Think about all the repetitive tasks you do every day. Maybe you copy information from an email into a spreadsheet, or send a notification whenever a new file is added to a folder. These small tasks add up. This is where workflow automation tools come in, and n8n is a powerful one.

At its core, n8n helps you connect different applications and services to create automated sequences of actions, called workflows. Instead of writing complex code, you build these workflows visually. It's like using building blocks. Each block, called a node, performs a specific action, like reading a file, sending an email, or adding a row to a database. You connect these nodes together to tell n8n exactly what you want it to do, step by step.

You'll often hear n8n described as open-source, but its license is technically "fair-code." What does this mean for you?

For most users, it feels exactly like open source. You can view the source code, self-host the application for free, and customize it to your needs. The main difference lies in commercial use. The fair-code license restricts you from offering a paid, hosted version of n8n that competes directly with n8n's own cloud service. This model allows the company to build a sustainable business while keeping the platform accessible and transparent for its community.

You have two main paths for using n8n: using their managed cloud service or hosting it yourself. Neither is better than the other; the best choice depends on your technical comfort and needs.

n8n Cloud is the simplest way to begin. You sign up, and you can start building workflows immediately. n8n handles all the technical details like server setup, maintenance, and updates. It’s a great option if you want to focus purely on automation without worrying about the underlying infrastructure.

Self-hosting gives you full control. You can run n8n on your own servers, whether it's a machine in your office or a cloud server from a provider like DigitalOcean or AWS. This path is ideal if you have specific data privacy requirements or want to customize your n8n instance deeply. The two most popular methods for self-hosting are using Docker or npm.

If you have Docker installed, you can get a basic n8n instance running with a single command. This command pulls the latest n8n image, starts it, and makes it available on your local machine.

If you're a JavaScript developer comfortable with the Node.js ecosystem, you can also install n8n directly using npm (Node Package Manager). This is as simple as running one command in your terminal.

Once installed via npm, you can start the application by simply typing n8n in your terminal. Regardless of how you set it up, you now have a powerful automation engine ready to go.