2 posts tagged with "docker"

In today’s fast-paced digital world, automation is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. n8n.io is an open-source workflow automation tool that enables you to automate repetitive tasks, integrate various services, and streamline your operations with minimal coding. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to get started with n8n, from understanding its benefits to launching and configuring your instance.

Fair-code workflow automation platform with native AI capabilities.
Combine visual building with
custom code, self-host or cloud, 400+ integrations.

What is n8n?​

n8n is a powerful, extendable workflow automation tool that allows users to create complex integrations between different applications without being constrained by proprietary platforms. It offers a visual interface where you can design workflows by connecting nodes representing various actions or triggers. Its open-source nature means you have full control over your data and can self-host your solution, making it ideal for businesses with specific security or compliance requirements.

Why Choose n8n?​

• Flexibility and Customization​

Open Source:​

With n8n, you get complete access to the source code, allowing you to customize workflows and integrate any service, regardless of whether it’s officially supported.

Self-Hosting:​

Running n8n on your own infrastructure ensures that you control your data and comply with internal security policies.

Extensibility:​

n8n’s modular architecture means you can easily extend its functionality by adding custom nodes or integrating new APIs.

• Cost Efficiency​

Free and Community-Driven:​

n8n is free to use, and its active community continuously contributes plugins, integrations, and improvements.

No Vendor Lock-In:​

Unlike many cloud-based solutions, n8n allows you to avoid being tied to a single vendor, giving you the freedom to scale and modify your workflows as needed.

• Ease of Use​

Visual Workflow Designer:​

Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface simplifies the process of designing and managing automation flows.

Rich Ecosystem:​

n8n supports a wide range of integrations, from popular cloud services to niche applications, reducing the need for custom API work.

Prerequisites for Launching n8n​

Before you dive into the setup, ensure you have the following:

A Server or Local Environment: n8n can run on your local machine for testing or on a production server for live workflows. Docker (Recommended): For a streamlined and reproducible setup, using Docker is highly recommended. Node.js and npm: If you prefer a manual installation, ensure that you have Node.js (version 14 or higher) and npm installed. Basic Command Line Knowledge: Familiarity with terminal commands will help you navigate the installation and configuration process. SSL Certificate (for Production): If you plan to expose n8n to the internet, using an SSL certificate is crucial for securing communications.

Quick Start​

Try n8n instantly with npx (requires Node.js):

npx n8n

Or deploy with Docker:

docker volume create n8n_data
docker run -it --rm --name n8n -p 5678:5678 -v n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n

Resources

📚 Documentation

🔧 400+ Integrations

💡 Example Workflows

🤖 AI & LangChain Guide

👥 Community Forum

📖 Community Tutorials

Docker cli cheat sheet​

Displays the installed version of Docker.

docker --version

Shows system-wide information about Docker including the number of containers, images, and more.

docker info

Pulls a Docker image from Docker Hub or another registry.

docker pull <image_name>

Builds an image from a Dockerfile located in the specified directory.

docker build -t <tag_name> <path>

Lists all available Docker images on your local machine.

docker images

Lists all running containers.

docker ps

Lists all containers, including stopped ones.

docker ps -a

Runs a container from the specified image.

docker run <image_name>

Runs a container in detached mode.

docker run -d <image_name>

Maps a port on the host machine to a port in the container.

docker run -p <host_port>:<container_port> <image_name>

Executes a command inside a running container.

docker exec -it <container_id> <command>

Stops a running container.

docker stop <container_id>

Starts a stopped container.

docker start <container_id>

Restarts a running or stopped container.

docker restart <container_id>

Removes a stopped container.

docker rm <container_id>

Removes a Docker image.

docker rmi <image_id>

Fetches logs of a running or stopped container.

docker logs <container_id>

Lists all Docker networks.

docker network ls

Lists all Docker volumes.

docker volume ls

Starts up all containers defined in the docker-compose.yml file.

docker-compose up

Stops and removes all containers defined in the docker-compose.yml file.

docker-compose down

Builds images for the services defined in the docker-compose.yml file.

docker-compose build

Fetches logs for all containers defined in the docker-compose.yml file.

docker-compose logs

Lists files inside a running container.

docker exec <container_id> ls

Lists all Docker images, including intermediate layers.

docker images -a

Builds an image without using cache, ensuring all steps are re-executed.

docker build --no-cache -t <tag_name> .

Retrieves detailed information about a container or image.

docker inspect <container_id>

Opens an interactive bash shell inside a running container.

docker exec -it <container_id> bash

Customizes the output of the docker info command.

docker info --format '{{.Containers}}'

Attaches to a running container's standard input, output, and error streams.

docker attach <container_id>

Displays live statistics of running containers.

docker stats

Pulls all tags of a Docker image.

docker pull --all-tags <image_name>

Tags an image with a new name.

docker tag <image_id> <new_image_name>

Copies files or directories from a container to the host.

docker cp <container_id>:<container_path> <host_path>

Copies files or directories from the host to a container.

docker cp <host_path> <container_id>:<container_path>

Automatically removes the container when it stops.

docker run --rm <image_name>

Logs in to a Docker registry.

docker login <registry_url>

Logs out from a Docker registry.

docker logout

Removes unused Docker objects like containers, networks, and volumes.

docker prune

Retrieves detailed information about a Docker network.

docker network inspect <network_name>