> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.iotcentral.in/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.iotcentral.in/docs/installing-n8n-on-ubuntu.md).

# Installing n8n on Ubuntu

##

### What is n8n?

> ***n8n is an extendable workflow automation tool. With a fair-code distribution model, n8n will always have visible source code, be available to self-host, and allow you to add your own custom functions, logic and apps. n8n's node-based approach makes it highly versatile, enabling you to connect anything to everything. -***[***https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n***](https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n)

### Installing n8n

```
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
sudo sh get-docker.sh

#sudo usermod -aG docker ${USER}
sudo reboot

```

### Set DNS with your DNS provider like goDaddy:

Type: A \
Name: n8n (or the desired subdomain) \
IP address: \<IP\_OF\_YOUR\_SERVER>

### Installation commands

make folder name n8n

```
mkdir n8n
cd n8n
```

Create a `docker-compose.yml` file. Paste the following in the file:

```
version: "3.7"

services:
  traefik:
    image: "traefik"
    restart: always
    command:
      - "--api=true"
      - "--api.insecure=true"
      - "--providers.docker=true"
      - "--providers.docker.exposedbydefault=false"
      - "--entrypoints.web.address=:80"
      - "--entrypoints.web.http.redirections.entryPoint.to=websecure"
      - "--entrypoints.web.http.redirections.entrypoint.scheme=https"
      - "--entrypoints.websecure.address=:443"
      - "--certificatesresolvers.mytlschallenge.acme.tlschallenge=true"
      - "--certificatesresolvers.mytlschallenge.acme.email=${SSL_EMAIL}"
      - "--certificatesresolvers.mytlschallenge.acme.storage=/letsencrypt/acme.json"
    ports:
      - "80:80"
      - "443:443"
    volumes:
      - traefik_data:/letsencrypt
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro

  n8n:
    image: docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n
    restart: always
    ports:
      - "127.0.0.1:5678:5678"
    labels:
      - traefik.enable=true
      - traefik.http.routers.n8n.rule=Host(`${SUBDOMAIN}.${DOMAIN_NAME}`)
      - traefik.http.routers.n8n.tls=true
      - traefik.http.routers.n8n.entrypoints=web,websecure
      - traefik.http.routers.n8n.tls.certresolver=mytlschallenge
      - traefik.http.middlewares.n8n.headers.SSLRedirect=true
      - traefik.http.middlewares.n8n.headers.STSSeconds=315360000
      - traefik.http.middlewares.n8n.headers.browserXSSFilter=true
      - traefik.http.middlewares.n8n.headers.contentTypeNosniff=true
      - traefik.http.middlewares.n8n.headers.forceSTSHeader=true
      - traefik.http.middlewares.n8n.headers.SSLHost=${DOMAIN_NAME}
      - traefik.http.middlewares.n8n.headers.STSIncludeSubdomains=true
      - traefik.http.middlewares.n8n.headers.STSPreload=true
      - traefik.http.routers.n8n.middlewares=n8n@docker
    environment:
      - N8N_HOST=${SUBDOMAIN}.${DOMAIN_NAME}
      - N8N_PORT=5678
      - N8N_PROTOCOL=https
      - NODE_ENV=production
      - WEBHOOK_URL=https://${SUBDOMAIN}.${DOMAIN_NAME}/
      - GENERIC_TIMEZONE=${GENERIC_TIMEZONE}
    volumes:
      - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n
	  - /local-files:/files

volumes:
  traefik_data:
    external: true
  n8n_data:
    external: true
```

#### Create `.env` file <a href="#id-6-create-env-file" id="id-6-create-env-file"></a>

```
nano .env
```

```
# The top level domain to serve from
DOMAIN_NAME=yoursite.com

# The subdomain to serve from
SUBDOMAIN=n8n

# DOMAIN_NAME and SUBDOMAIN combined decide where n8n will be reachable from
# above example would result in: https://n8n.bridgethings.com

# Optional timezone to set which gets used by Cron-Node by default
# If not set New York time will be used
GENERIC_TIMEZONE=asia/kolkata

# The email address to use for the SSL certificate creation
SSL_EMAIL=email@gmail.com
```

### Create data folder <a href="#id-7-create-data-folder" id="id-7-create-data-folder"></a>

```
sudo docker volume create n8n_data
```

Create a volume for the Traefik data, This is defined as `traefik_data`.

```
sudo docker volume create traefik_data
```

## Run Docker

```
sudo docker compose up -d

```

## Reference

{% embed url="<https://docs.n8n.io/hosting/installation/server-setups/docker-compose/>" %}

### Updating n8n

Read n8n documentation for fill instrctions

```
# Pull latest (stable) version
docker pull docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n

# Pull specific version
#docker pull docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n:0.220.1

# Pull next (unstable) version
#docker pull docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n:next


# Get the container ID
docker ps -a

# Stop the container with ID container_id
docker stop [container_id]

# Remove the container with ID container_id
docker rm [container_id]

sudo docker compose up -d
```