n8n
Workshop
Automate Everything with Visual AI Workflows
Learn how to build powerful automation pipelines, connect 400+ services, and integrate AI agents โ all without writing a single line of boilerplate code.
// Module 01
What is n8n?
n8n (pronounced "n-eight-n") is an open-source workflow automation platform that lets you connect apps, APIs, and AI models through a visual node-based editor โ self-hostable and fully extensible.
Sample Workflow
Example: AI Customer Support Bot
- Node-Based Visual Editor Drag-and-drop interface โ build complex workflows without writing glue code
- Open Source & Self-Hostable Deploy on your own server or Docker container โ full data control
- AI Agent Native Built-in LangChain nodes, memory, tools, and multi-agent orchestration
- Code When You Need It JavaScript / Python code nodes for custom logic โ best of both worlds
- 400+ Integrations Gmail, Slack, Notion, Airtable, Claude, OpenAI, Webhooks, REST APIs & more
// Module 02
Why Choose n8n?
Ten powerful reasons why n8n is the go-to platform for Agentic AI developers and automation engineers.
Fair-code license means you can self-host for free. No per-task fees like Zapier or Make. Run unlimited workflows on your own server โ perfect for startups and educators.
Your data never leaves your server. Perfect for handling sensitive client data, GDPR compliance, and enterprise use cases โ unlike cloud-only tools.
Native LangChain integration, OpenAI/Claude/Gemini nodes, vector store connections, memory buffers, and tool-using agents โ build production AI agents visually.
Build in hours what would take days with traditional code. Visual debugging, instant test runs, and live execution make iteration blazing fast.
400+ pre-built nodes for Gmail, Slack, Notion, Airtable, HubSpot, Postgres, MongoDB, WhatsApp, Telegram, and any REST API via HTTP nodes.
Escape velocity with JavaScript and Python code nodes. Use npm packages, write custom transformations, and call any library โ no platform lock-in.
Deploy with a single Docker command. Scales from Raspberry Pi to enterprise Kubernetes clusters. Works on VPS, EC2, GCP, Azure, and Railway.app.
Built-in error workflows, retry-on-fail, execution history, and alerting ensure your automations are production-grade and reliable โ not just demos.
Multi-user workspaces, role-based access control, workflow versioning, and sharable templates make team automation projects manageable at scale.
Build and sell automation workflows as a service. Agentic AI developers on Upwork and Fiverr charging $50โ$500/workflow. A marketable skill for freelancers.
// Module 03
n8n vs The Competition
How n8n stacks up against Zapier, Make (Integromat), and Activepieces for Agentic AI use cases.
| Feature | n8n โก | Zapier | Make | Activepieces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-Hostable | โ | โ | โ | โ |
| Open Source | โ | โ | โ | โ |
| Native AI Agent Nodes | โ | Limited | Limited | โ |
| Code Nodes (JS/Python) | โ | JS only | JS only | โ |
| Free Tier (Unlimited) | Self-host | 100 tasks | 1000 ops | โ |
| LangChain Integration | โ Native | โ | โ | โ |
| Vector Store Nodes | โ | โ | โ | โ |
| Docker Deployment | โ | โ | โ | โ |
| Workflow Templates | โ 1000+ | โ | โ | Growing |
| Error Workflows | โ | Basic | โ | Basic |
// Module 04
Real-World Use Cases
Practical automations you can build on day one โ all directly applicable to AiBytec students and entrepreneurs.
- Gmail trigger on new email
- Claude classifies intent
- Draft smart reply with AI
- Send & log to Notion DB
- Schedule trigger daily
- Claude generates post content
- Image via DALL-E / Replicate
- Auto-post to LinkedIn & Twitter
- Webhook from website chat
- Query Pinecone vector store
- LLM generates answer
- Respond via Slack/WhatsApp
- Scrape data via HTTP node
- Transform with code node
- Summarize with Claude
- Store in Airtable/Sheets
- Form submission webhook
- Qualify lead with AI
- Send personalized email
- Add to CRM + notify Slack
- WhatsApp Business API hook
- Intent detection via LLM
- Route to correct workflow
- Reply automatically 24/7
- Keyword input from Airtable
- Claude writes full blog post
- SEO optimization pass
- Auto-publish to WordPress
- Cron job every 30 mins
- Fetch API / website data
- AI detects anomalies
- Alert via Telegram/Email
// Module 05
Quickstart
Get n8n running locally in under 2 minutes using Docker โ the recommended setup for AiBytec students.
# Step 1: Pull and run n8n with Docker docker run -it --rm \ -p 5678:5678 \ -e N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true \ -e N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=admin \ -e N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=yourpassword \ -v ~/.n8n:/home/node/.n8n \ n8nio/n8n # Step 2: Open your browser # โ http://localhost:5678 # Step 3: Or use npx (no Docker needed) npx n8n
// Live Demo
Watch It Live
No slides. No theory. Just real automation โ built in front of your eyes.
