we'll open it in our browser!), and, super importantly, save all my cool automation workflows in a special folder so I don't lose them when my laptop inevitably crashes." It's like setting up a fancy Lego kit with instructions.

Firing It Up and What Next?

Once you have that docker-compose.yml file in a folder, you just open your terminal (yeah, the black screen thingy) in that same folder and type docker-compose up -d. That -d means 'run it in the background' so you can go back to scrolling TikTok while n8n gets ready.

Then, boom! Open your browser to http://localhost:5678 and n8n is waiting for you! You can start building automations for anything from organizing your notes, tracking your assignments, or even getting alerts when your favorite pizza place has a deal.

Go Forth and Automate!

So there you have it! Setting up n8n with Docker might sound intimidating at first, but it's totally doable and a game-changer for reclaiming your time. You get full control, privacy, and learn some awesome tech skills along the way. Dive in, experiment, and make your college life a little bit easier!