n8n

n8n is an open source workflow automation tool that connects hundreds of services through a drag-and-drop interface. FlashPanel installs n8n as a standalone website and provides an n8n management page right in the dashboard.

Requirements

• The server must be on a paid plan. The n8n item shows a lock icon if the server has not been upgraded.
• A database for n8n: PostgreSQL (installed from the Apps page) or SQLite (no installation needed). FlashPanel installs Docker automatically if it is missing.
• A new website dedicated to n8n (for example n8n.domain.com). The website's existing source code will be overwritten.
• A free port for n8n. It must not be the Proxy Port of another website on the server and cannot be 80, 443 or 2022.

Installation

1. Create a new website, then click the website name in the list to open its management page.
2. We recommend installing SSL on the website first, so n8n uses an https:// webhook address from the start.
3. Click the Install Source Code menu, then click the n8n icon.
4. Enter the Port (default 5678). FlashPanel sets the website's Proxy Port to this port.
5. Select the Database: PostgreSQL (if installed) or SQLite.
6. Optional: add n8n environment variables in the Environment variables (.env) box, one VARIABLE_NAME=value per line.
7. Read the warning, check Yes, Do it!, then click Install n8n.

Follow the progress in the website's Events menu. When it finishes, open the website and create the owner account on n8n's first setup screen. An n8n item appears in the website menu.

Manage n8n

Click the website's n8n menu. The top of the page shows the running n8n version and these action buttons:

Button	Purpose
Restart n8n	Restarts n8n and refreshes the webhook address according to the current SSL status
Upgrade n8n	Only shown when a new version is available, with current version ▶ new version. Upgrades to the latest stable version
User management reset	Removes all n8n accounts, for when you forgot the password. Then open the website to create the owner account again
License clear	Clears the license and resets n8n to its default features
Disable 2FA/MFA	Select the account's Email and click Disable to turn off two-factor authentication for that account
LDAP Clear	Clears the LDAP connection settings for one user, one project or everything
License Info	Shows the n8n license information
Export	Exports n8n data, see Export data

Workflows

The Workflows tab lists workflows with their name, project, status, and created and updated times.

• Toggle the switch in the Status column to activate or deactivate a workflow.
• Click Bulk Actions and choose Active all workflow or Inactive all workflow.
• Click Import workflow to upload a .json or .zip file containing workflows.
• In the Action column, click the run button (Start workflow) to run the workflow or the download button (Export Workflow) to export just that workflow.

Credentials

The Credentials tab lists credentials with their name, project, type, and created and updated times.

• Click Import Credential to upload a .json or .zip file containing credentials.
• Click the download button on a row to export just that credential.

Export data

1. Click the Export button at the top of the n8n page.
2. Check All Workflows, All Credentials or both (the number in brackets is the current count).
3. Click Export.
4. When the export finishes, open the Export dialog again and click Download to save the file to your computer. The Export button shows a green badge once an export file exists.

Uninstall

DANGER

Uninstalling deletes all n8n data on the server. Export your data and download it before uninstalling.

1. Click the website's Home menu.
2. In the Danger Zone group, click Remove Code.
3. If you use PostgreSQL, Delete Database and Delete Database User are checked by default. Uncheck them to keep the database.
4. Check Restore default page? to delete the n8n configuration files and return the website to the default page.
5. Check Yes, Do it!, then click Remove Code.

Notes

• If you install SSL after n8n is installed, click Restart n8n so n8n switches its webhook address to https://.
• To add or change environment variables after installation, open the website's Home page, click the .env item in the Utilities group, save your changes, then click Restart n8n.
• n8n runs in Docker. Do not delete the n8n container or volume from the Docker page yourself, as this causes data loss.

Troubleshooting

"toomanyrequests" error during installation

Installing or upgrading n8n fails with:

Error response from daemon: toomanyrequests: You have reached your unauthenticated pull rate limit. https://www.docker.com/increase-rate-limit

Docker Hub limits how many images anonymous users can download from one IP address, and servers sharing an IP range often reach that limit. Log the server in to a free Docker Hub account so downloads count against your own account. The Solution section in the event details links to this section.

1. Create a Docker Hub account if you don't have one.

2. Open the server terminal as root (or connect via SSH as root) and run:

   docker login docker.n8n.io

   Enter your Docker Hub username and password (or a personal access token).

3. Install n8n again, or click Upgrade n8n again if the error happened during an upgrade.

Advanced: manual installation

This is only for users who need full control over n8n. A manually installed website does not get the n8n management page described above.

1. Install the Node.js and PM2 applications from the Apps page.

2. Create a website n8n.domain.com with Proxy Port set to 5678, then install SSL on it.

3. Open the server terminal, then install and start n8n (replace n8n.domain.com with your domain):

   npm -g install n8n
   WEBHOOK_URL=https://n8n.domain.com pm2 start n8n
   pm2 save

   If the website does not have SSL yet, use N8N_SECURE_COOKIE=false WEBHOOK_URL=http://n8n.domain.com pm2 start n8n instead of the second command.

4. Open https://n8n.domain.com to create your account. Manage the n8n process on the PM2 page.