What is N8N?
N8N is an open-source, AI-native workflow automation platform that enables you to connect applications, automate processes, and build sophisticated AI agents—all through a visual, low-code interface. With over 400+ integrations and native support for leading LLMs, n8n bridges the gap between traditional automation and modern AI-powered workflows.
"N8N is an AI-native workflow automation platform that allows you to seamlessly integrate artificial intelligence into your workflows, creating intelligent, adaptable, and efficient automated processes."
Visual Builder
Drag & Drop
AI Agents
LLM Integration
Self-Hosted
Full Control
400+ Apps
Integrations
Core Concepts
Workflows
Workflows are the fundamental building blocks in n8n. They consist of connected nodes that execute in sequence or parallel, processing data from triggers through transformations to outputs. Workflows can be as simple as a two-step automation or as complex as a multi-branch AI pipeline.
Nodes
Nodes are individual steps within a workflow. Each node performs a specific action: triggering on events, connecting to APIs, transforming data, executing code, or calling AI models. N8N provides 400+ pre-built nodes for popular services.
AI Agents
N8N's AI Agent node allows you to create autonomous agents that can reason, use tools, and maintain memory across interactions. Agents can dynamically decide which actions to take based on context, going beyond simple rule-based automation.
Credentials
Credentials securely store authentication details (API keys, OAuth tokens) for your integrations. Once configured, they can be reused across multiple workflows, making it easy to manage access to services like OpenAI, Slack, or databases.
AI & LLM Integrations
N8N provides native integrations with leading AI models and frameworks, allowing you to build sophisticated AI-powered automations without extensive coding.
LLM Providers
- OpenAI (GPT-4, GPT-4o)
- Anthropic Claude
- Google Gemini
- Groq (Llama, Mixtral)
- Ollama (Local LLMs)
Vector Databases
- Pinecone
- Qdrant
- Supabase Vector
- Weaviate
- Postgres + pgvector
LangChain Integration: N8N has native LangChain integration, enabling you to build RAG pipelines, chatbots, and question-answering systems with the familiar LangChain abstractions.
Building an AI Agent Workflow
Here's how to create an intelligent customer support agent using n8n's visual editor:
# Example: AI Customer Support Agent Workflow
1. Trigger: Webhook (receives customer message)
↓
2. HTTP Request: Fetch customer history from CRM
↓
3. AI Agent Node:
- Model: GPT-4o
- System Prompt: "You are a helpful support agent..."
- Tools:
• SearchKnowledgeBase (RAG)
• CreateTicket (Zendesk API)
• EscalateToHuman (Slack notification)
- Memory: Buffer (last 10 messages)
↓
4. Switch: Route based on agent decision
├── resolved → Send response to customer
├── escalate → Notify human agent
└── create_ticket → Create support ticket
↓
5. Respond to Webhook: Send AI response backN8N vs Alternatives
How does n8n compare to other automation platforms?
| Feature | N8N | Zapier | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Source | Yes | No | No |
| Self-Hosted | Yes | No | No |
| Native AI Agents | Yes | Limited | Limited |
| Custom Code | JS/Python | Limited | Yes |
| LangChain Integration | Native | No | No |
| Pricing | Free (Self-hosted) | $19.99+/mo | $9+/mo |
Popular Use Cases
AI Customer Support
Intelligent agents that handle queries
Document Processing
Extract, summarize, and analyze docs
RAG Pipelines
Q&A over private knowledge bases
Email Automation
Smart classification and responses
Data Pipelines
ETL with AI transformations
Content Generation
Social media posts, blogs, reports
Quick Start
# Option 1: Docker (Recommended)
docker run -it --rm \
--name n8n \
-p 5678:5678 \
-v ~/.n8n:/home/node/.n8n \
n8nio/n8n
# Option 2: npm
npm install n8n -g
n8n start
# Option 3: Cloud (No setup required)
# Visit: https://app.n8n.cloud
# Access the editor at:
http://localhost:5678Self-Hosted AI Starter Kit: N8N provides a complete starter kit for running AI workflows with local LLMs (Ollama) and vector databases on your own infrastructure.
Hands-on Lab
Build Your Own AI Agent
Ready to put theory into practice? In our hands-on lab, you'll set up a local N8N instance using Docker and build a complete AI automation workflow from scratch.
- Docker Setup Guide
- Local LLM Integration
- Downloadable Workerflows