DEV Community: Abdelmjid Saber

Deploying n8n on Laravel Forge with PM2 and Nginx (Zero-Downtime)

Abdelmjid Saber — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:00:34 +0000

n8n is one of the most powerful open-source workflow automation tools out there. It's a fantastic fit for developers building SaaS products, monitoring systems, or internal tooling who need to automate their operations without paying per-execution fees.

The catch? Laravel Forge is designed primarily for PHP and Laravel applications. But thanks to its flexibility, you can absolutely run a complex Node.js app like n8n on it — with zero-downtime deploys — as long as you know how to wire the pieces together.

This guide walks through the exact, battle-tested steps to run n8n from source on a Forge server. More importantly, it explains why each piece is needed, so you can adapt it instead of just copy-pasting. Along the way we'll fix the three problems that trip most people up:

EACCES permission errors from pnpm during install/build
The infamous PM2 crash loop when PM2 is used as a wrapper
502 / 403 errors caused by missing WebSocket support in Nginx

Let's get into it.

Step 1 — Create the Site on Forge

In the Laravel Forge dashboard, create a New Site.
Set the project type to Static HTML. We choose Static HTML because we are not using the PHP-FPM stack — the app is managed entirely by PM2. Picking a PHP project type would just add moving parts we don't need.
Once the site is created, connect it to the n8n GitHub repository so Forge can pull the source on every deploy.

Step 2 — The Deploy Script

This is where most of the magic (and most of the pain) lives. Two problems show up when building n8n from source on Forge:

pnpm permission errors (EACCES) during install and build.
A PM2 crash loop when PM2 tries to run n8n through a wrapper instead of invoking Node directly.

The fix for the first is to run package commands through npx, which avoids needing root-level permissions. The fix for the second is to point PM2 at node directly and pass the n8n entry point as an argument.

Head to your site's Deploy Script in Forge and paste the following (again, swap in your real username and yourdomain.com):

$CREATE_RELEASE()

cd $FORGE_RELEASE_DIRECTORY

# 1. Use npx to sidestep root permission issues while installing packages
npx --yes pnpm install

# 2. Build the source
npx --yes pnpm build

# 3. Link the shared environment file into the release
if [ -f ../../.env ]; then
    ln -nfs ../../.env .env
fi

# 4. Persist n8n data (SQLite database + workflow files) so it survives every deploy
mkdir -p ../../n8n_data
ln -nfs ../../n8n_data n8n_data

$ACTIVATE_RELEASE()

# 5. Write the PM2 process config
# We use "node" as the script and pass the n8n path in "args".
# This avoids the "missing module" crash loop that happens when PM2 wraps n8n.
mkdir -p /home/username/.pm2-conf
cat <<'EOF' > /home/username/.pm2-conf/n8n.json
{
    "name": "n8n-server",
    "cwd": "/home/username/yourdomain.com/current",
    "script": "node",
    "args": "./packages/cli/bin/n8n",
    "instances": 1,
    "exec_mode": "fork",
    "env": {
        "N8N_USER_FOLDER": "/home/username/yourdomain.com/n8n_data",
        "PORT": 5678
    }
}
EOF

# 6. Start the platform, or reload it if it's already running
pm2 start /home/username/.pm2-conf/n8n.json || pm2 reload n8n-server --update-env
pm2 save

Step 3 — Nginx Configuration (the WebSocket Secret)

The n8n UI is live — it streams execution progress to your browser in real time. That relies on WebSockets. If Nginx isn't configured to upgrade the connection and keep it open, you'll hit 502 or 403 errors and the UI will feel broken.

In Forge, open your site's Edit Nginx Configuration and replace the existing location / block with this:

location / {
    proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:5678;
    proxy_http_version 1.1;

    # WebSocket support so the live n8n UI works smoothly
    proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
    proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;

    # Pass the real client IP through to Node.js
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
}

The Upgrade and Connection 'upgrade' headers are what turn a plain HTTP proxy into one that can carry a WebSocket connection. The X-Forwarded-* headers make sure n8n sees the real visitor IP and correct protocol instead of 127.0.0.1.

