Getting Started

n8n is an open-source workflow automation platform that lets you connect 400+ apps, build AI-powered automations, and run custom code in a self-hosted environment. Available as an open web service in Eyevinn Open Source Cloud, n8n gives you the flexibility of a no-code/low-code tool combined with full control over your data. This tutorial walks you through the steps to get started.

Prerequisites

Step 1: Create a PostgreSQL database

n8n requires a PostgreSQL database to store workflow data, execution history, and credentials across restarts. Navigate to the PostgreSQL service in the Eyevinn OSC web console. Click on "Create psql-db" and enter a name for the instance and a password.

Based on the IP and port, the connection URL to your PostgreSQL database is postgres://postgres:<password>@<IP>:<PORT>/postgres.

Step 2: Store the database URL as a secret

It is a good practice to store credentials as secrets and refer to them when creating an instance. Navigate to the n8n service in the Eyevinn OSC web console. Go to the tab "Service Secrets" and click on "New Secret".

Create the following secret:

  • dburl with the PostgreSQL connection URL from Step 1 (e.g. postgres://postgres:mypassword@172.232.131.169:10505/postgres)

Step 3: Create the n8n instance

Go to the tab "My n8n" and click on "Create n8n". Fill in:

  • Name: a name for your instance (alphanumeric only)
  • DatabaseUrl: {{secrets.dburl}}
  • RunnersAuthToken: leave empty to have the platform generate a secure token automatically

Click on the instance card when the status is green and "running".

Step 4: Set up your owner account

Open the instance URL in your browser. The first time you open n8n, you will be prompted to create an owner account with your name, email address, and a password.

Important: This setup step is required before you can use n8n. There are no default credentials to guess. Complete the owner account setup before sharing the instance URL with others.

Step 5: Build your first workflow

Once logged in, click "New workflow" to start building automations. n8n supports:

  • Trigger nodes: HTTP webhooks, scheduled triggers, and app events from Slack, GitHub, Gmail, and 400+ more
  • Action nodes: Transform data, call APIs, run JavaScript or Python code, and query databases
  • AI nodes: Connect to OpenAI, Anthropic, and other LLMs for AI-powered workflows
  • MCP integration: n8n can act as both an MCP client and MCP server for AI agent workflows

Using the CLI

You can also create an n8n instance using the OSC CLI:

# First create a PostgreSQL database
npx @osaas/cli create birme-osc-postgresql mydb -o PostgresPassword="mypassword"

# Create the n8n instance (RunnersAuthToken is auto-generated)
npx @osaas/cli create n8n-io-n8n myn8n \
  -o DatabaseUrl="postgres://postgres:mypassword@<IP>:<PORT>/postgres"

Configuration Options

Option Required Description
DatabaseUrl No PostgreSQL connection string. If omitted, n8n uses SQLite and data is lost on restart. Strongly recommended for production.
RunnersAuthToken Yes Authentication token for communication between the n8n main process and task runners. Auto-generated by the platform if left empty.

Resources