Learn n8n from zero to advanced

Introduction to n8n and Setup

What n8n is, why teams pick it, how it compares to Zapier and Make. Cloud vs self-host options and your first workflow.

• What is n8n? An open-source approach to automation
• n8n vs Zapier vs Make
• Cloud (n8n.cloud) vs self-host
• Local install with Docker
• UI tour: Editor, Executions, Credentials
• Your first 'Hello World' workflow

Example workflow

Core Nodes and the UI

The most-used trigger and action nodes in n8n. Node data (items), parameters, and execution modes.

• Trigger nodes: Manual, Schedule, Webhook
• Set, Edit Fields, Code nodes
• Function vs Function Item: when to use which
• Items, $json and $input
• Test vs Production execution modes
• How to debug a red node

Example workflow

Expressions and Data Manipulation

The most powerful feature of n8n: expressions. Read, transform and format data between nodes.

• Expression syntax: {{ $json.field }}
• Pulling data across nodes: $node, $items
• String, Number, Date conversions
• JMESPath for complex queries
• Date/time math and formats
• Conditional values (ternary)

Example workflow

Logic Nodes (IF, Switch, Merge)

Branching and decision-making: IF / Switch for conditions, Merge to combine flows, plus No Operation and Wait.

• IF node: true/false branching
• Switch node: multi-way routing
• Merge node: strategies for combining flows
• Wait node: delays and timeouts
• No Operation patterns
• Splitting logic with sub-workflows

Example workflow

Loops and Array Operations

Working with many records: Split In Batches, Loop Over Items, array operations and performance tips.

• Item-based execution model
• Split In Batches: chunking large lists
• Loop Over Items vs Function Item
• Aggregate / Item Lists nodes
• Rate limiting and respecting API quotas
• Memory and performance management

Example workflow

HTTP Request, APIs and Webhooks

The two key doors of n8n: HTTP Request to call any API and Webhook to catch events from outside.

• HTTP Request: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE
• Auth: API Key, Bearer, OAuth2
• Request body: JSON, form-data, query params
• Response handling and pagination
• Webhook trigger: URLs, secrets, GET/POST
• Webhook response: sync vs async
• Test vs Production webhook URLs

Example workflow

Database Integrations

Working with PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Airtable and Notion. CRUD, queries and transactions.

• PostgreSQL and MySQL: connections and queries
• Insert, Update, Delete, Upsert
• MongoDB: document-oriented data
• Airtable: tables, records, views
• Notion: databases and pages
• Masking sensitive data

Example workflow

Email, Messaging and Communication

Building notification and messaging flows with Gmail, SMTP, Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp and Discord.

• Gmail: reading, sending, labelling
• Generic SMTP / IMAP configuration
• Slack: messages, channel management
• Telegram bots for notifications
• WhatsApp Business API integration
• Discord webhooks and bots

Example workflow

AI Agent and LLM Nodes

Build multi-step intelligent flows with n8n's AI Agent node connected to OpenAI, Anthropic Claude and Google Gemini.

• AI Agent node: system prompt + tools + memory
• Connecting OpenAI, Anthropic and Gemini
• Tool calling: giving the agent capabilities
• Chat memory and conversation continuity
• Structured output with parsers (Zod / JSON schema)
• Multi-step reasoning and guardrails

Example workflow

RAG and Vector Databases

AI agents that work with your own data: document chunking, embeddings, vector search and cited answers.

• What embeddings are and which model to pick
• Vector DB options: Pinecone, Qdrant, Supabase pgvector
• Document Loader: PDF, web, Drive ingest
• Text Splitter chunking strategies
• Retrieve-and-Generate (RAG) flow
• Citing sources and reducing hallucinations

Example workflow

Error Handling, Retry and Logging

Production-grade error handling: Error Trigger, retry strategies, alerts and logging.

• On Error workflow setting
• Error Trigger: central error workflow
• Retry On Fail: delays and max tries
• Continue On Fail: allowing partial success
• Alert flows: Slack/Telegram error notifications
• Logging and audit trail

Example workflow

Self-Hosting and Production Deployment

Running n8n on your own server: Docker Compose with PostgreSQL, reverse proxy, backups and upgrade strategy.

• Docker Compose: n8n + Postgres + Redis
• Environment variables and persistent volumes
• HTTPS reverse proxy with Nginx / Caddy
• Domain and subdomain configuration
• Backups: workflow JSON + credential export
• Version upgrades and rollback

Example workflow

Security and Credentials Management

Managing API keys, secrets, OAuth and sensitive data. Webhook security, rate limiting and monitoring.

• Credentials store: encryption at rest
• OAuth2 flow and token refresh
• Webhook secret / HMAC verification
• Rate limiting and abuse protection
• Masking sensitive data and PII
• Audit logs and access control

Example workflow

Real Projects and Case Studies

Bring it all together: three end-to-end projects (WhatsApp AI support bot, lead scraper + CRM, RAG knowledge assistant).

• Project 1: WhatsApp AI Support Bot (message → Agent → knowledge base → reply)
• Project 2: Lead Scraper + Enrichment + CRM (web → AI scoring → HubSpot)
• Project 3: Internal RAG Knowledge Assistant (PDF → vector → Q&A)
• Deploy, monitor and iterate

Example workflow