n8n Docker Compose Setup with PostgreSQL

This repository provides a Docker Compose configuration for running n8n (a workflow automation tool) with a PostgreSQL database backend.

Purpose

This setup allows you to self-host n8n easily using Docker, providing a persistent database storage solution with PostgreSQL. It includes basic authentication and is configured for easy deployment and management.

Prerequisites

• Docker installed on your system.
• Docker Compose installed on your system.

Setup and Installation

1. Clone the repository (if you haven't already):

   git clone https://github.com/themahani/n8n.git
   cd n8n

2. Create a .env file: Copy the example environment file:

   cp .env.example .env

3. Configure Environment Variables: Edit the .env file and replace the placeholder values with your desired settings. See the Configuration section below for details.

Configuration (.env file)

The .env file contains the necessary configuration variables for the services:

• POSTGRES_DB: The name of the PostgreSQL database for n8n.
• POSTGRES_USER: The username for the PostgreSQL database.
• POSTGRES_PASSWORD: The password for the PostgreSQL database user. Choose a strong password.
• N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER: The username for n8n's basic authentication (login).
• N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD: The password for n8n's basic authentication. Choose a strong password.
• TIMEZONE: Your local timezone (e.g., America/Edmonton). Find your timezone here.

Example .env:

POSTGRES_DB=n8n_database
POSTGRES_USER=n8n_user
POSTGRES_PASSWORD=supersecretpassword123

N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=admin
N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=anothersecretpassword456

TIMEZONE=America/New_York

Running with Docker Compose

1. Start the services: Navigate to the directory containing the docker-compose.yaml file and run:

   docker compose up -d

   This command will build (if necessary) and start the postgres and n8n services in detached mode (-d).

2. Access n8n: Once the containers are running, you can access the n8n web interface by navigating to http://localhost:5678 in your web browser. You will be prompted to log in using the N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER and N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD you set in the .env file.

3. Stop the services: To stop the running containers:

   docker compose down

4. Stop and remove volumes (use with caution): To stop the containers and remove the associated data volumes (PostgreSQL data, n8n data):

   docker compose down -v

   Warning: This will delete all your n8n workflows and PostgreSQL data unless you have backups.

Data Persistence

• PostgreSQL Data: Stored in a Docker volume named postgres_storage.
• n8n Data: Stored in a Docker volume named n8n_storage (mounted at /home/node/.n8n inside the container).
• Backup/Import: The configuration includes an n8n-import service and mounts ./n8n/backup to /backup inside the containers, suggesting a potential workflow for backing up and restoring credentials and workflows.
• Shared Data: A local directory ./shared is mounted to /data/shared inside the n8n container, allowing file sharing between the host and the container.

Usage

After starting the services and logging in, you can begin creating and managing your automation workflows through the n8n web interface. Refer to the official n8n documentation for guides and examples.