What it is
n8n is a workflow automation platform with a visual node editor where you can drop JavaScript or Python into any step and build AI agents with memory and tools. Run it in n8n's cloud or host the free Community edition on your own server under its fair-code license, which isn't OSI open source. Technical teams pick it for control and predictable costs.
How to use it
- Connect your apps with 400+ integrations and HTTP nodes for any API.
- Build AI agents on models from OpenAI or Claude, with memory and your own tools.
- Write code in JavaScript or Python inside a node when visual steps fall short.
- Self-host it with Docker so your data never leaves your infrastructure.
- Trigger workflows from webhooks, schedules or events in other apps.
What it's good for
- An agency answering WhatsApp leads with an AI agent and logging them in HubSpot.
- An operations team syncing orders, inventory and invoices across systems without paying per step.
- A fintech that must automate processes involving sensitive data on its own servers.
Pros
- Free self-hosted Community edition with no execution limits
- Cloud plans bill per full workflow execution, not per step
- JavaScript and Python code nodes inside the visual editor
- Native nodes for AI agents, memory and vector stores
Cons
- The fair-code license restricts offering n8n as a service to others
- Steeper learning curve than Zapier or Make for non-technical users
- Interface and docs are English-only
