How to install n8n Community Edition on VPS

n8n is a powerful automation tool that allows you to connect different services and create automated workflows without programming. It supports over 300 integrations and makes it easy to build scripts for data processing, sending notifications, API integrations and more.

If you want to have complete freedom in using n8n, the best choice is to self-install it on your own server. In this guide, we will detail how to install n8n on a VPS using Docker, the most convenient way to deploy n8n.

What it will take

Before starting the installation, make sure you have:

• A VPS with Linux pre-installed (e.g. Ubuntu 22.04)
• A user with sudo privileges
• Docker and Docker Compose installed
• Minimum 1 GB of RAM (2 GB is optimal)

Installing Docker and Docker Compose

Connect to the server via SSH and run the following commands:

sudo apt update sudo apt install -y apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg echo "deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | \ sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null sudo apt update sudo apt install -y docker-ce docker-compose

Check that Docker and Docker Compose are installed:

docker --version docker-compose --version

To run Docker commands without sudo, add yourself to the appropriate group:

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

⚠️ You must then re-enter the SSH session or reboot for the changes to take effect.

Creating a volume and starting the n8n manually

Create a volume to store the n8n data:

docker volume create n8n_data

Starting n8n:

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

The n8n will now be available at:

http://<Your_VPS_IP>:5678

[Optional] Connecting PostgreSQL

By default, n8n uses SQLite. However, for reliable work in production it is better to use PostgreSQL:

docker run -it --rm \ --name n8n \ -p 5678:5678 \ -e DB_TYPE=postgresdb \ -e DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=db_name \ -e DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=server_ip_or_name \ -e DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=5432 \ -e DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=username \ -e DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=password \ -v n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n \ docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n

Installation via Docker Compose (recommended)

This way is more convenient and easier to control n8n. But first, let's understand it:

Below is the text that you need to paste into the file. You need to create a text file named docker-compose.yml and paste the suggested contents into it.

Create a file by typing in the terminal:

nano docker-compose.yml

The nano text editor will open. Paste the following text into it:

version: '3' services: n8n: image: docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n restart: always ports: - "5678:5678" environment: - GENERIC_TIMEZONE=Europe/Moscow volumes: - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n volumes: n8n_data:

Then press Ctrl + O, then Enter (to save), and Ctrl + X (to exit).

Starting and stopping

Start n8n:

docker compose up -d

Stop:

docker compose down

Update n8n

To update n8n to the latest version:

docker compose pull docker compose down docker compose up -d

Tunnel mode (for testing)

What is tunnel mode?

This is a special mode in which the n8n temporarily publishes your local server to the Internet through a secure tunnel. This is useful if, for example, you want to test incoming Webhooks from Telegram, Stripe, or other services, but you don't have a domain and HTTPS.

Example: you create an automation that responds to an incoming message from Telegram. But Telegram can't “reach” your server if you don't have a public address. In this case, we run n8n in tunnel mode, get a temporary HTTPS address, specify it to Telegram, and everything works.

Tunnel launch:

docker run -it --rm \ --name n8n \ -p 5678:5678 \ -v n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n \ docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n \ start --tunnel

⚠️ It is not recommended to use the tunnel in production — it is only for testing and debugging.

Conclusion

Now you know how to install and run n8n on a VPS using Docker — fast, easy and convenient. You can use built-in triggers, connect APIs, Telegram, Google Sheets, Slack and more, creating powerful automations without code.