Self-hosted n8n for workflows and AI agents
Connect your apps, APIs and databases, add AI agents with tools and memory, and run your workflows on a server you control. The Community Edition runs on a HyperDC server with full root access, preinstalled with Docker Compose and PostgreSQL as an app option, or set up with our guide.
- Community Edition on a server with full root access
- AI agents with tools, memory and MCP
- PostgreSQL and queue mode with workers when you grow
- Webhooks on your own domain with HTTPS
- Stack
- Node.js, n8n 2.x, Docker Compose
- Default portOnly the n8n port should be open; the task broker and the sandbox runner stay inside the Docker network.
- 5678
- Minimumn8n’s Docker Compose guide asks for at least 4 GB and 2 vCPU because the sandbox that runs AI-generated code uses Docker-in-Docker.
- 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM (Docker Compose)
- Your data
- PostgreSQL (SQLite by default)
- Official docs
- docs.n8n.io
Editions and features
- Community Edition
- Registered Community
- AI agents
- MCP
- Queue mode
- Webhooks
- Code nodes
- PostgreSQL
Facts from the project’s official website, documentation and repository, checked in October 2026.
Plans are being prepared
We are preparing ready-to-use plans for n8n. Tell us how you will use it and how many users you expect, and we will reply with a server that fits. You can also start today on a Linux VPS and install it with our guide.
Which server size fits?
Starting points for vCPU, memory and disk. Grow the server when your data and users grow.
| Feature |
Starter
Personal and team workflows
|
Recommended Business
Busy webhooks and AI agents
|
Scale
Queue mode with several workers
|
|---|---|---|---|
| vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server. | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system. | 4 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| DiskExecution history, binary data and the database. | 40 GB | 80 GB | 160 GB+ |
| Setup | n8n with PostgreSQL | n8n, PostgreSQL, larger history | Main, workers, Redis, PostgreSQL |
| Server type | Linux VPS | VPS or VDS | VDS or dedicated |
-
Starter
Personal and team workflows
- vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server.
- 2
- MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system.
- 4 GB
- DiskExecution history, binary data and the database.
- 40 GB
- Setup
- n8n with PostgreSQL
- Server type
- Linux VPS
-
Recommended
Business
Busy webhooks and AI agents
- vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server.
- 4
- MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system.
- 8 GB
- DiskExecution history, binary data and the database.
- 80 GB
- Setup
- n8n, PostgreSQL, larger history
- Server type
- VPS or VDS
-
Scale
Queue mode with several workers
- vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server.
- 8
- MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system.
- 16 GB
- DiskExecution history, binary data and the database.
- 160 GB+
- Setup
- Main, workers, Redis, PostgreSQL
- Server type
- VDS or dedicated
n8n’s Docker Compose guide asks for at least 4 GB of RAM and 2 vCPU. The larger columns are conservative starting points; long execution histories, large files and many parallel workflows need more. Prune old executions to keep the database small.
What you can automate with n8n
From a webhook that files form entries to agents that answer customers.
AI agents
Give an agent a model, memory, tools and MCP servers, and let it work inside your workflows with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google or your own Ollama.
Apps, APIs and webhooks
Use the built-in nodes for common apps, call any REST API, and receive webhooks on your own domain.
Code when you need it
Write JavaScript or Python in code nodes for anything the visual nodes do not cover.
Queue mode for scale
Move to PostgreSQL and Redis, then add workers that share the load; queue mode is part of the Community Edition.
Your data stays yours
Prompts, files and databases stay on a server you control, in the location you choose, instead of a shared SaaS account.
Full root access
Install what the app needs, change any setting and run more services next to it. Nothing is locked behind a panel.
App option or step-by-step guide
Order the server with the app installed as an option, or set it up yourself on a clean Linux server with our guide.
Backups on VPS and VDS
Free weekly and monthly backups come with VPS and VDS plans. Keep your own copies of databases and app data as well.
From order to first login
Order the app preinstalled on your server, or install it yourself with our guide.
-
Pick the server
Choose a size from the table above and the data center closest to the people who will use the app.
-
Add n8n
Select n8n as an app option when you order, or install it on a clean Ubuntu or Debian server with our guide.
-
Point a domain and enable HTTPS
Create a DNS record such as app.example.com for the server and put a reverse proxy with a free Let’s Encrypt certificate in front of the app.
-
Create the owner account
Open n8n, create the owner account right away, then back up the encryption key from the data folder.
Step-by-step setup guides
Install, secure and update the app with our guides, written for current Ubuntu and Debian releases.
-
How to install n8n with Docker Compose, PostgreSQL and HTTPS
Run n8n on your own server with PostgreSQL, the official task-runner sidecar and Caddy for HTTPS. Covers the encryption key, queue mode with Redis workers, backups, restores and updates.
40 min Intermediate
Related solutions
Frequently asked questions
What does the Community Edition include?
Workflows, webhooks, code nodes, AI agents and queue mode with workers, all on your own server. Features such as SSO, projects, environments, log streaming and Git version control belong to n8n’s Business and Enterprise editions.
What does the Registered Community Edition add?
Registering your instance with an email address adds folders, debugging in the editor and custom execution data. It still runs entirely on your server.
How much server does n8n need?
n8n’s Docker Compose guide asks for at least 4 GB of RAM and 2 vCPU, because the sandbox runner for AI-generated code uses Docker-in-Docker. Busy webhooks, large files and long execution histories need more memory and disk; queue mode lets you add workers.
SQLite or PostgreSQL?
n8n uses SQLite by default, which is fine for trying it out. For production use PostgreSQL, as the official Docker Compose setup does; queue mode requires PostgreSQL and Redis.
Why must I back up the encryption key?
n8n encrypts your saved credentials with N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY. If you do not set it, n8n creates a random key in its data folder on first start. Without that key a restored database cannot decrypt the credentials, and every worker in queue mode needs the same key.
Can I use my own AI models with n8n?
Yes. AI nodes work with hosted providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic and Google, and with an Ollama server you run yourself, for example on a GPU server next to n8n.
Can n8n send email?
Yes, with the Send Email node over SMTP or with the nodes of email services such as Gmail or Microsoft Outlook. Outbound port 25 is closed by default on HyperDC VPS. For services bought for a term of 3 months or longer, it is opened on request through a support ticket; until then, or instead, send through an SMTP relay on port 587.
How do I update n8n?
Back up the database and the data folder, change the image tag in your compose file to the new stable version and run docker compose up -d. n8n marks stable and beta releases, so stay on stable for production.
Automate on your own server
Tell us the app, how many people will use it and where they are, and we will suggest a server for it.