Step 4 — Environment Variables

From the site's Environment panel in Forge, add these variables so webhooks resolve correctly and n8n knows its public base URL:

WEBHOOK_URL=https://yourdomain.com/
N8N_HOST=yourdomain.com
N8N_PROTOCOL=https
VUE_APP_URL_BASE_API=https://yourdomain.com/

WEBHOOK_URL is especially important: without it, any webhook nodes you build will generate URLs pointing at the wrong host, and external services won't be able to reach them.

Note: n8n's environment variables evolve between versions. If a variable above doesn't behave as expected on your version, check the current n8n configuration docs for the up-to-date equivalent.

Deploy 🎉

Hit Deploy Now.

Once the script finishes, n8n will be running efficiently, kept alive and restart-safe by PM2, and secured behind Nginx on your Forge server.

If this helped you get n8n running, drop a comment with your setup — and if you scaled to PostgreSQL or added a worker/queue setup, I'd love to hear how it went.

LaraOwl -The Open-Source, Self-Hosted Monitoring Platform for Laravel

Abdelmjid Saber — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:11:36 +0000

If you are a Laravel developer, you know how crucial it is to monitor your production applications. However, most commercial application performance monitoring tools can quickly become expensive, and sending sensitive telemetry data to third-party servers might not align with your privacy requirements.

That is why I created LaraOwl—an open-source, self-hosted monitoring platform designed specifically for Laravel. Think of it as your own private APM suite.

What is LaraOwl? 🦉

LaraOwl is a self-hosted monitoring server that collects telemetry from all your Laravel apps. Instead of paying for a hosted service, you deploy the LaraOwl server on your own infrastructure (such as Laravel Cloud or VPS) and pull in a lightweight client package on the apps you want to monitor.

LaraOwl is licensed under Apache 2.0, making it 100% open-source and free to customize.

Key Features

Deep Telemetry & Performance Monitoring

Once you install the laraowl/client package, LaraOwl hooks into the request lifecycle to automatically record:

HTTP Requests: Method, path, status codes, request duration, and response sizes.
Exceptions & Errors: Automatically grouped with full stack traces, making it easy to track and mark them as resolved.
Database Queries: Built-in slow query detection and N+1 query identification to help optimize database performance.
Jobs & Queue Activity: Processing status, duration, and job failures.
User Tracking: Request history and activity aggregated per-user.

Note: Telemetry is sent asynchronously via Laravel's queue system, keeping it completely off your requests' critical path.

Built-in WAF Analysis & Cloudflare Integration

LaraOwl does more than track performance. It inspects incoming traffic for common security threats, flagging SQL injection (SQLi), cross-site scripting (XSS), and path traversal attempts.

Additionally, it integrates directly with the Cloudflare API, allowing you to block malicious IPs and manage firewall rules right from the LaraOwl dashboard.

Real-Time Dashboard & Multi-Channel Alerts

The dashboard is powered by WebSockets via Laravel Reverb, showing charts and logs updating live as requests and exceptions hit your application.

When something goes wrong, LaraOwl supports uptime & heartbeat monitors and can immediately notify you through:

Slack
Discord
Telegram
Email
Custom Webhooks

Getting Started in 5 Minutes``

Setting up LaraOwl is extremely straightforward.

1. Setup the LaraOwl Server

The server is a standard Laravel application. Create the project using Composer, configure your .env, and compile the assets:

`bash

Create the project

composer create-project laraowl/laraowl laraowl
cd laraowl

Install dependencies and build assets

npm install
cp .env.example .env
php artisan key:generate
php artisan migrate
npm run build
`

To run the server, ensure you start the three supporting processes in the background (or via a process manager like Supervisor):

`bash

Process queue ingestion

php artisan queue:work

Start WebSockets server

php artisan reverb:start

Run scheduled health and uptime checks

php artisan schedule:work
`

2. Connect Your Monitored Applications

In any Laravel app you want to monitor, pull in the client package and run the installer:

`bash composer require laraowl/client php artisan laraowl:install `

Follow the prompts to configure your API endpoint and token, and you are ready to monitor!

