Deploy n8n on Dublyo

Self-host n8n, the powerful workflow automation tool. Connect 400+ apps and build automations without code.

n8n is an open-source workflow automation platform that lets you connect virtually any service and build complex automations using a visual, drag-and-drop interface. With Dublyo, you can deploy your own n8n instance in minutes — fully self-hosted, with your data under your control.

Why self-host n8n? Full control over your data, no workflow execution limits, and the ability to connect to internal services that cloud-hosted n8n cannot reach.

Requirements

Before deploying n8n, make sure you have a Dublyo account with credits and at least one server provisioned.

Requirement	Minimum	Recommended
Server	Starter (2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM)	Standard (4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM)
Database	SQLite (default)	PostgreSQL (for production)
Credits	~500 cr/month (Starter)	~860 cr/month (Standard)

A Starter server is sufficient for getting started and running lightweight workflows. If you plan to build workflows with many nodes or run frequent executions, a Standard server is recommended for better performance and reliability.

n8n runs with SQLite by default, which works well for most use cases. For high-volume production environments, you can upgrade to PostgreSQL by deploying a PostgreSQL instance on the same server and updating the n8n environment variables.

Tip: Start with a Starter server and SQLite. You can always upgrade your server or switch to PostgreSQL later without losing your workflows.

Deploy n8n

Deploying n8n on Dublyo takes just a few clicks. Follow these steps to get your instance up and running.

Go to the Deploy page

Click Deploy in the sidebar navigation to open the template library.

Search for "n8n"

Use the search bar to find the n8n template, or browse the Automation category.

Click the n8n template

Select n8n from the results to open its configuration page.

Set your app name

Choose a name for your n8n instance. This will be part of your URL (e.g., my-n8n.dublyo.co).

Configure admin credentials

Set your N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER and N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD to secure your instance.

Select your server

Choose which server to deploy n8n to. Pick a Starter or Standard server.

Click Deploy

Hit Deploy and n8n will be live within seconds.

Tip: Use a strong password for your admin credentials. n8n will be publicly accessible at your subdomain, so proper authentication is essential.

Configuration

n8n is configured via environment variables. Dublyo sets sensible defaults during deployment, but you can customize them from the app detail page at any time.

Key Environment Variables

Variable	Description	Default
`N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER`	Username for basic auth login	Set during deployment
`N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD`	Password for basic auth login	Set during deployment
`N8N_HOST`	The hostname for your n8n instance	Auto-set to your subdomain
`N8N_PROTOCOL`	Protocol used for n8n URLs	`https`

Optional Variables

Variable	Description	Use Case
`N8N_SMTP_HOST`	SMTP server for sending emails	Email notifications and workflow email actions
`N8N_SMTP_USER`	SMTP username	Required with SMTP host
`N8N_SMTP_PASS`	SMTP password	Required with SMTP host
`WEBHOOK_URL`	Public URL for incoming webhooks	External services triggering n8n workflows

To update environment variables after deployment, go to your app detail page, edit the variables, and restart the app. Changes take effect immediately after restart.

Tip: If you plan to receive webhooks from external services (e.g., GitHub, Stripe, Slack), make sure WEBHOOK_URL is set to your full app URL including the protocol:

https://my-n8n.dublyo.co

Accessing n8n

Once deployed, your n8n instance is immediately accessible via its unique Dublyo subdomain with automatic HTTPS.

Your n8n Dashboard

Open your n8n instance in the browser at:

https://your-app-name.dublyo.co

Log in with the N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER and N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD credentials you set during deployment. After logging in, you'll see the n8n workflow editor.

Start Building Workflows

n8n provides a visual, drag-and-drop interface for building automations. Here's what you can do right away:

Create a new workflow — click "New Workflow" and start adding nodes
Browse integrations — connect to 400+ apps including Slack, Google Sheets, GitHub, Stripe, and more
Use triggers — start workflows from webhooks, schedules (cron), or manual triggers
Test in real time — execute workflows step-by-step to see data flowing through each node

Tip: Start with a simple workflow to get familiar with n8n. Try connecting a webhook trigger to a Slack notification — you'll have it running in under 5 minutes.

Backup & Restore

Keeping your n8n workflows and data safe is important. n8n stores all workflows, credentials, and execution history in its database. Here are your options for backing up and restoring.

Export Workflows as JSON

The simplest way to back up individual workflows is to export them directly from the n8n UI. Open any workflow, click the menu, and select Download. This saves the workflow as a JSON file that you can import into any n8n instance.

Full Instance Backup via Portainer

For a complete backup of your entire n8n instance — including all workflows, credentials, and settings — export the Docker volume via Portainer:

Open Portainer from your server dashboard
Navigate to Volumes
Find the n8n data volume
Export the volume contents

Restore Workflows

To restore workflows on a new n8n instance:

Individual workflows — use the n8n import feature to upload JSON workflow files
Full instance — restore the Docker volume from your Portainer backup before starting n8n

Tip: Make it a habit to export your most important workflows as JSON files regularly. Store them in a Git repository for version control and easy recovery.

Troubleshooting

Running into issues with your n8n instance? Here are solutions to the most common problems.

Webhooks Not Working

If external services cannot trigger your n8n workflows via webhooks, the WEBHOOK_URL environment variable is likely not set or incorrect.

Go to your app detail page and check that WEBHOOK_URL is set
Ensure it matches your full app URL:

https://your-app-name.dublyo.co

Restart the app after updating the variable
Test the webhook URL directly in your browser to confirm it resolves

Memory Issues or Slow Performance

If n8n becomes slow or crashes during workflow execution, your server may not have enough resources.

Check server usage — open your server dashboard to see CPU and memory utilization
Upgrade to Standard — if you're on a Starter server, upgrading to Standard (8 GB RAM) provides significantly more headroom
Optimize workflows — reduce the number of items processed per execution, or split large workflows into smaller ones

Tip: Workflows that process large datasets (thousands of items) or run many parallel branches benefit significantly from a Standard or Performance server.

Cannot Connect to External Services

If n8n cannot reach an external API or service, check the following:

API keys — verify your credentials are correct in the n8n Credentials section
Environment variables — ensure any required environment variables are set on your app detail page
Service status — confirm the external service is online and accessible
OAuth flows — for OAuth-based integrations, make sure the callback URL matches your n8n instance URL

Cannot Log In

If you cannot log in to your n8n instance:

Double-check the N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER and N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD values on your app detail page
If you've forgotten your credentials, update them in the environment variables and restart the app
Clear your browser cache and try again

Need Help?

Can't find what you're looking for? Check the full documentation or reach out.

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