n8n-docker -zero-cost

This MCP server guides you through a zero-cost, self-hosted n8n setup using Docker. It leverages the n8n Docker image and a community proxy to expose your instance without paywalls. After starting, you can access the n8n editor locally at http://localhost:5678 or via a public tunnel/domain if you configure an external tunneling service. The included .env settings provide basic authentication and host/port configuration, and the docker-compose file ensures your workflows and data persist in a local directory. Use the MCP tunnel (or a Cloudflare Tunnel) to securely expose your instance when needed.

The available capabilities come from the standard n8n Docker setup: a fully functional n8n editor, a rich library of community nodes, and options to enable or disable diagnostics and personalization. You can customize authentication, proxy tunneling, and access URLs via the .env file and docker-compose configuration. If you need to install extra community packages, you can enable them through n8n settings once the container is running.

Prerequisites:\n- Docker and Docker Compose installed on your machine.\n- A domain name (optional for HTTPS) and basic familiarity with Docker.\n- Git and a code editor for editing files.\n\nStep-by-step:\n1) Create project directory and navigate into it:\n mkdir n8n-zerocost && cd n8n-zerocost\n\n2) Create the environment file (.env) with basic settings:\n N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=admin\n N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=strongpassword\n\n N8N_HOST=localhost\n N8N_PORT=5678\n\n N8N_EDITOR_BASE_URL=https://n8n.community\n N8N_PROTOCOL=http\n WEBHOOK_TUNNEL_URL=https://n8n.community\n\n N8N_PERSONALIZATION_ENABLED=false\n N8N_DIAGNOSTICS_ENABLED=false\n\n3) Create the docker-compose.yml with the n8n service (as provided in the guide):\n version: "3.7"\n services:\n n8n:\n image: n8nio/n8n:latest\n restart: always\n ports:\n - "5678:5678"\n env_file:\n - .env\n volumes:\n - ./n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n\n environment:\n - N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_ALLOWED=true\n - N8N_TUNNEL_SUBDOMAIN=your-subdomain # Optional\n\n4) Start the stack using Docker Compose (through MCP script):\n docker compose up -d\n\n5) Check logs if needed:\n docker logs -f n8n\n\n6) Access the editor at http://localhost:5678 or via your MCP tunnel domain.

Tips and notes:\n- Always use a strong username/password in the .env file for security.\n- If you want HTTPS in production, consider using a Cloudflare tunnel or an NGINX reverse proxy with TLS.\n- Workflows and data are stored under ./n8n_data; back it up regularly.\n- If you modify environment variables, you may need to restart the docker-compose stack to apply changes.\n- The MCP tunnel will expose your local instance; ensure proper access control to prevent unauthorized access.