Lars E.
Sample Production section is excellent
Most n8n tutorials stop at Docker run. Postgres, HTTPS, backups and the encryption key warning were exactly what I needed.
n8n workflow automation: self host it and build real flows
Run n8n with Docker and Postgres, build workflows with webhooks, APIs, branching and code, and keep them reliable in production
Created by Marta Kowalska
- Updated September 2026
- English
- Intermediate
What you will learn
- Run n8n locally with Docker and in production with Postgres
- Explain how items flow between nodes and map data with expressions
- Build workflows with webhooks, schedules, HTTP requests and branching
- Use the Code node for custom transformations
- Add error workflows, retries and sub workflows for reliability
- Secure an n8n instance with HTTPS, credentials and an encryption key
- Back up, update and version control your workflows
Course content
n8n fundamentals
Core building blocks
- Article: Triggers: webhooks, schedules and apps 10 min
- Article: Calling any API with HTTP Request 11 min
- Article: Branching with If, Switch and Merge 10 min
- Article: Lists, loops and aggregation 10 min
- Article: The Code node 11 min
Running n8n in production
- Article: Docker Compose with Postgres 11 min
- Article: HTTPS and a reverse proxy 10 min
- Article: Environment variables and the encryption key 8 min
- Article: Backups and updates 9 min
- Article: Scaling with queue mode 9 min
Reliability
- Article: Error workflows 9 min
- Article: Retries, timeouts and continue on fail 8 min
- Article: Sub workflows 9 min
- Article: Monitoring and execution data 8 min
Real workflows
- Article: CRM and form sync 10 min
- Article: Validated webhook intake 9 min
- Article: Scheduled weekly report 9 min
- Article: AI assisted ticket summaries 10 min
Working as a team
- Article: Credentials and access control 8 min
- Article: Workflows in version control 9 min
- Article: Licensing and choosing cloud or self hosted 7 min
- Quiz: Final check 6 min
Requirements
- Comfort with JSON and basic API concepts
- Docker installed on your computer
- Basic command line skills
Description
n8n is a workflow automation tool you can run on your own server. It combines a visual editor with the option to drop into JavaScript or Python when you need it, and because you host it yourself, you control your data and avoid per task pricing. That makes it popular with technical teams, agencies and companies with strict data requirements.
What you will learn
The course covers both building workflows and running n8n properly in production.
- Running n8n locally with Docker, then in production with Docker Compose and Postgres
- How n8n passes data between nodes as items, and how expressions map it
- Webhooks, schedules, HTTP requests to any API, branching and loops
- The Code node for transformations that are awkward visually
- Error workflows, retries, sub workflows and monitoring
- HTTPS, environment variables, backups, updates and queue mode for scaling
- Credentials, security and keeping workflows in version control
Projects
You will build four workflows: a two way sync between a form tool and a CRM, a validated webhook intake for website requests, a scheduled weekly report sent to chat and email, and a support ticket summariser that uses an AI model with a human review step.
Who it is for
This course suits people comfortable with basic technical concepts such as JSON, APIs and the command line: developers, technical operations staff, IT administrators and experienced no code builders moving beyond Zapier or Make. You need a computer that can run Docker. For the production section, a small Linux server from any provider is useful but optional. n8n is distributed under its own fair code licence; we look at what that means for internal and commercial use.
Who this course is for
- Developers and technical operations staff automating internal processes
- IT administrators who need self hosted automation
- No code builders moving beyond hosted tools
Instructor
Marta Kowalska
Automation consultant teaching Zapier, Make, n8n and Airtable for real operations work
- 4.3 instructor rating
- 21 reviews
- 8,310 students
- 3 courses
- Sample
I help small teams remove repetitive work. In practice that means mapping how a process really runs, finding the copy and paste steps, and replacing them with automations and simple internal tools built in Zapier, Make, n8n and Airtable.
I teach automation as a craft with rules: start from the process, not the tool, design for failures, log what happens and document each flow so someone else can maintain it. I also cover the less glamorous topics such as API keys, webhooks, rate limits and data privacy.
Each course is built around workflows I have set up many times, like lead routing, invoice handling and onboarding checklists, so you can adapt them straight away.
Student reviews
Rania F.
Sample Error workflows saved us
We had silent failures for weeks before adding the error workflow from this course.
Chioma N.
Sample Items model finally clicked
Understanding that nodes run once per item fixed most of my confusing results. Great explanation.
Jonas L.
Sample Good AI lesson
The ticket summary flow with human review is a sensible way to use AI without handing over decisions.
Pavel K.
Sample Practical workflows we now run
The validated webhook intake is now running for our website forms. I wanted slightly more on Python in the Code node.
Alicia M.
Sample Honest about self hosting
I liked the clear explanation of what self hosting costs in time. Helped me make the case internally.
Tomasz W.
Sample Needs technical background
Good course, but you really need to be comfortable with Docker and JSON. Beginners might find it steep.
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