n8n: The Developer-First Automation Platform That Puts You in Control

If you’ve ever felt limited by traditional automation tools like Zapier—either by their pricing model or their inability to handle complex workflows—it’s time to meet n8n. This Berlin-based workflow automation platform is rewriting the rules of what automation can do, especially for technical teams who need more control, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness.

What Makes n8n Different?

n8n (pronounced “n-eight-n”) is a visual, node-based workflow automation platform developed by n8n GmbH. Unlike typical automation tools that target non-technical users, n8n is built specifically for developers, DevOps teams, and technical operations professionals who need to automate complex backend processes.

The platform connects different software applications and services through APIs, automating data flows and repetitive tasks. But here’s what sets it apart: while offering a drag-and-drop interface, n8n also provides code-level precision for advanced customization.

The Fair-Code License Model

n8n operates under a “fair-code” Sustainable Use License (SUL) rather than pure open-source. This means you can view, modify, and self-host the code for internal business purposes for free, but you cannot resell it as a commercial service. This model gives you transparency and control without the typical enterprise licensing headaches.

Cloud vs Self-Hosting: Your Choice, Your Control

The first major decision when adopting n8n is where to run it. This choice directly impacts cost, control, data privacy, and maintenance requirements.

n8n Cloud: Managed Simplicity

The cloud version is a fully managed Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offering:

Advantages:

• Zero setup or maintenance required
• Get started in minutes
• Security, infrastructure, and updates handled by n8n team
• Perfect for quick starts and teams without DevOps resources

Considerations:

• Higher cost compared to self-hosting
• Data stored on n8n’s servers (EU region)
• Limited to available pricing plans

n8n Self-Hosted: Maximum Control

This is where n8n truly shines and differentiates itself from competitors:

Advantages:

• Complete Data Control: All workflows and credentials stay on your infrastructure—critical for compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.)
• Cost Efficiency at Scale: No artificial limits on workflow executions. Self-hosting can be dramatically cheaper for high-volume automation
• Full Customization: Extend the platform with custom code and integrations
• No Vendor Lock-in: Your automation logic remains portable

Considerations:

• Requires technical knowledge (Docker, server configuration, HTTPS setup)
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) includes server costs and engineering time
• You’re responsible for security, backups, and updates

Here’s a quick comparison:

Technical Requirements for Self-Hosting

For production deployments, n8n strongly recommends Docker and requires PostgreSQL (SQLite is only suitable for testing):

The recommended deployment uses Docker Compose with separate containers for n8n and PostgreSQL, ensuring data persistence and security through volume mounting.

Core Concepts: Understanding n8n’s Architecture

n8n’s power comes from five fundamental concepts:

1. Workflows

The main canvas where you build automation processes by connecting nodes together. Each workflow represents a complete automation sequence.

2. Nodes

The building blocks of workflows. Each node performs a specific function like “Read from Google Sheets,” “Filter Data,” or “Send Slack Message.” n8n offers 1,000+ pre-built integrations.

3. Triggers

Special nodes that start workflows automatically:

• Manual: Click to execute (for testing)
• Schedule: Run at specific intervals using cron expressions
• Webhook: Trigger on HTTP requests from external systems
• App Triggers: Fire when events occur in specific apps

4. Credentials

Securely stored API keys, OAuth tokens, and passwords. Workflows reference credentials without exposing sensitive data, making them safe to share.

5. Data Flow: The JSON Model

This is where beginners often struggle. n8n fundamentally passes arrays of JSON objects between nodes, not single values. Understanding this is crucial:

1. A node (e.g., “Read 10 Rows from Google Sheets”) executes
2. Output is a single array containing 10 JSON objects: [{row_1}, {row_2}, ..., {row_10}]
3. This array passes to the next node (e.g., “Send Email”)
4. The “Send Email” node runs once for each item in the array—sending 10 separate emails

This “item-by-item implicit looping” is n8n’s core operating principle.

Essential Helper Nodes for Data Manipulation

Complex workflows require data manipulation, branching, and merging. n8n provides powerful helper nodes:

Set (Edit Fields) Node

The most frequently used node for transforming JSON data:

• Add new fields
• Combine values (e.g., merge first_name + last_name)
• Restructure data for API requirements
• Simplify complex JSON for downstream processing

IF and Switch Nodes

Control workflow logic based on conditions:

• IF: Binary gate (true/false paths)
• Switch: Multi-path routing based on field values

Merge Node

Critical for combining split data flows. After branching with IF or Switch, flows remain separate unless explicitly merged. The Merge node offers:

• Append: Combine all items into a single list
• Match by Field: SQL-like JOIN on common keys
• Match by Position: Combine by array index

The classic pattern is: Split > Process > Merge—branch data, process each branch differently, then reunite for downstream operations.

Real-World Example: Slack to Sheets to AI

Here’s how these concepts work together in a practical workflow:

Scenario: When a team member types /idea <idea text> in Slack, automatically save it to Google Sheets, categorize it using OpenAI, and send a confirmation message back to the user.