Technical Requirements

PHP 8.3+
Node.js 18+
MySQL 8.0+ or PostgreSQL

Join the Project! 🤝

LaraOwl is fully open-source and actively maintained. I would love to hear your feedback, bug reports, or feature suggestions.

⭐ Star/Fork the project on GitHub
📖 Read the full documentation on our repo.

Filament WhatsApp Notifications

Abdelmjid Saber — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 11:58:02 +0000

In today's fast-paced digital world, staying connected with your audience is crucial. WhatsApp notifications have emerged as a powerful tool for real-time communication, enabling businesses to engage with customers instantly. Filament, combined with the ZeroMsg Laravel package, offers an efficient way to manage these notifications seamlessly. This article will guide you through the process of setting up and utilizing Filament WhatsApp notifications using ZeroMsg.

What is ZeroMsg?

ZeroMsg is a versatile messaging platform that integrates with Laravel to provide a fluent interface for sending various types of messages, including text, image, voice, media, list messages, link previews, and locations. It simplifies the process of sending WhatsApp notifications, making it easier for developers to implement advanced messaging features in their applications.

Setting Up ZeroMsg with Laravel

Installation Steps

To get started with ZeroMsg, you need to install the package in your Laravel project. The installation process is straightforward and involves using Composer to require the package.

Configuration Requirements

Before you can start sending messages, you'll need to configure ZeroMsg with your API key and Device ID. These credentials are essential for authenticating your requests to the ZeroMsg API.

Installing the ZeroMsg Package

First, open your terminal and run the following Composer command:

composer require megoxv/zeromsg

This command will download and install the ZeroMsg package into your Laravel project.

Configuring ZeroMsg in Laravel

After installing the package, you need to add your ZeroMsg API key and Device ID to the .env file of your Laravel project. This step is crucial for establishing a connection with the ZeroMsg API.

ZEROMSG_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
ZEROMSG_DEVICE_ID=your_device_id_here

Basic Usage of ZeroMsg

To use the ZeroMsg package, you need to include the ZeroMsg facade in your Laravel project. Here is a basic example of sending a simple text message:

use Megoxv\ZeroMsg\Facades\ZeroMsg;

ZeroMsg::create()
    ->message('Hello, this is a test message')
    ->to('34676010101')
    ->send();

Advanced Message Types

Sending an Image

Sending images via WhatsApp can enhance your communication by providing visual context. Here’s how you can send an image using ZeroMsg:

use Megoxv\ZeroMsg\Facades\ZeroMsg;

ZeroMsg::create()
    ->message('Check out this image!')
    ->image('https://example.com/image.jpg', 'image.jpg')
    ->to('34676010101')
    ->send();

Sending a Voice Message

Voice messages add a personal touch to your communication. ZeroMsg makes it easy to send voice messages:

use Megoxv\ZeroMsg\Facades\ZeroMsg;

ZeroMsg::create()
    ->voice('https://example.com/voice.mp3')
    ->to('34676010101')
    ->send();

Sending a Media Message

You can also send various media files using ZeroMsg. Here’s an example of sending a media file:

use Megoxv\ZeroMsg\Facades\ZeroMsg;

ZeroMsg::create()
    ->message('Check out this media file!')
    ->media('https://example.com/media.mp4', 'media.mp4')
    ->to('34676010101')
    ->send();

Interactive Messages with ZeroMsg

Creating and Sending a List Message

List messages can provide a structured way to present options to the recipient. Here’s how you can create and send a list message:

use Megoxv\ZeroMsg\Facades\ZeroMsg;

ZeroMsg::create()
    ->message('Check out this list!')
    ->listMessage(
        'Options',
        'Select',
        [
            [
                'title' => 'Section 1',
                'value' => 'option1',
                'description' => 'First option'
            ],
            [
                'title' => 'Section 2',
                'value' => 'option2',
                'description' => 'Second option'
            ]
        ]
    )
    ->to('34676010101')
    ->send();

