Why Developers Love n8n GitHub: An Honest Review [2025]

With over 41,000 stars on GitHub, n8n GitHub has become a developer favorite for workflow automation in 2025. We've watched this platform grow rapidly, now boasting more than 200,000 active users and 3,000 enterprise customers worldwide.

What makes n8n open source so compelling? Unlike competitors such as Zapier and Make, n8n github repository allows developers to execute external npm packages within JavaScript code nodes. The platform is also very flexible for teams with different programming tastes because it allows Python and JavaScript coding within workflows. Additionally, the self-hosted version offers a cost-effective substitute for pricey cloud-based solutions, with setup costs as low as €3 per month.

After pivoting to become more AI-friendly in 2022, n8n reported a 5X increase in revenues - clear evidence of its market relevance. In this honest review, we'll explore why developers are flocking to n8n, examine its impressive github integration capabilities, and help you decide whether the cloud or self-hosted version is right for your needs.

What is n8n and Why It Matters in 2025

Since its 2019 launch, n8n (pronounced "n-eight-n") has quickly developed into a potent workflow automation platform that offers technical teams an unmatched degree of flexibility. Fundamentally, n8n creates a hybrid approach that appeals to both developers and business users by fusing the speed of drag-and-drop interfaces with the accuracy of code.

Visual workflow automation explained

n8n operates through a visual, node-based editor where each node represents a specific action, trigger, or data transformation. When I first used the platform, I immediately appreciated how it visualizes the entire data flow through connected nodes—much like a flowchart on steroids. This approach makes complex automation digestible.

The platform's strength lies in its ability to connect over 400 different applications and services. Instead of just building isolated "recipes" like some competitors, n8n emphasizes holistic workflows that map how data flows throughout your organization. This visual paradigm bridges the gap between no-code simplicity and developer-level customization.

What truly sets n8n apart in 2025 is its built-in AI capabilities. The platform now natively supports creating agentic systems and integrating any LLM into workflows as quickly as you can drag and drop. These AI nodes use LangChain under the hood, enabling advanced AI automations that other tools simply can't match.

n8n open source and fair-code model

While n8n's source code is openly available, it follows what they call a "fair-code" model rather than being fully open-source by OSI standards. The platform uses the Sustainable Use License, created by n8n in 2022.

Under this fair-code approach:

• The source code is completely visible and accessible
• Anyone can self-host and deploy n8n anywhere
• The platform can be extended by adding custom functionality
• Commercial use is restricted by its authors

This model offers significant advantages over traditional licensing. For users, it means free access to powerful automation capabilities while ensuring the team behind n8n remains financially viable for long-term development. For businesses wanting to integrate fair-code projects into their paid offerings, they need special licenses—but this funding goes directly back into improving the project.

n8n io GitHub and its role in development

The development of the platform and the expansion of the community now heavily relies on the n8n GitHub repository. n8n is among the top 150 projects on GitHub as of 2025, having amassed over 80,000 stars. This amazing metric shows how widely developers trust the project and are interested in it.

More than 200,000 community members contribute to the development of n8n on GitHub, which is more than just a code repository. Developers can use GitHub to view the complete source code, follow updates through releases, and take part in conversations that will influence the platform's direction.

Moreover, n8n's presence on GitHub enables an unprecedented level of transparency. Unlike proprietary automation platforms, users can inspect the code, suggest improvements, and even build custom nodes to extend functionality. This open development model has directly contributed to n8n's impressive growth, with over 100 million Docker pulls demonstrating its widespread adoption.

How Developers Use n8n with GitHub

GitHub serves as both home and playground for n8n developers, offering powerful ways to interact with this workflow automation platform. From the repository's core codebase to its robust community support, developers can leverage multiple GitHub touchpoints for their n8n projects.