Flow:

1. Slack Trigger (Slash Command) → Captures the idea and user info
2. Set Node → Structures data and adds timestamp
3. Google Sheets (Append) → Saves to spreadsheet
4. OpenAI (Chat) → Categorizes the idea with a prompt
5. Set Node → Extracts category from AI response
6. Slack (Send Message) → Confirms to user with category

This workflow demonstrates n8n’s power: combining triggers, data manipulation, external API calls, and AI enrichment seamlessly.

Integration Ecosystem: Built for Technical Teams

n8n’s 1,000+ integrations focus on areas that matter to technical teams:

Artificial Intelligence: Native nodes for OpenAI (GPT models), Google AI (Gemini), IBM Watson, and Ollama for local LLMs. Perfect for building RAG systems and AI agents.

Databases: Direct connections to PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Google Cloud Realtime Database—reflecting its developer focus.

Communication & CRM: Slack, Discord, Telegram, HubSpot, Salesforce, and more.

Google & Microsoft: Full support for Sheets, Gmail, Drive, and Microsoft 365.

HTTP Request Node: The most important—connect to any REST API not in the catalog, including custom internal tools.

The Competitive Landscape: n8n vs Zapier vs Make

Understanding n8n’s position requires comparing it to the market leaders. These platforms solve similar problems but with fundamentally different philosophies.

Pricing Model: The Game Changer

This is the most critical strategic difference:

n8n: Charges per workflow execution, regardless of complexity. A 200-step AI workflow counts as one execution.

Zapier & Make: Charge per task/operation—every successful step in a workflow.

Real-World Impact: A workflow that reads 500 rows from Google Sheets and calls an API for each:

• Zapier/Make: ~501 tasks (1 read + 500 API calls) = High cost
• n8n: 1 execution = Fixed low cost

For high-volume data processing or complex workflows, n8n can be thousands of times more cost-effective. Zapier and Make’s pricing creates a “success tax” that escalates rapidly with scale.

Flexibility and Control

n8n: Clear leader in flexibility

• Self-hosting capability (competitors don’t offer this)
• Full-featured JavaScript and Python code nodes with npm/pip packages
• HTTP Request node for any API
• Custom node development

Make: No self-hosting, but offers good visual logic for branches and loops. Limited custom code capabilities.

Zapier: Most restrictive. No self-hosting, and “Code by Zapier” steps are basic.

Target Audience and Ease of Use

Zapier: Easiest to use, designed for non-technical users (marketing, sales teams). Learning curve: hours.

Make: Medium complexity with powerful visual interface. Learning curve: days.

n8n: Most technical, steepest learning curve. Built for developers, DevOps, and technical operations. Learning curve: weeks, but offers the most power.

Comprehensive Comparison

Advanced Use Cases: Beyond Simple Automation

n8n positions itself as an “operational fabric” rather than just an integration tool:

Security Incident Enrichment (SecOps): Receive SIEM alerts via webhook, enrich suspicious IPs through VirusTotal/AbuseIPDB APIs, conditionally create Jira tickets, and alert teams via Slack.

Web Scraping Pipeline: Schedule periodic scraping of competitor prices using Apify, clean and structure data with Set nodes, store in PostgreSQL for analysis.

RAG System: Process internal documents (PDFs, text), convert to vectors, store in vector database, build a chatbot using LangChain Agent nodes that answers questions based on company knowledge.

Getting Started: Problem-First Learning

n8n’s learning curve is steep, but a problem-focused approach works best:

1. Define a Real Problem: “Automatically categorize support emails” beats “learn n8n”
2. Explore Templates First: Check n8n.io/workflows gallery for similar use cases
3. Watch Core Concepts: n8n’s YouTube “Beginner Course” covers fundamentals
4. Reference Documentation: Use docs.n8n.io when building your workflow
5. Leverage Community: community.n8n.io forum, Reddit (r/n8n), and Discord for support

The Bottom Line: Where n8n Fits

n8n isn’t a “cheaper Zapier”—it’s a fundamentally different tool. While Zapier and Make excel at connecting front-end business processes (marketing, sales), n8n is a developer-first platform designed for complex, high-volume, operationally critical backend automation.

The combination of self-hosting (complete data control) and per-execution pricing (predictable costs at scale) makes n8n a strategic asset for technical teams that demand sovereignty over their data and infrastructure.

With advanced AI, database, and code integration capabilities, n8n transcends simple SaaS automation to become a powerful platform for building custom internal tools and complex operational systems.

Key Takeaway: Choose n8n if you need technical flexibility, data privacy, cost efficiency at scale, or are building AI-powered workflows. Choose Zapier for speed and simplicity with non-technical teams. Choose Make for visually complex workflows without developer resources.

Additional Resources:

• Official Documentation: docs.n8n.io
• Workflow Templates: n8n.io/workflows
• Community Forum: community.n8n.io
• YouTube Channel: n8n official tutorials