n8n is a workflow automation platform with a visual node-based editor, 500+ pre-built integration nodes, and JavaScript and Python code nodes for custom logic. It is self-hostable under the Sustainable Use License and also available as a managed cloud service. Execution is trigger-based: webhooks, cron schedules, queue events, or manual invocation start a workflow that chains nodes sequentially or in parallel.
AI agent nodes built on LangChain primitives enable tool-calling, memory, and vector store retrieval (Pinecone, Qdrant, pgvector) within the same workflow editor used for non-AI automations. This allows combining LLM calls with database writes, API calls, and notification steps in a single workflow.
Queue mode, available on Business and Enterprise plans, adds Redis-backed horizontal worker scaling for high-throughput workloads. Community Edition is free and self-hostable. Business starts at €667/month. The Sustainable Use License prohibits using n8n as the basis for a competing hosted automation service.
