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Learn how to deploy n8n on Ubuntu VPS! This article provides a step-by-step how-to guide to deploy n8n on Ubuntu VPS. What is n8n? n8n is an open-source, self-hostable workflow automation platform—similar to Zapier or Make.com, but far more flexible because you can run it on your own server and build fully customizable automations. What n8n Does n8n lets you: Create automated workflows using a visual drag-and-drop editor Connect APIs from hundreds of services (webhooks, CRMs, databases, email, cloud apps, etc.) Run background tasks (cron jobs, scheduled scripts, daily digests) Process data with built-in JavaScript functions Handle complex logic, branching, loops, error handling, variables, and more Host it yourself on a VPS, Docker, Kubernetes, or local machine Why People Use n8n Open-source — unlimited workflows without expensive per-task pricing Extremely expandable — create your own custom nodes and integrations Self-hostable — keeps your data private and under your control Event-driven — ideal for incoming webhooks and API integrations Code-friendly while remaining beginner-friendly Examples of What You Can Build Webhook intake → Transform JSON → Push to CRM Scrape RSS feeds → Filter → Auto-post to social media Database event → Send Slack/Telegram alerts Cron job → Query API → Save to Google Sheets Stripe order → Generate PDF invoice → Email client Custom ETL pipelines between systems How n8n is Typically Deployed Most common setup: Docker container (recommended) Reverse proxy (Nginx/Caddy/Traefik) HTTPS / Let’s Encrypt Persistent storage volume PostgreSQL (optional, for scale) In Short n8n your own private Zapier, with no limits. This setup will use: Docker + Docker Compose A dedicated external volume for persistence Optional Traefik/HTTPS support A .env file to manage environment variables Overview n8n is a fair-code licensed automation platform, ideal for receiving, processing, and triggering workflows via webhooks, API integrations, and more. Prerequisites Ensure you have Docker installed on your server or VPS: docker --version docker compose version If not, install Docker and Docker Compose: # Docker curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | bash # Docker Compose v2 (plugin) sudo apt install docker-compose-plugin -y How to Deploy n8n on Ubuntu VPS To deploy n8n on Ubuntu VPS, follow the steps outlined below: Create Project Directory mkdir -p ~/n8n-docker cd ~/n8n-docker Create .env File Create a .env file to store sensitive environment variables. nano .env Paste the following: # n8n config N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVEtrue N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USERadmin N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORDsupersecurepassword # Timezone TZAmerica/Chicago # External hostname for webhook URLs N8N_HOSTyour.domain.com N8N_PORT5678 WEBHOOK_TUNNEL_URLhttps://your.domain.com # Database (optional; use SQLite or Postgres) # DB_TYPEpostgresdb # DB_POSTGRESDB_HOSTpostgres # DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT5432 # DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASEn8n # DB_POSTGRESDB_USERn8n # DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORDn8npassword Change credentials and N8N_HOST as needed. Create docker-compose.yml nano docker-compose.yml Paste the following: version: "3.8" services: n8n: image: n8nio/n8n:latest container_name: n8n restart: unless-stopped ports: - "5678:5678" environment: - TZ${TZ} - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE${N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE} - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER${N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER} - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD${N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD} - N8N_HOST${N8N_HOST} - N8N_PORT${N8N_PORT} - WEBHOOK_TUNNEL_URL${WEBHOOK_TUNNEL_URL} volumes: - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n networks: - n8nnet volumes: n8n_data: networks: n8nnet: driver: bridge Enable HTTPS (Reverse Proxy via Traefik or Nginx) To enable HTTPS: Add a reverse proxy service like Traefik or Nginx Proxy Manager Point your domain DNS to your VPS IP Use Let's Encrypt for free TLS Launch n8n docker compose up -d Check the logs: docker compose logs -f Access Your n8n Instance Open a browser and go to: http://your-server-ip:5678 Or (if using a domain): https://your.domain.com Use the username/password you set in .env. Navigate to n8n using your browser to login. Webhook URLs in Production Make sure to use the public-facing URL for webhook calls: https://your.domain.com/webhook/{path} If you don’t specify N8N_HOST and WEBHOOK_TUNNEL_URL, n8n will default to local addresses (not suitable for production). Backups Your workflow data is saved in the Docker volume n8n_data. To back it up: docker run --rm --volumes-from n8n -v $(pwd):/backup ubuntu tar czf /backup/n8n-backup.tar.gz /home/node/.n8n Notes SQLite is default for persistence. Use Postgres for team setups or high availability. n8n is stateless, so make sure environment variables are backed up. You can also set up email alerts, Slack notifications, or cron-based triggers. Here’s a complete HTTPS-enabled Docker deployment of n8n using Let's Encrypt, including a ready-to-import workflow for parsing incoming webhooks. PART 1: HTTPS-Enabled Deployment with Let's Encrypt (via Traefik) This guide uses Traefik reverse proxy with automatic SSL (Let’s Encrypt), all in Docker. Prerequisites DNS A record pointed to your VPS (e.g., n8n.example.com → your.server.ip) Docker + Docker Compose Ports 80 and 443 open Project Structure mkdir -p ~/n8n-traefik cd ~/n8n-traefik .env (Environment Variables) # n8n credentials N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVEtrue N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USERadmin N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORDSuperSecurePassword123 # Domain DOMAINn8n.example.com EMAILyour@email.com docker-compose.yml version: '3.8' services: traefik: image: traefik:v2.11 container_name: traefik restart: unless-stopped command: - "--entrypoints.web.address:80" - "--entrypoints.websecure.address:443" - "--providers.dockertrue" - "--providers.docker.exposedbydefaultfalse" - "--certificatesresolvers.le.acme.email${EMAIL}" - "--certificatesresolvers.le.acme.storage/letsencrypt/acme.json" - "--certificatesresolvers.le.acme.tlschallengetrue" - "--api.dashboardtrue" ports: - "80:80" - "443:443" volumes: - "./letsencrypt:/letsencrypt" - "/var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro" networks: - n8nnet n8n: image: n8nio/n8n:latest container_name: n8n restart: unless-stopped environment: - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE${N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE} - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER${N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER} - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD${N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD} - N8N_HOST${DOMAIN} - N8N_PORT443 - WEBHOOK_URLhttps://${DOMAIN} - VUE_APP_URL_BASE_APIhttps://${DOMAIN} - TZAmerica/Chicago volumes: - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n labels: - "traefik.enabletrue" - "traefik.http.routers.n8n.ruleHost(`${DOMAIN}`)" - "traefik.http.routers.n8n.entrypointswebsecure" - "traefik.http.routers.n8n.tls.certresolverle" - "traefik.http.services.n8n.loadbalancer.server.port5678" networks: - n8nnet volumes: n8n_data: networks: n8nnet: driver: bridge Launch the Stack docker compose up -d Your n8n instance should now be accessible at: https://n8n.example.com Login with your username/password from .env. PART 2: Ready-to-Import n8n Webhook Workflow This workflow listens for a POST webhook with JSON input, parses the data, and responds with a confirmation. Import JSON Here’s a minimal n8n workflow you can import: Click to Expand JSON { "name": "Webhook Listener", "nodes": [ { "parameters": { "path": "incoming-webhook", "options": {} }, "id": "WebhookTrigger", "name": "Webhook Trigger", "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook", "typeVersion": 1, "position": , "webhookId": "custom-id" }, { "parameters": { "functionCode": "return ;" }, "id": "Function", "name": "Respond", "type": "n8n-nodes-base.function", "typeVersion": 1, "position": } ], "connections": { "Webhook Trigger": { "main": [ [ { "node": "Respond", "type": "main", "index": 0 } ] ] } }, "active": false } How to Import: Log in to https://n8n.example.com Go to Workflows > Import Paste the JSON above or upload as .json Activate the workflow Now test it: curl -X POST https://n8n.example.com/webhook/incoming-webhook \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"name":"Larry","project":"Webhook Parser"}' Response: { "message": "Webhook received!", "input": { "name": "Larry", "project": "Webhook Parser" } } Conclusion You now know how to deploy n8n on Ubuntu VPS.

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