Can you run n8n on Docker?
Quick Answer: Yes. n8n provides an official Docker image (n8nio/n8n) that can be run with a single command, supports persistent volumes for workflow data, and works with Docker Compose for production setups including PostgreSQL. Self-hosted n8n on Docker is free under the Sustainable Use License and is the recommended deployment path.
Running n8n on Docker
Docker is the recommended deployment method for self-hosted n8n. The official image is maintained by the n8n team and updated with each release.
Quick Start — Single Container
Run n8n with one command, storing data in a named volume:
docker run -it --rm \
--name n8n \
-p 5678:5678 \
-v n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n \
n8nio/n8n
Access the editor at http://localhost:5678.
Production Setup — Docker Compose
For production, use Docker Compose with PostgreSQL for data storage:
services:
postgres:
image: postgres:15
environment:
POSTGRES_USER: n8n
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}
POSTGRES_DB: n8n
volumes:
- postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
n8n:
image: n8nio/n8n
restart: always
ports:
- "5678:5678"
environment:
DB_TYPE: postgresdb
DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST: postgres
DB_POSTGRESDB_USER: n8n
DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD: ${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}
N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY: ${N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY}
volumes:
- n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n
depends_on:
- postgres
Recommended Environment Variables
N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY: Encrypts credentials at restN8N_HOST: External hostname (for webhooks)WEBHOOK_URL: Full URL for webhooks (important behind reverse proxy)N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE: Enables basic auth for the editor
Reverse Proxy
For public deployments, place n8n behind Caddy, Nginx, or Traefik for TLS termination. This is required for webhooks from external services.
Backup
- Back up the PostgreSQL database nightly
- Export workflows with the n8n CLI:
n8n export:workflow --all --output=/backups - Store encryption key securely (loss = inability to decrypt credentials)
Scaling Considerations
- Default single-instance runs webhook and worker processes together
- For high throughput, enable "queue mode" with Redis and separate worker containers
- Worker containers use the same image with
--workerflag
Resource Requirements
- Minimum: 1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM
- Recommended for production: 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM
- Disk: 10 GB for database and logs
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