Linux
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  • 29/10/2025

How to Install n8n with Docker Compose on Ubuntu 22.04

n8n is a powerful open-source workflow automation tool that lets you connect apps and automate tasks — similar to Zapier or Make. In this tutorial, we’ll go step-by-step through how to install n8n using Docker Compose on an Ubuntu 22.04 server.

1. Update Your System

Before installing anything, make sure your system is up to date:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2. Install Docker and Docker Compose

Install Docker

sudo apt install ca-certificates curl gnupg lsb-release -y
sudo mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

echo \
  "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.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 docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin -y

Verify Docker is working 

sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo docker run hello-world

If you see “Hello from Docker!”, your installation was successful ✅

3. Create a Folder for n8n

Let’s create a directory to store n8n configuration and data:

sudo mkdir -p /opt/n8n/n8n_data
sudo chown -R 1000:1000 /opt/n8n/n8n_data
cd /opt/n8n

4. Create the Docker Compose File

sudo nano docker-compose.yml

Paste the following content:

version: '3.7'

services:
  n8n:
    image: n8nio/n8n:latest
    restart: always
    ports:
      - "5678:5678"
    environment:
      - GENERIC_TIMEZONE=Asia/Ho_Chi_Minh
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=admin
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=yourpassword
      - N8N_HOST=n8n.example.com
      - N8N_PORT=5678
      - N8N_PROTOCOL=http
      - WEBHOOK_URL=http://your-server-ip:5678/
    volumes:
      - ./n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n

🔹 Change the username and password for security.
🔹 Replace your-server-ip or n8n.example.com with your real IP or domain.

5. Start n8n

Run the container in the background:

sudo docker compose up -d

Check the running containers:

sudo docker ps

6. Fix Permission Errors (if any)

If you see this error:

Error: EACCES: permission denied, open '/home/node/.n8n/config'

Run the following commands:

cd /opt/n8n
sudo docker compose down
sudo chown -R 1000:1000 /opt/n8n/n8n_data
sudo docker compose up -d

This gives the container’s user permission to write to the mounted folder.

7. Access the n8n Web Interface

Now open your browser and go to:

http://your-server-ip:5678

Log in using your credentials:

Username: admin
Password: yourpassword

8. (Optional) Enable HTTPS with a Reverse Proxy

For production use, you should run n8n behind a reverse proxy like Traefik or Nginx Proxy Manager to enable Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates.

Example (Nginx Proxy Manager):

  • Proxy http://localhost:5678

  • Enable SSL with Let’s Encrypt

  • Use your domain: n8n.example.com

9. Backup Your Data

All your workflows, credentials, and settings are stored in:

/opt/n8n/n8n_data

To back up, simply copy or sync this folder regularly.

10. Useful Docker Commands
CommandDescription
sudo docker compose up -dStart n8n
sudo docker compose downStop n8n
sudo docker compose restartRestart n8n
sudo docker compose logs -fView live logs
sudo docker exec -it n8n /bin/bashEnter the container

 

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