n8n

A workflow automation tool that mixes a visual editor with code steps, for teams that want Zapier-style automations and AI agents on their own servers.

209k stars, 61.3k forks TypeScript On GitHub since June 2019

Visit website View on GitHub How to run it

What is n8n?

n8n connects apps and APIs into workflows: a trigger such as a webhook, a schedule or a new record starts a chain of steps that move and transform data between services. You build workflows on a visual canvas and switch to JavaScript or Python where no ready-made step exists. Recent versions focus on AI agents that call models and tools inside a workflow. It runs as a Docker container on your own server, or as n8n's paid cloud service.

Good fit if

  • You automate work inside your own company and want the data to stay on your servers.
  • Your team mixes no-code users and developers: one workflow can hold drag-and-drop steps and custom code.
  • You rely on ready-made integrations: the project lists more than 1,500, plus thousands of workflow templates.

Look elsewhere if

  • You want to build a product on top of it, for example letting your customers create their own workflows. The license does not allow that without a commercial agreement. Activepieces (MIT) is the closest open-source option.
  • Your company requires an OSI-approved open-source license.

Before you adopt it

n8n is fair-code, not open source. The Sustainable Use License allows using and changing it for internal business, personal or non-commercial purposes, and selling consulting work around it, but not offering n8n to your customers as part of your service. Files marked .ee. fall under a separate Enterprise License, so features such as single sign-on need a paid license. The project moved to this license from Apache 2.0 with the Commons Clause in March 2022, and contributors sign a contributor license agreement.

Drafted with AI from the project's README and repository data, then checked against that data on 30 October 2026. Report a correction

n8n health: is it still maintained?

84 of 100, actively developed

  • Activity
    4,210 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 1 November 2026.
    30 / 30
  • Contributors
    37 people wrote the latest 100 commits; the most active wrote 9% of them.
    20 / 20
  • Releases
    8 releases in the last 12 months; the latest, n8n@2.45.7, on 30 October 2026.
    17 / 20
  • Replies to issues
    Too few recent issues from outside the team to measure, so this part gets a neutral score.
    10 / 20
  • Security practices
    OpenSSF Scorecard 7.1 of 10.
    7 / 10

Read from GitHub on 1 November 2026. How the score works

n8n license: is it open source?

n8n uses the Sustainable Use License. It is a “fair-code” license, not an OSI-approved open-source one: the code is public, but commercial use is restricted. Read the license before offering n8n to customers. Some features sit under a separate paid license inside the same repository. Contributors sign a contributor license agreement, which lets the owner relicense their work later.

  1. June 2019First published on GitHub under Apache-2.0 + Commons Clause.
  2. 17 March 2022Changed to Sustainable Use License. Commit: Change to the Sustainable Use License #2932
  3. TodaySustainable Use License, with paid parts: separate license LICENSE_EE.md. A contributor license agreement is required.

How to run n8n yourself

Docker
Dockerfile or compose file in the repository
Compose file
None in the repository
Setup effort
Not rated: no compose file to judge from
Kubernetes
No Helm chart in the repository
Desktop and mobile
No app builds in GitHub releases
Interface languages
English only

Install instructions: n8n.io or the README on GitHub.

Alternatives to n8n

  • DifyBuild Agentic workflows, RAG pipelines, with rich AI model and tool support on one collaborative workspace.… 84 health · Apache-2.0 with additional conditions · 160k stars
  • Trigger.devTrigger.dev – build and deploy durable AI agents and workflows 84 health · Apache-2.0 · 16.7k stars
  • ActivepiecesAI Agents & MCPs & AI Workflow Automation • (~400 MCP servers for AI agents) • AI Automation / AI Agent with… 81 health · MIT · 25.3k stars
  • BudibaseAI agents, automations and apps that run your operations. Model agnostic. 74 health · GPL-3.0 · 28.4k stars
  • DaguSelf-hostable workflow orchestrator for teams whose main work isn't orchestration. Declarative YAML over… 77 health · GPL-3.0 · 4.5k stars

All 33 projects in Workflow automation

Questions about n8n

Is n8n open source?

Not by the OSI definition. n8n uses Sustainable Use License, which makes the code public but restricts how it may be used.

Is n8n still maintained?

Its health score is 84 of 100 (actively developed). It had 4,210 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 1 November 2026, and its latest release came out on 30 October 2026.

Did n8n change its license?

Yes. It moved from Apache-2.0 + Commons Clause to Sustainable Use License on 17 March 2022.

How do I run n8n?

You can run it with Docker. The README on GitHub has the exact steps.

What are the alternatives to n8n?

Close alternatives in the Workflow automation category include Dify, Trigger.dev, Activepieces.