n8n

Fair-code workflow automation platform with native AI capabilities — combine visual building with custom code and 400+ integrations.


Port	5678
Registry	`ghcr.io/daemonless/n8n`
Source	https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n
Website	https://n8n.io/

Version Tags

Tag	Description	Best For
`latest`	Upstream Binary. Built from official release.	Most users — recommended.

Prerequisites

Before deploying, ensure your host environment is ready. See the Quick Start Guide for host setup instructions.

Deployment

Podman Compose

Database. Where the app keeps its data. The default needs nothing else running.

SQLite (default)

A file in the app's config folder. Right for one person, nothing extra to run.

1. Save as .env and fill in what is empty:

2. Save as compose.yaml:

name: n8n

services:
  n8n:
    image: ghcr.io/daemonless/n8n:latest
    container_name: n8n
    restart: unless-stopped

    environment:
      - N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY=your-encryption-key-here
      # Set to false if accessing over HTTP without TLS
      #- N8N_SECURE_COOKIE=true
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=UTC
      - DB_TYPE=${DB_TYPE:-sqlite}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=${DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST:-}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=${DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT:-5432}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=${DB_POSTGRESDB_USER:-}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=${DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD:-}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=${DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE:-}

    volumes:
      - /path/to/containers/n8n:/config

    ports:
      - "5678:5678"

Then run podman-compose up -d.

PostgreSQL

One more container, its data in its own folder. For a household, or an app that wants it.

1. Save as .env and fill in what is empty:

# Database: PostgreSQL
DB_TYPE=postgresdb
DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=postgres
DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=5432
DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=n8n
DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=  # set one
DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=n8n
DATABASE_LOCATION=/containers/n8n/postgres

2. Save as compose.yaml:

name: n8n

services:
  n8n:
    depends_on: [postgres]
    image: ghcr.io/daemonless/n8n:latest
    container_name: n8n
    restart: unless-stopped

    environment:
      - N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY=your-encryption-key-here
      # Set to false if accessing over HTTP without TLS
      #- N8N_SECURE_COOKIE=true
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=UTC
      - DB_TYPE=${DB_TYPE:-sqlite}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=${DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST:-}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=${DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT:-5432}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=${DB_POSTGRESDB_USER:-}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=${DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD:-}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=${DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE:-}

    volumes:
      - /path/to/containers/n8n:/config

    ports:
      - "5678:5678"
  postgres:
    image: ghcr.io/daemonless/postgres:17
    restart: always
    annotations:
      org.freebsd.jail.allow.sysvipc: "true"
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_USER=${DB_POSTGRESDB_USER}
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD}
      - POSTGRES_DB=${DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE}
    volumes:
      - "${DATABASE_LOCATION}:/var/lib/postgresql/data"

Then run podman-compose up -d.

Your own

A database you already run, here or on another machine. Nothing extra runs; you give the address and the account.

1. Save as .env and fill in Kind, Host, Port, User, Password, Database:

# Database: Your own
DB_TYPE=  # Kind: postgresdb
DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=  # Host
DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=  # Port
DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=  # User
DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=  # Password
DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=  # Database

2. Save as compose.yaml:

name: n8n

services:
  n8n:
    image: ghcr.io/daemonless/n8n:latest
    container_name: n8n
    restart: unless-stopped

    environment:
      - N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY=your-encryption-key-here
      # Set to false if accessing over HTTP without TLS
      #- N8N_SECURE_COOKIE=true
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=UTC
      - DB_TYPE=${DB_TYPE:-sqlite}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=${DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST:-}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=${DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT:-5432}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=${DB_POSTGRESDB_USER:-}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=${DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD:-}
      - DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=${DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE:-}

    volumes:
      - /path/to/containers/n8n:/config

    ports:
      - "5678:5678"

Then run podman-compose up -d.

AppJail Director

SQLite (default)

.env:

# .env

DIRECTOR_PROJECT=n8n
N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY=your-encryption-key-here
PUID=1000
PGID=1000
TZ=UTC
DB_TYPE=sqlite
DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=
DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=5432
DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=
DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=<DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD>
DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=
N8N_SECURE_COOKIE=

appjail-director.yml:

# appjail-director.yml

options:
  - virtualnet: ':<random> default'
  - nat:
services:
  n8n:
    name: n8n
    options:
      - container: 'args:--pull'
      - expose: '5678:5678 proto:tcp'
    oci:
      user: root
      environment:
        - N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY: !ENV '${N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY}'
        - PUID: !ENV '${PUID}'
        - PGID: !ENV '${PGID}'
        - TZ: !ENV '${TZ}'
        - DB_TYPE: !ENV '${DB_TYPE}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_USER: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_USER}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE}'
        - N8N_SECURE_COOKIE: !ENV '${N8N_SECURE_COOKIE}'
    volumes:
      - n8n: /config
volumes:
  n8n:
    device: '/containers/n8n'

Makejail:

# Makejail

ARG tag=latest

OPTION container=boot
OPTION overwrite=force
OPTION from=ghcr.io/daemonless/n8n:${tag}

Save the files above, then run appjail-director up.

