n8n is a workflow automation platform with a visual node editor and optional code. It started in Berlin and is maintained by n8n GmbH, with a self-hosted edition and a cloud service.
What it does
- Connects hundreds of apps and APIs into trigger, condition and action flows
- Automates internal processes, integrations and repetitive tasks
- Adds AI steps to explicit flows, with nodes for models and agents
- Orchestrates data across systems without depending on a single engineering team
How it works
- The flow is built on a visual node canvas, with branches and loops
- Each node runs one action: HTTP, database, spreadsheet, messaging or an AI model
- JavaScript or Python can be written inside a node for specific cases
- Self-hosting runs on Docker or Kubernetes; the cloud is the managed option
Availability and license
- Public source code under the Sustainable Use License (fair-code), which allows free internal use and restricts resale as a service
- It is not an OSI-approved license, so the catalog classifies it as proprietary/source-available
- Free cloud plan with an execution limit and paid plans by volume
Strengths
- Visual editor and code in the same flow
- Large integration library and an active community
- Mature self-hosting with full data control
- AI and agent nodes inside user-defined flows
Points of attention
- Large flows get hard to maintain without conventions
- Self-hosting needs a server and ongoing maintenance
- Enterprise features (SSO, environments) sit in the paid plans