n8n - Technical Overview

n8n is an open-source, fair-code workflow automation platform that combines AI capabilities with business process automation. It provides a visual, node-based interface for building workflows while offering the flexibility of code for technical teams.

High-Level Architecture

How It Works

Key Concepts

Nodes

Nodes are the fundamental building blocks of n8n workflows. Each node represents a specific action or operation:

Node Type	Purpose	Examples
Trigger Nodes	Start workflows based on events	Webhook, Schedule, Email received
Action Nodes	Perform operations	HTTP Request, Send Email, Database Query
Logic Nodes	Control flow	IF, Switch, Merge, Split
Code Nodes	Custom logic	JavaScript, Python
AI Nodes	LLM integration	OpenAI, LangChain, Embeddings

Workflows

A workflow is a directed graph of connected nodes that automates a process:

Stored as JSON definitions
Can be executed manually or automatically
Support branching, looping, and error handling
Can call sub-workflows for modularity

Execution Modes

Regular Mode: Single process executes workflows sequentially
Queue Mode: Distributed execution with Redis/BullMQ for horizontal scaling

Technical Architecture Details

Technology Stack

Database Structure

Workflows: JSON definitions of automation flows
Executions: Run history with input/output data
Credentials: Encrypted authentication tokens
Users: Authentication and RBAC data
Webhooks: Registered webhook endpoints

Queue Mode Components

Main Instance: Handles UI, API, webhooks, and scheduling
Workers: Process executions from the queue
Redis: Message broker for job queue (BullMQ)
PostgreSQL: Persistent storage for workflow state

Ecosystem

Key Facts (2025)

Platform Statistics

150,000+ GitHub stars (Top 50 most popular projects on GitHub)
200,000+ active users worldwide
3,000+ enterprise customers
400+ native integrations
5,000+ community nodes (growing ~13/day)
600+ AI workflow templates
4.9/5 rating on G2

Company & Funding

$60M funding raised in March 2025 (€55M)
$270M valuation (€250M)
75% of customers use AI tools
5X revenue growth after AI pivot in 2022
50%+ user base in the United States

Performance

220 executions/second on single instance
Supports horizontal scaling with queue mode
Self-hosted option for complete data control

Use Cases

Business Automation

Common Implementations

Use Case	Description	Time Saved
Lead Qualification	AI-qualify leads, sync CRM, trigger follow-ups	10x scaling
Document Processing	Extract data, classify, route to systems	200 hrs/month
Translation Workflows	Auto-translate with human review	50% faster
AI Agents	Multi-agent systems for complex tasks	Variable
Data Pipelines	ETL, sync between systems	Continuous

AI Agent Capabilities

Research Agents: Document analysis, web scraping, summarization
Writing Agents: Content generation, email drafting
Multi-Agent Systems: Coordinated specialized agents
RAG Pipelines: Vector database integration for knowledge retrieval
Human-in-the-Loop: Approval steps for AI decisions

n8n vs Alternatives

Feature	n8n	Zapier	Make
Self-Hosting	Yes	No	No
Open Source	Fair-code	No	No
Integrations	400+ native	7,000+	2,000+
Code Support	JS/Python	Limited	Limited
AI Native	LangChain, 70+ nodes	Basic	Moderate
Pricing	Free self-hosted	Task-based ($$)	Operation-based ($)
Learning Curve	Steeper	Easy	Medium
Data Control	Complete	None	Limited

Security Considerations

Authentication & Access Control

SSO/SAML/LDAP: Enterprise plan features
MFA: Multi-factor authentication support
RBAC: Role-based access control
API Keys: For programmatic access

Data Protection

Best Practices

Run behind reverse proxy with HTTPS
Hide editor behind VPN or IP allowlist
Use workflow-specific credentials (not global)
Enable external secrets manager integration
Regular security updates and patching
Network segmentation (VLAN/subnet isolation)
Audit log monitoring

Compliance

GDPR: Full compliance with self-hosted
HIPAA: Achievable with proper configuration
SOX: Supported with audit logging
Self-hosting enables custom compliance requirements

Deployment Options

n8n Cloud

Pros: Zero setup, automatic updates, managed infrastructure
Cons: Less customization, external data hosting, recurring costs
Pricing: Starting at $20/month for 2,500 executions

Self-Hosted

Pros: Full control, unlimited executions, complete customization
Cons: Requires DevOps expertise, infrastructure costs
Best For: Security-conscious orgs, high-volume workloads

Enterprise

Fully on-premise option
SSO, LDAP, advanced RBAC
Git version control for workflows
Multiple environments
Priority support

Getting Started

bash

# Docker (quickest start)
docker run -it --rm \
  -p 5678:5678 \
  n8nio/n8n

# Docker Compose (with PostgreSQL)
# See: https://docs.n8n.io/hosting/installation/docker/

# npm (development)
npm install n8n -g
n8n start

Key Environment Variables

bash

# Queue mode
EXECUTIONS_MODE=queue
QUEUE_BULL_REDIS_HOST=redis
QUEUE_BULL_REDIS_PORT=6379

# Database
DB_TYPE=postgresdb
DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=postgres
DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=n8n

# Security
N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY=your-encryption-key
N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true

Resources

Last updated: January 2025

n8n - Technical Overview ​

High-Level Architecture ​

How It Works ​

Key Concepts ​

Nodes ​

Workflows ​

Execution Modes ​

Technical Architecture Details ​

Technology Stack ​

Database Structure ​

Queue Mode Components ​

Ecosystem ​

Key Facts (2025) ​

Platform Statistics ​

Company & Funding ​

Performance ​

Use Cases ​

Business Automation ​

Common Implementations ​

AI Agent Capabilities ​

n8n vs Alternatives ​

Security Considerations ​

Authentication & Access Control ​

Data Protection ​

Best Practices ​

Compliance ​

Deployment Options ​

n8n Cloud ​

Self-Hosted ​

Enterprise ​

Getting Started ​

Key Environment Variables ​

Resources ​