Handbook

N8N Foundation Handbook

10 chapters. Chapter 1 is a free preview — the rest unlocks after your enrollment is approved.

N8N Foundations & Mental Models

Think like an automation engineer. Learn the primitives — nodes, items, JSON, expressions — that turn scattered SaaS tools into a single, reliable system.

Cover1. What is Automation2. History of Automation3. Traditional vs AI Automation4. What is n8n5. How n8n Works6. Nodes & Connections7. Executions & Data

Installing & Configuring n8n

Ten ways to run n8n — from Desktop double-click to a hardened Ubuntu VPS behind Nginx and SSL — and the settings that separate a hobby install from a production one.

Cover1. Deployment Options2. n8n Cloud3. Desktop App4. Local via npm5. Docker6. Docker Compose + Postgres7. Railway

Mastering Nodes & Expressions

Fifteen core nodes and the expression language that binds them. After this chapter you can build any workflow — the rest is just picking the right integration.

Cover1. HTTP Request2. Webhook3. Set4. Code (JavaScript)5. Function vs Code6. Merge7. Split In Batches

Essential Tools for n8n Developers

A field guide to the 25 services you will actually reach for — AI brains, databases, chat, payments, deploy targets — and one workflow that stitches seven of them together.

Cover1. The Ecosystem Map2. AI Brains3. Databases4. Google Sheets5. Messaging6. WhatsApp & Twilio7. Email

Building Your First Real Automations

Eleven workflows that map to real freelance invoices — email, CRM, PDF, chat, form-to-DB. Copy, adapt, ship.

Cover1. Email Automation2. Lead Capture3. CRM Automation4. Invoice Generator5. PDF Generator6. Telegram Bot7. WhatsApp Notifications

AI Agents Inside n8n

Turn a workflow into a thinking, tool-using agent using the LangChain nodes shipped with n8n.

Cover1. What is an AI Agent2. The Agent Loop3. Tools4. Memory5. AI Agent Node in n8n6. RAG Basics7. Evaluations

Advanced Workflows

Sub-workflows, error handlers, queues, batching, and the patterns that keep production automations calm.

Cover1. Sub-workflows2. Error Handling3. Queues4. Batching5. Scheduling6. Retries7. Testing

Deploying to Production

From laptop to a hardened VPS with backups, SSL, monitoring, and a launch checklist.

Cover1. Where to Deploy2. Docker3. VPS4. Backups5. Monitoring6. Security7. Launch Checklist

Pitfalls & Debugging

The ten holes every n8n builder falls into — and the fix that gets you out.

CoverChapter 8Chapter 10

Capstone: AI Sales Assistant

One end-to-end project that stitches every chapter: form → AI → CRM → WhatsApp → invoice → analytics.

Cover1. Goal2. Architecture3. Build Steps4. Ship5. What's NextChapter 9