Platforms

n8n

Open-source workflow automation platform that connects apps and APIs with a visual interface and optional code-level control.

What is n8n?

n8n is an open-source workflow automation tool that lets you connect apps, APIs, and AI models through a visual drag-and-drop interface.

Unlike pure no-code tools, you can drop into JavaScript whenever you need custom logic or complex data transformations. It's self-hostable, which means you control your data and can run it on your own infrastructure.

Builders use it to automate everything from customer onboarding flows to AI agent pipelines. Popular for connecting OpenAI, databases, and business tools without writing full backend code. Works well for both simple Zapier-style automations and complex multi-step AI workflows.

Free self-hosted version available. Cloud hosting starts at $20/month. Over 400 integrations including Slack, Google Sheets, Postgres, and major AI APIs.

Good to Know

Open-source and self-hostable for full data control
Visual workflow builder with optional JavaScript for custom logic
400+ integrations including AI models, databases, and business tools
Free self-hosted version or managed cloud starting at $20/month
Strong for AI agent workflows and complex multi-step automations

How Vibe Coders Use n8n

1
Building an AI agent that pulls customer data from Postgres, asks ChatGPT for insights, and posts summaries to Slack
2
Auto-syncing new Stripe customers into your CRM and triggering onboarding emails
3
Processing incoming webhooks, transforming the data with custom JavaScript, and routing to different services
4
Creating a content pipeline that monitors RSS feeds, summarizes articles with AI, and posts to social media

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Terms

AI Agents

Autonomous software that observes, decides, and acts to complete tasks without constant human input, using LLMs as their decision-making brain.

Terminal

A text-based interface where you type commands to control your computer, install packages, run scripts, and manage files.

Agentic Workflows

AI systems that break complex tasks into steps, make decisions autonomously, and adapt based on results without constant human input.

Application Programming Interface (API)

A set of rules that lets different software programs talk to each other and share data or functionality.

Cron Jobs

Automated tasks that run on a schedule on Unix-based servers, like backups, database cleanups, or sending emails at specific times.

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