Cloning and running n8n from GitHub

For developers looking to explore, customize, or contribute to n8n, the journey begins with cloning the repository. The process is straightforward:

git clone git@github.com:n8n-io/n8n.git
cd n8n
npm run bootstrap
npm run build

Once cloned, developers can inspect the codebase structure, make modifications, or run the platform locally. However, first-time users occasionally encounter setup challenges, as evidenced in community discussions. Issues like scandir errors have been documented when cloning and building from source. Consequently, the n8n team continuously improves the documentation to support developers through these initial steps.

Tracking updates via n8n GitHub releases

n8n's GitHub repository serves as the central hub for release announcements and version tracking. With n8n now boasting over 80,000 stars, placing it among the top 150 projects on GitHub, the releases page has become essential for developers wanting to stay current.

Many developers create automated notification systems using n8n itself to track these updates. For instance, community members have built workflows that send daily GitHub release notifications via email or Slack. These automations demonstrate n8n's practical application for developers who need to monitor repository updates across their projects.

Using GitHub issues and discussions for support

Beyond code and releases, n8n's GitHub repository functions as a vibrant support community. Developers frequently use issues to report bugs, request features, or troubleshoot implementation problems. Common queries range from setup challenges to integration questions like "how to fetch comments from GitHub issues".

The repository's issues section becomes particularly valuable for self-hosting scenarios. When developers encounter problems with GitHub triggers or API connections, they can search existing issues or create new ones to tap into collective knowledge. This community-driven approach aligns perfectly with n8n's fair-code model, creating an ecosystem where developers collaborate to improve the platform while building their own solutions.

Real-World Use Cases That Showcase n8n’s Power

After exploring how developers interact with the n8n github repository, let's examine what they're actually building. The true power of n8n emerges when developers implement real-world solutions that solve genuine business problems.

Web scraping and data collection

The n8n github repository contains numerous examples of developers using the platform for sophisticated web scraping operations. Through custom JavaScript nodes, I've seen teams extract structured data from websites without writing complex scripts. Specifically, combining HTTP Request nodes with HTML parsing functions creates powerful scrapers that can navigate pagination, handle authentication, and extract specific elements.

One particularly effective approach involves using n8n's GitHub integration to store scraped data directly in repositories as JSON or CSV files. This creates a version-controlled data pipeline that tracks changes over time—perfect for monitoring competitor pricing or content updates.

Automated reporting and notifications

A lot of development teams use n8n's open source features to build automated reporting systems. Teams can keep an eye on their entire development pipeline by linking GitHub events to notification channels. For example, n8n can create custom reports and send them out via email, Slack, or even custom webhooks when particular issues are tagged or pull requests are combined.

Here, the n8n self-hosted option excels because it enables teams to handle private internal data without disclosing it to outside parties. This capability has become crucial for audit trails and compliance reporting in enterprise settings.

Smart home and IoT automation

Despite being geared toward developers, n8n has discovered unexpected uses in Internet of Things settings. The platform is perfect for smart home automation because it can communicate with RESTful APIs. In fact, n8n is frequently used by developers to connect real IoT devices to GitHub repositories that hold device code.

As a result, firmware updates can be automatically tested and deployed when new commits are pushed to specific branches. Above all, this capability reduces the friction between development and deployment in IoT contexts.

Syncing data across platforms

To put it simply, n8n is very good at synchronizing data across different systems. Workflows that maintain GitHub issues in sync with Jira or Trello, project management tools, are commonly created by developers. In addition to removing the need for manual information copying, this guarantees that stakeholders who are not technical can access development updates through recognizable interfaces.

The n8n github docker compose configurations make these synchronization workflows easy to deploy in any environment, from local development machines to cloud infrastructure. This flexibility ultimately enables developers to build sophisticated data pipelines that match their exact requirements.

Comparing n8n to Other Tools

Knowing how n8n compares to well-known alternatives when choosing a workflow automation tool aids in determining which one best suits your development requirements. Let's examine the main distinctions between n8n and its main rivals.

n8n vs Zapier

Their pricing structures represent the primary distinction between Zapier and n8n. Zapier charges for each task in a workflow, whereas n8n charges for each workflow execution, regardless of complexity. Processing a table with ten records in a simple two-step Zap, for example, would quickly use up your allotment because it would count as ten tasks in Zapier.

