How To Set Up N8N Self Hosting In 3 Minutes (6 Ways)
Short Summary:
This video demonstrates six ways to self-host n8n (pronounced "n-eight-n," a workflow automation tool), focusing on speed and ease of setup. Key methods include using cloud platforms like Render, Railway, DigitalOcean, and Heroku, as well as local self-hosting via Docker and a managed VPS from Hostinger. The video highlights the advantages of self-hosting for greater control and customization, while acknowledging potential complexities depending on the chosen method. The process of setting up n8n on each platform is shown, including account creation, deployment, and initial configuration.
Detailed Summary:
The video is structured around six different methods for self-hosting n8n, each presented as a separate section.
Section 1: Render (Simplest Method): The presenter demonstrates the quickest method using Render, a cloud platform. The process involves creating a Render account, deploying n8n using a Docker image (obtained from Docker Hub), and selecting a pricing plan (free, starter, standard, or pro). The speaker emphasizes understanding the general process rather than focusing on specific button clicks due to potential UI changes on the platform. He mentions the ability to customize n8n's configuration using environment variables. A key point is that the free tier automatically spins down the service, which can be inconvenient.
Section 2: Railway: This section uses Railway, another cloud platform, but requires a GitHub account for authentication. The process involves deploying a pre-built n8n template from Railway's marketplace. The presenter highlights the use of Railway's "workers" and a PostgreSQL database. The deployment process is shown, with the various components (Redis, PostgreSQL, n8n, and workers) turning green to indicate successful deployment.
Section 3: DigitalOcean: This section uses DigitalOcean's one-click n8n install template. The presenter walks through account creation, droplet creation (a virtual server), and selecting server location and operating system. A crucial point is the need to add a domain name and configure DNS to access the n8n instance publicly, as simply using the IP address doesn't work. The presenter shows the process of adding an A record to the DNS settings. The process is deemed less user-friendly compared to Render or Railway.
Section 4: Heroku: This section uses Heroku, another platform with a one-click deployment option from a GitHub repository. The presenter demonstrates account creation, which includes setting up two-factor authentication. The deployment process is shown, and the presenter notes that the resulting URL might initially lack HTTPS, requiring users to access it as an "unsafe" site.
Section 5: Local Docker Setup: This section details self-hosting n8n directly on the presenter's computer using Docker Desktop. The presenter shows the Docker installation and the process of pulling and running the n8n Docker image. He highlights the speed advantage of local hosting due to greater resources but emphasizes the increased complexity of exposing the local instance to the internet, requiring additional configuration (e.g., using Nginx).
Section 6: Hostinger: The final method uses Hostinger's one-click VPS template. The presenter shows the account creation, VPS setup, and the use of Hostinger's HPanel for managing the VPS. The process is similar to other cloud platforms, but Hostinger provides more hand-holding through the setup process.
Throughout the video, the presenter emphasizes the importance of understanding the general principles of self-hosting n8n rather than memorizing specific button clicks due to the ever-changing nature of platform UIs. He also mentions the creator's explanation of the name "n8n" as "node-redmation," chosen for brevity. The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to ask questions and suggest future video topics.