n8n (pronounced n-eight-n) helps you to interconnect every app with an API in the world with each other to share and manipulate its data without a single line of code. It is an easy to use, user-friendly and highly customizable service, which uses an intuitive user interface for you to design your unique workflows very fast. Hosted on your Synology NAS server and not based in the cloud, it keeps your sensible data very secure in your own trusted database. In this step by step guide I will show you how to install n8n on your Synology NAS using Docker.

💡Note: This guide works perfectly with the latest n8n 1.37.3 release.

• STEP 1

Please Support My work by Making a Donation.

• STEP 2

Install Portainer using my step by step guide. If you already have Portainer installed on your Synology NAS, skip this STEP. Attention: Make sure you have installed the latest Portainer version.

• STEP 3

Make sure you have a synology.me Wildcard Certificate. Follow my guide to get a Wildcard Certificate. If you already have a synology.me Wildcard certificate, skip this STEP.

• STEP 4

Go to Control Panel / Login Portal / Advanced Tab / click Reverse Proxy. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 5

Now click the “Create” button. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 6

After you click the Create button, the window below will open. Follow the instructions in the image below.

On the General area, set the Reverse Proxy Name description: type in n8n. After that, add the following instructions:

Source:
Protocol: HTTPS
Hostname: n8n.yourname.synology.me
Port: 443

Check Enable HSTS

Destination:
Protocol: HTTP
Hostname: localhost
Port: 5678

• STEP 7

On the Reverse Proxy Rules click the Custom Header tab. Click Create and then, from the drop-down menu, click WebSocket. After you click on WebSocket, two Header Names and two Values will be automatically added. Click Save. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 8

Go to Control Panel / Network / Connectivity tab/ Check Enable HTTP/2 then click Apply. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 9

Go to Control Panel / Security / Advanced tab/ Check Enable HTTP Compression then click Apply. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 10

Go to File Station and open the docker folder. Inside the docker folder, create one new folder and name it n8n. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.

• STEP 11

Now create three new folders inside the n8n folder that you created at STEP 10 and name them data, db, files. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.

• STEP 12

Right click on the n8n folder that you have previously created at STEP 10 then click Properties. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 13

Go to the Permission tab then click Advanced options. From the drop-down menu choose “Make inherited permissions explicit“. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 14

Select Everyone then click the Edit tab. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 15

Check all Read and Write Permissions. Click Done. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 16

After you click Done on STEP 15, check “Apply to this folder, sub-folders and files“. Click Save. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 17

Log into Portainer using your username and password. On the left sidebar in Portainer, click on Stacks then + Add stack. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 18

In the Name field type in n8n. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Note: Copy Paste the code below in the Portainer Stacks Web editor.

version: "3.9"
services:
  db:
    image: postgres
    container_name: n8n-DB
    hostname: n8n-db
    mem_limit: 512m
    cpu_shares: 768
    security_opt:
      - no-new-privileges:true
    user: 1026:100
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "pg_isready", "-q", "-d", "n8n", "-U", "n8nuser"]
      timeout: 45s
      interval: 10s
      retries: 10
    volumes:
      - /volume1/docker/n8n/db:/var/lib/postgresql/data:rw
    environment:
      TZ: Europe/Bucharest
      POSTGRES_DB: n8n
      POSTGRES_USER: n8nuser
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: n8npass
    restart: on-failure:5

  n8n:
    image: n8nio/n8n:latest
    container_name: n8n
    hostname: n8n
    mem_limit: 1g
    cpu_shares: 768
    security_opt:
      - no-new-privileges:true
    ports:
      - 5678:5678
    volumes:
      - /volume1/docker/n8n/data:/home/node/.n8n:rw
      - /volume1/docker/n8n/files:/files:rw
    environment:
      N8N_HOST: n8n.yourname.synology.me
      N8N_PORT: 5678
      N8N_PROTOCOL: https
      NODE_ENV: production
      WEBHOOK_URL: https://n8n.yourname.synology.me
      GENERIC_TIMEZONE: Europe/Bucharest
      TZ: Europe/Bucharest
      DB_TYPE: postgresdb
      DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE: n8n
      DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST: n8n-db
      DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT: 5432
      DB_POSTGRESDB_USER: n8nuser
      DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD: n8npass
    restart: on-failure:5
    depends_on:
      db:
        condition: service_healthy

Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value numbers for user with your own UID and GID values. (Follow my step by step guide on how to do this.) 1026 is my personal UID value and 100 is my personal GID value. You have to type in your own values.
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for TZ and GENERIC_TIMEZONE. (Select your current Time Zone from this list.)
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for N8N_HOST and type in your own synology.me DDNS without https:// at the beginning that you have previously created at STEP 6.
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for WEBHOOK_URL and type in your own synology.me DDNS with https:// at the beginning that you have previously created at STEP 6.

• STEP 19

Scroll down on the page until you see a button named Deploy the stack. Click on it. Follow the instructions in the image below. The installation process can take up to a few minutes. It will depend on your Internet speed connection.

• STEP 20

If everything goes right, you will see the following message at the top right of your screen: “Success Stack successfully deployed“.

• STEP 21

Go back to STEP 1 or you will deal with karma 🙂

• STEP 22

Now open your browser and type in your HTTPS/SSL certificate like this https://n8n.yourname.synology.me In my case it’s https://n8n.mariushosting.synology.me If everything goes right, you will see the n8n Sign in page. Type in your own credentials then click Next. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 23

Describe your company then click Get started. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 24

Your n8n Dashboard at a glance!

Enjoy n8n!

🆘TROUBLESHOOTING

If you encounter issues by using this container, make sure to check out the Common Docker issues article.

Note: Can I run Docker on my Synology NAS? See the supported models.
Note: How to Back Up Docker Containers on your Synology NAS.
Note: Find out how to update the n8n container with the latest image.
Note: How to Free Disk Space on Your NAS if You Run Docker.
Note: How to Schedule Start & Stop For Docker Containers.
Note: How to Activate Email Notifications.
Note: How to Add Access Control Profile on Your NAS.
Note: How to Change Docker Containers Restart Policy.
Note: How to Use Docker Containers With VPN.
Note: Convert Docker Run Into Docker Compose.
Note: How to Clean Docker.
Note: How to Clean Docker Automatically.
Note: Best Practices When Using Docker and DDNS.
Note: Some Docker Containers Need WebSocket.
Note: Find out the Best NAS Models For Docker.
Note: Activate Gmail SMTP For Docker Containers.

This post was updated on Saturday / April 20th, 2024 at 5:20 PM