Crafting a Link Preview

Link previews can make your messages more engaging by providing a snapshot of the linked content. Here’s an example:

use Megoxv\ZeroMsg\Facades\ZeroMsg;

ZeroMsg::create()
    ->message('Check out this link!')
    ->linkPreview('https://zeromsg.com')
    ->to('34676010101')
    ->send();

Location-Based Messaging

Sending a Location Message

Location messages are useful for sharing your current location or directing someone to a specific place. Here’s how to send a location message:

use Megoxv\ZeroMsg\Facades\ZeroMsg;

ZeroMsg::create()
    ->location('37.7749', '-122.4194', 'San Francisco', 'California, USA')
    ->to('34676010101')
    ->send();

Practical Use Cases

Location-based messages are particularly useful for businesses in logistics, delivery services, or any scenario where precise location sharing is essential.

Publishing Assets

To customize the ZeroMsg package, you can publish its configuration file using the following Artisan command:

php artisan vendor:publish --tag="zeromsg-config"

This command will publish the configuration file, allowing you to modify settings as needed.

Benefits of Using ZeroMsg

Using ZeroMsg for WhatsApp notifications offers several advantages:

Enhanced Communication: Reach your audience instantly with personalized messages.
Real-Time Engagement: Engage with customers in real time, improving satisfaction and loyalty.
Versatile Messaging: Send a variety of message types, including text, images, voice, and more.

Filament and Its Role

Introduction to Filament

Filament is a powerful tool that simplifies the process of creating admin panels in Laravel applications. It provides a user-friendly interface and integrates seamlessly with various packages, including ZeroMsg.

Integrating Filament with ZeroMsg

By integrating Filament with ZeroMsg, you can manage WhatsApp notifications directly from your admin panel, streamlining your communication processes.

Use Cases of Filament WhatsApp Notifications

Business Communications

Businesses can use WhatsApp notifications to send updates, reminders, and important information to customers.

Customer Support

Enhance your customer support by providing real-time assistance and updates through WhatsApp.

Marketing Campaigns

WhatsApp notifications are an effective way to promote products, share offers, and engage with your audience during marketing campaigns.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Troubleshooting Installation Issues

If you encounter issues during installation, ensure that your Composer dependencies are up to date and that your API key and Device ID are correctly configured.

Handling API Errors

If you receive API errors, check the ZeroMsg documentation for troubleshooting tips and ensure that your API requests are correctly formatted.

Conclusion

In conclusion, integrating Filament with ZeroMsg for WhatsApp notifications provides a robust solution for real-time communication. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can enhance your Laravel application's messaging capabilities and engage with your audience more effectively.

How to Send WhatsApp Notifications in Laravel 11

Abdelmjid Saber — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 11:51:42 +0000

In today's fast-paced digital world, keeping your users informed in real-time is crucial. WhatsApp notifications have become a vital tool for businesses to engage with their customers instantly. Whether it's updating an order status, sending promotional messages, or alerting users about important events, automated notifications can enhance user experience and boost engagement.

ZeroMsg is a powerful API that simplifies sending WhatsApp notifications from your Laravel applications. This article will guide you through the steps to integrate ZeroMsg with your Laravel project, from installation to sending various types of messages.

Setting Up Your Laravel Project

Before diving into ZeroMsg, ensure you have a Laravel project set up. If you don't have one yet, you can create a new Laravel project by running:

composer create-project laravel/laravel whatsapp-notifications

Make sure you have PHP and Composer installed on your machine. Follow the Laravel installation guide if you need more detailed instructions.

Installing ZeroMsg

The first step to using ZeroMsg in your Laravel project is to install the package via Composer. Open your terminal and run the following command:

composer require megoxv/zeromsg

After the installation is complete, you should see ZeroMsg listed in your composer.json file.

Configuring ZeroMsg

Next, you need to configure ZeroMsg with your API key and device ID. Add the following lines to your .env file:

ZEROMSG_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
ZEROMSG_DEVICE_ID=your_device_id_here

These credentials are essential for authenticating your requests to the ZeroMsg API. Make sure to keep these values secure and never expose them in your source code.

