Getting Started with n8n Automation
A practical guide to setting up n8n, configuring your first workflow, and deploying production-grade automation pipelines.
What is n8n?
n8n is an open-source workflow automation platform that connects apps, services, and APIs. Unlike Zapier or Make, n8n can be self-hosted, giving you full control over data privacy and execution. At Vithon, we use n8n as the backbone for most of our automation solutions because of its flexibility, extensibility, and the ability to run custom JavaScript/Python code within workflows.
Setting Up n8n
1. Docker Deployment (Recommended)
Run n8n in a Docker container for easy setup and reproducible environments. Use docker-compose for production with PostgreSQL as the database backend instead of the default SQLite.
2. Environment Configuration
Set N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true for authentication, configure WEBHOOK_URL for external triggers, and set timezone with GENERIC_TIMEZONE.
3. SSL and Domain Setup
Use a reverse proxy (Nginx or Traefik) with Let's Encrypt SSL certificates. This is critical for webhook security and ensuring integrations work correctly.
Building Your First Workflow
A typical production workflow follows this pattern: Trigger, Process, Transform, Action, and Error Handling. Here is an example connecting a CRM webhook to a Slack notification:
Webhook node receives a POST request when a new lead is created in your CRM.
IF node checks required fields (email, name, company) and routes invalid data to an error handler.
HTTP Request node calls a company enrichment API (e.g., Clearbit) to add context.
Function node formats the message payload for Slack with all enriched data.
Slack node sends the formatted notification to your #new-leads channel.
Google Sheets or PostgreSQL node logs the event for analytics and audit trails.
Error Handling Patterns
Production workflows must handle failures gracefully. We implement three layers of error handling in every n8n deployment:
Node-Level Retry
Configure retry on failure with exponential backoff for each HTTP node.
Workflow Error Handler
Dedicated error workflow that captures failures and sends alerts via Slack or email.
Dead Letter Queue
Failed payloads are stored in a PostgreSQL table for manual review and replay.
Production Checklist
- Use PostgreSQL instead of SQLite for the n8n database
- Enable basic auth or SSO for the n8n dashboard
- Set up a reverse proxy with SSL termination
- Configure webhook URL to match your production domain
- Add error handler workflows for all production workflows
- Set up monitoring and alerting (Grafana + Prometheus)
- Use environment variables for all API keys and secrets
- Test workflows with sample data before going live
Need help setting up n8n for your business? Get in touch and we will walk you through the best approach for your use case.