PostgreSQL

.env:

# .env

DIRECTOR_PROJECT=n8n
N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY=your-encryption-key-here
PUID=1000
PGID=1000
TZ=UTC
DB_TYPE=postgresdb
DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=n8n_postgres
DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=5432
DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=n8n
DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=
DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=n8n
N8N_SECURE_COOKIE=
DATABASE_LOCATION=/containers/n8n/postgres

appjail-director.yml:

# appjail-director.yml

options:
  - virtualnet: ':<random> default'
  - nat:
services:
  n8n:
    name: n8n
    options:
      - container: 'args:--pull'
      - expose: '5678:5678 proto:tcp'
    oci:
      user: root
      environment:
        - N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY: !ENV '${N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY}'
        - PUID: !ENV '${PUID}'
        - PGID: !ENV '${PGID}'
        - TZ: !ENV '${TZ}'
        - DB_TYPE: !ENV '${DB_TYPE}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_USER: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_USER}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE}'
        - N8N_SECURE_COOKIE: !ENV '${N8N_SECURE_COOKIE}'
    volumes:
      - n8n: /config
  n8n-postgres:
    name: n8n_postgres
    priority: 10
    options:
      - from: ghcr.io/daemonless/postgres:17
      - template: !ENV '${PWD}/postgres-template.conf'
    oci:
      environment:
        - POSTGRES_USER: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_USER}'
        - POSTGRES_PASSWORD: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD}'
        - POSTGRES_DB: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE}'
    volumes:
      - database: /var/lib/postgresql/data
volumes:
  n8n:
    device: '/containers/n8n'
  database:
    device: !ENV '${DATABASE_LOCATION}'

Makejail:

# Makejail

ARG tag=latest

OPTION container=boot
OPTION overwrite=force
OPTION from=ghcr.io/daemonless/n8n:${tag}

postgres-template.conf:

# The jail PostgreSQL runs in: SysV shared memory, which a jail does not
# get by default. ip4/ip6 are set here because the director's ip4_inherit
# option is a no-op in AppJail 5.5.0.

exec.start: "/bin/sh /etc/rc"
exec.stop: "/bin/sh /etc/rc.shutdown jail"
sysvmsg: new
sysvsem: new
sysvshm: new
mount.devfs
persist
ip4: inherit
ip6: inherit

Save the files above, then run appjail-director up.

Your own

.env:

# .env

DIRECTOR_PROJECT=n8n
N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY=your-encryption-key-here
PUID=1000
PGID=1000
TZ=UTC
DB_TYPE=
DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=
DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=
DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=
DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=
DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=
N8N_SECURE_COOKIE=

appjail-director.yml:

# appjail-director.yml

options:
  - virtualnet: ':<random> default'
  - nat:
services:
  n8n:
    name: n8n
    options:
      - container: 'args:--pull'
      - expose: '5678:5678 proto:tcp'
    oci:
      user: root
      environment:
        - N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY: !ENV '${N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY}'
        - PUID: !ENV '${PUID}'
        - PGID: !ENV '${PGID}'
        - TZ: !ENV '${TZ}'
        - DB_TYPE: !ENV '${DB_TYPE}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_USER: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_USER}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD}'
        - DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE: !ENV '${DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE}'
        - N8N_SECURE_COOKIE: !ENV '${N8N_SECURE_COOKIE}'
    volumes:
      - n8n: /config
volumes:
  n8n:
    device: '/containers/n8n'

Makejail:

# Makejail

ARG tag=latest

OPTION container=boot
OPTION overwrite=force
OPTION from=ghcr.io/daemonless/n8n:${tag}

Save the files above, then run appjail-director up.

Parameters

Environment Variables

Variable	Default	Description
`N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY`	`your-encryption-key-here`	Encryption key for credentials (keep safe!)
`PUID`	`1000`	User ID for the application process
`PGID`	`1000`	Group ID for the application process
`TZ`	`UTC`	Timezone for the container
`DB_TYPE`	`sqlite`	sqlite or postgresdb; set by the Database choice
`DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST`	``	PostgreSQL host (Database choice)
`DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT`	`5432`	PostgreSQL port (Database choice)
`DB_POSTGRESDB_USER`	``	PostgreSQL user (Database choice)
`DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD`	`<DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD>`	PostgreSQL password (Database choice)
`DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE`	``	PostgreSQL database name (Database choice)
`N8N_SECURE_COOKIE`	``	Set to false if accessing over HTTP without TLS

Volumes

Path	Description
`/config`	Configuration directory (database, workflows)

Ports

Port	Protocol	Description
`5678`	TCP	Web UI

Architectures: amd64 User: bsd (UID/GID via PUID/PGID, defaults to 1000:1000) Base: FreeBSD 15.1

Need help? Join our Discord community.

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
.daemonless		.daemonless
.github/workflows		.github/workflows
patches		patches
root/etc		root/etc
.gitignore		.gitignore
Containerfile		Containerfile
Containerfile.j2		Containerfile.j2
LICENSE		LICENSE
README.md		README.md
compose.yaml		compose.yaml
sbom.json		sbom.json

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n8n

Version Tags

Prerequisites

Deployment

Podman Compose

SQLite (default)

PostgreSQL

Your own

AppJail Director

SQLite (default)

PostgreSQL

Your own

Parameters

Environment Variables

Volumes

Ports

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n8n

Version Tags

Prerequisites

Deployment

Podman Compose

SQLite (default)

PostgreSQL

Your own

AppJail Director

SQLite (default)

PostgreSQL

Your own

Parameters

Environment Variables

Volumes

Ports

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