Technically speaking, n8n supports Python and JavaScript in workflows, while Zapier's code steps offer fewer output options. Additionally, Zapier lacks n8n's feature of robust error handling with customizable error workflows.

Integration-wise, Zapier boasts over 5,000 pre-built connectors compared to n8n's 300+. Nevertheless, n8n compensates through its flexibility—allowing developers to write and deploy custom nodes to extend functionality.

n8n vs Make.com

Make.com (formerly Integromat) and n8n both target workflow automation but with different approaches. Make.com offers a highly visual flowchart-style interface that some developers find more intuitive, yet n8n's node-based structure often resonates better with technical teams.

Regarding pricing, n8n's model is generally more favorable for complex workflows with many steps, as it charges per workflow execution rather than per operation. Make.com's operation-based pricing can become expensive for workflows with numerous steps or data manipulations.

First and foremost, n8n's self-hosting capability provides a significant advantage for teams with privacy concerns or specific infrastructure requirements—an option simply unavailable with Make.com.

n8n vs Pipedream

Pipedream caters primarily to developers with its code-first approach, supporting Node.js, Python, Go, and Bash within workflows. Likewise, n8n appeals to technical users but offers more visual building blocks alongside code options.

While both platforms offer serverless execution environments, Pipedream places more of an emphasis on API integrations and event-driven architectures. However, n8n provides more flexibility with its code capabilities and visual workflow builder.

Remarkably, Pipedream offers a sizable free tier with pay-as-you-go scaling, which makes it affordable for a variety of use cases and comparable to n8n's pricing strategy.

When to choose n8n cloud vs self-hosted

The choice between self-hosted and cloud-based versions depends on a number of variables. Although self-hosting gives you total control over your data and infrastructure, maintaining it calls for technical know-how. For instance, in contrast to the cloud version, which comes with pre-configured OAuth2 apps, self-hosted N8n requires you to set these up yourself for services like Google Sheets.

On the other hand, n8n cloud provides managed infrastructure and pre-configured integrations for convenience. Teams with limited server management resources or those who prefer fixed monthly expenses will find this option ideal.

Security-conscious organizations typically choose self-hosted n8n for sensitive workflows involving proprietary data, especially when compliance with privacy regulations is essential.

Conclusion

Throughout this review, we've seen how n8n has earned its reputation as a developer favorite in the workflow automation space. The platform's allure becomes evident after examining its GitHub integration, practical uses, and competitive advantages.

n8n achieves a remarkable harmony between code-driven power and visual simplicity. This hybrid approach, alongside the fair-code model, makes it uniquely positioned in the automation landscape. While Zapier offers more pre-built integrations and Pipedream caters to code-first developers, n8n provides the flexibility most technical teams actually need.

Self-hosting capabilities particularly stand out as a significant advantage. For teams handling sensitive data or requiring custom infrastructure setups, this option delivers both cost savings and control that cloud-only competitors simply cannot match.

The platform's value proposition is further enhanced by its strong GitHub presence. In addition to the source code, developers have access to a vibrant community that works to make the platform better every day. Undoubtedly, n8n's remarkable growth and adoption metrics can be attributed to this open, cooperative approach.

Additionally, n8n's AI-friendly features position it well for future automation challenges. Native support for agentic systems and LangChain integration demonstrates the platform's forward-thinking approach to workflow automation.

Whether you're building complex data pipelines, synchronizing information across disparate systems, or automating routine development tasks, n8n offers the tools needed to succeed. The choice between cloud and self-hosted ultimately depends on your specific requirements, though many technical teams will find the self-hosted option particularly compelling due to its privacy benefits and cost advantages.

n8n has certainly earned its place among the top workflow automation platforms of 2025. Its continued growth and enthusiastic developer adoption suggest this fair-code platform will remain a powerful choice for years to come.