Sending a Simple Text Message

Sending a text message with ZeroMsg is straightforward. Here's a basic example:

use Megoxv\ZeroMsg\Facades\ZeroMsg;

ZeroMsg::create()
    ->message('Hello, this is a test message')
    ->to('34676010101')
    ->send();

In this example, replace 34676010101 with the recipient's phone number. The message method sets the content of the message, and the to method specifies the recipient.

Sending Media Messages

ZeroMsg supports sending various types of media messages. Let's start with images:

use Megoxv\ZeroMsg\Facades\ZeroMsg;

ZeroMsg::create()
    ->message('Check out this image!')
    ->image('https://example.com/image.jpg', 'image.jpg')
    ->to('34676010101')
    ->send();

For voice messages, you can use the voice method:

use Megoxv\ZeroMsg\Facades\ZeroMsg;

ZeroMsg::create()
    ->voice('https://example.com/voice.mp3')
    ->to('34676010101')
    ->send();

Similarly, you can send other media types like videos and documents using the media method.

Advanced Messaging Features

ZeroMsg also offers advanced messaging features such as list messages, link previews, and location data.

To send a list message:

use Megoxv\ZeroMsg\Facades\ZeroMsg;

ZeroMsg::create()
    ->message('Check out this list!')
    ->listMessage(
        'Options',
        'Select',
        [
            [
                'title' => 'Section 1',
                'value' => 'option1',
                'description' => 'First option'
            ],
            [
                'title' => 'Section 2',
                'value' => 'option2',
                'description' => 'Second option'
            ]
        ]
    )
    ->to('34676010101')
    ->send();

To send a link preview:

use Megoxv\ZeroMsg\Facades\ZeroMsg;

ZeroMsg::create()
    ->message('Check out this link!')
    ->linkPreview('https://zeromsg.com')
    ->to('34676010101')
    ->send();

To send location data:

use Megoxv\ZeroMsg\Facades\ZeroMsg;

ZeroMsg::create()
    ->location('37.7749', '-122.4194', 'San Francisco', 'California, USA')
    ->to('34676010101')
    ->send();

Deploying Your Application

Before deploying your Laravel application, make sure it’s production-ready. This includes optimizing performance, securing your environment variables, and ensuring reliable message delivery. Use Laravel’s deployment tools and practices to streamline this process.

Case Studies and Use Cases

WhatsApp notifications can be used in various scenarios, from e-commerce order updates to appointment reminders. For example, an e-commerce store can use ZeroMsg to send order confirmations and shipping updates, enhancing customer satisfaction.

Performance Optimization

For high-volume messaging, performance optimization is key. Ensure your server can handle multiple requests, and consider using Laravel queues for sending messages asynchronously.

Future of WhatsApp Notifications

As messaging technology evolves, new features and enhancements are continually being introduced. ZeroMsg is committed to staying at the forefront of these changes, providing developers with the tools they need to build robust messaging applications.

VisionGPT - Analyze your image in seconds with AI

Abdelmjid Saber — Fri, 24 May 2024 08:29:13 +0000

I'm excited to announce the launch of my new project: VisionGPT - a SaaS platform that leverages the power of AI to analyze your images in seconds! 🚀

What is VisionGPT?

VisionGPT is designed to transform your visual data into actionable insights instantly. Whether you need to identify objects, extract text, or recognize faces, VisionGPT delivers accurate and fast results, making it a valuable tool for various applications.

Key Features:

Object Detection: Quickly identify and label objects within your images.
Text Extraction: Extract and process text from images with high precision.
Face Recognition: Recognize and analyze faces effortlessly.
Fast and Accurate: Experience rapid processing with high accuracy.

Get Started:

Website: https://visiongpt.vercel.app

GitHub: https://github.com/megoxv/visionGPT

VisionGPT is open source, and I welcome contributions from the community. Whether you're a developer looking to enhance the project or a user with feedback, your input is invaluable.

Check it out and let me know what you think!