Prerequisites#

• Docker
• Docker Compose

Steps#

1. Prepare docker-compose.yml
   • Start with db

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   services:
   2
   n8n:
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       image: docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n
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       container_name: n8n
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       restart: always # Added to ensure n8n restarts if it crashes
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       ports:
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       - "5678:5678"
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       environment:
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       - DB_TYPE=postgresdb
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       - DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=n8n_database
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       - DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=postgres # Hostname of the postgres service
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       - DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=5432
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       - DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=n8n_user # Changed to a specific user for n8n
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       - DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=<Your Database Password> # Use a strong password!
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       # If you're using a self-signed SSL certificate for your Postgres, uncomment and set the following:
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       # - NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0
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       volumes:
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       - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n
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       depends_on:
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       - postgres # n8n depends on postgres being up
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       networks:
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       - n8n_network # Assign to a custom network
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   24
   postgres:
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       image: postgres
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       container_name: n8n_postgres
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       restart: always
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       environment:
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       POSTGRES_DB: n8n_database
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       POSTGRES_USER: n8n_user # Should match DB_POSTGRESDB_USER in n8n service
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       POSTGRES_PASSWORD: <Your Database Password> # Should match DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD in n8n service
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       PGDATA: /var/lib/postgresql/data/pgdata # Optional: Specify a sub-directory for data
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       volumes:
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       - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data # Persist PostgreSQL data
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       networks:
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       - n8n_network # Assign to the same custom network as n8n
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   38
   volumes:
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   n8n_data:
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   postgres_data: # Define the volume for PostgreSQL data
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   networks:
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   n8n_network: # Define a custom bridge network
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       driver: bridge
   

   • Start without database (already have one)

   1
   services:
   2
   n8n:
   3
       image: docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n
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       container_name: n8n
   5
       ports:
   6
       - "5678:5678"
   7
       environment:
   8
       - DB_TYPE=postgresdb
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       - DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=n8n_database
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       - DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=localhost
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       - DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=5432
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       - DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=postgres
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       - DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=<Your Database Password>
   14
       # If you're using a self-signed SSL certificate for your Postgres, uncomment and set the following:
   15
       # - NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0
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       volumes:
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       - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n
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       network_mode: host
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   20
   volumes:
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   n8n_data:
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       # You can specify a driver here if needed, e.g., for network storage:
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       # driver: local
   

2. Start services

   1
   docker compose up -d
   

CAUTION

You shouldn’t put secrets in the file, as I did. It’s just for example.

References#

• Official n8n Guide