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N8N Installation And Configuration

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N8N Installation And Configuration

Setting Up a Self-Hosted n8n Automation Server on Ubuntu

This document outlines the end-to-end process of deploying the n8n automation platform on a fresh Ubuntu Server virtual machine using Docker. It also includes optional steps for adding a graphical user interface (GUI) for remote management.

Operating System: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Server Edition)

Part 1: Server and Prerequisite Setup

This section covers the initial server preparation, the optional installation of a desktop environment, and the mandatory installation of the Docker Engine.

Step 1.1: Virtual Machine (VM) Provisioning

An Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Server environment was chosen. This is a command-line-only operating system, which is lightweight and secure, making it ideal for server applications.
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Step 1.2: (Optional) Installing a Graphical Desktop Environment

The server operates via command line by default. For users who prefer a graphical interface for management, a desktop environment can be installed.

Note: This is generally not recommended for a production server as it consumes more system resources (RAM, CPU) and can increase the system's security attack surface.

Install the Ubuntu Desktop (GNOME): This command installs the standard graphical interface.
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Bash

sudo apt update

sudo apt install ubuntu-desktop -y

Install a Remote Desktop Server (xrdp): To access the graphical desktop from another computer, a remote desktop protocol (RDP) server is required. xrdp is a common choice.
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Bash

sudo apt install xrdp -y

Allow RDP through the firewall (if enabled): If you are using ufw (Uncomplicated Firewall), you must allow traffic on the RDP port.
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Bash

sudo ufw allow 3389

After these steps, you can connect to your server's IP address using any standard Remote Desktop Client (like the one built into Windows).
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Step 1.3: System Update

Ensure all system packages are up to date.
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Bash

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 1.4: Docker Engine Installation

Install prerequisite packages: These are needed to allow apt to use repositories over HTTPS.
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Bash

sudo apt install ca-certificates curl gnupg

Add Docker's official GPG key: This verifies the authenticity of the Docker packages.
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Bash

sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

Set up the Docker repository: This tells the system where to download Docker from.
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Bash

echo \

"deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \

$(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME") stable" | \

sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

Install Docker Engine, CLI, and Compose:
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Bash

sudo apt update

sudo apt install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin -y

Allow non-root user to run Docker (Post-installation): Add your user to the docker group to avoid using sudo for every command.
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Bash

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

IMPORTANT: You must log out and log back in for this change to take effect.

Part 2: n8n Application Deployment with Docker Compose

This section details the deployment of the n8n application container.

Step 2.1: Create a Project Directory

Create and enter a dedicated directory to store n8n configuration and data.
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Bash

mkdir n8n-selfhosted

cd n8n-selfhosted

Step 2.2: Create the docker-compose.yml File

Using a text editor like nano, create the configuration file that defines the n8n service.
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Bash

nano docker-compose.yml

Step 2.3: Define the n8n Service

Paste the following configuration into the docker-compose.yml file. This setup ensures data is persisted in a Docker volume.
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YAML

version: '3.7'

services:

n8n:

image: n8nio/n8n:latest

restart: always

ports:

  - "5678:5678"

environment:

  - GENERIC_TIMEZONE=Asia/Kolkata

  - N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY='YOUR_SUPER_SECRET_KEY_HERE'

volumes:

  - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n

# Wait for container to be stopped before killing it

stop_grace_period: 1m
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volumes:

n8n_data:

Step 2.4: Customize Configuration

Timezone: The GENERIC_TIMEZONE was set to Asia/Kolkata to ensure scheduled workflows run at the correct local time.
Encryption Key: A unique and persistent N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY is critical for securing credentials. A key was generated using the command below and pasted into the 'YOUR_SUPER_SECRET_KEY_HERE' placeholder.
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Bash

Run this command to generate a key

openssl rand -base64 32

Step 2.5: Launch n8n

From within the n8n-selfhosted directory, start the n8n container in detached mode.
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Bash

docker compose up -d

Part 3: Final Setup and Verification

This section covers accessing the UI and completing the initial setup.

Step 3.1: Access the n8n Web Interface

The n8n instance is accessible via a web browser at:
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http://:5678

Step 3.2: Create the n8n Owner Account

Upon first access, the setup screen prompts for the creation of an owner (admin) account with a username, email, and password. This completes the installation.
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Part 4: First Workflow Creation (Beginner's Guide)

A simple workflow was created to learn the core concepts of n8n.

"Hello World" with the Set Node: A workflow was created with a Manual trigger and a Set node to create a static JSON object ({"message": "Hello..."}). This demonstrated the basic build-and-execute cycle.
Connecting to an API with the Weather Node:
    The Weather node was added to the workflow.
    A new credential was created for the OpenWeatherMap API by providing a free API key.
    The node was configured to fetch the current weather for "Bengaluru". This demonstrated connecting to external services and managing credentials.
Automating with the Cron Trigger:
    The Manual trigger was replaced with a Cron node.
    The schedule was set to run daily at a specific time (e.g., 9:00 AM).
    The workflow was activated using the toggle switch in the top-right, enabling it to run automatically in the background.
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Appendix: Common Management Commands

All commands should be run from the n8n-selfhosted directory.

Stop n8n: docker compose stop
Start n8n: docker compose start
View n8n logs: docker compose logs -f
Update n8n to the latest version:
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Bash

Pull the latest image from Docker Hub

docker compose pull

Recreate the container with the new image

docker compose up -d

Stop and remove the n8n container: docker compose down (Your data in the n8n_data volume will be p

reserved).
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Note: I am pretty new to the Ai, ML, Deep Learning stuff i am learning as i go.

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