n8n-deploy: Database-First n8n Workflow Management CLI

Overview

n8n-deploy is a Python CLI that remembers your workflow configuration. Built on SQLite, it stores paths, servers, and settings - so deployment commands stay simple.

n8n-deploy wf push my-workflow

The database knows where your workflow lives and which server it belongs to.

Key Features

• 🧠 Smart Configuration

  • Stores workflow paths, server links, and SSL settings
  • Push/pull by workflow name or ID
  • Override anytime with explicit flags

• 🚀 Multi-Server Support

  • Push and pull workflows to any n8n server
  • Per-server SSL verification settings
  • API key management with server linking

• 📦 Batch Operations (NEW in v0.9.0)

  • Push or pull multiple workflows in a single command
  • Progress indicators and summary tables for batch operations
  • Continue processing even if some workflows fail

• 📁 Folder Synchronization (NEW in v0.2.0)

  • Bidirectional folder sync between local and n8n server
  • folder CLI command group for folder operations
  • Automatic folder mapping and tracking

• 💻 Versatile CLI Interface

  • Emoji-rich output for interactive use
  • Script-friendly mode with --no-emoji flag
  • Verbose logging with -v and -vv flags at any command level
  • Comprehensive workflow operations

Installation

# Pip install
pip install n8n-deploy

# Use uv for faster setup and virtual environment
uv venv --python /usr/bin/python3 .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
uv pip install n8n-deploy

Quick Start

# Initialize database
n8n-deploy db init --data-dir ~/.n8n-deploy

# Create server and add API key
n8n-deploy server create production https://n8n.example.com
n8n-deploy apikey add "your-n8n-api-key" --name "prod-key" --server production
# Or via stdin (key not saved in shell history)
# echo "your-n8n-api-key" | n8n-deploy apikey add - --name "prod-key" --server production

# Configure SSL for self-signed certificates (optional)
n8n-deploy server ssl production --skip-verify

# Link workflow to server with flow directory (automatic server resolution)
n8n-deploy wf add workflow.json --flow-dir ./workflows --link-remote production

# Push/pull uses linked server AND stored flow-dir automatically!
n8n-deploy wf push workflow-name  # No --flow-dir or --remote needed!
n8n-deploy wf pull workflow-name  # Uses stored paths automatically

# Push/pull multiple workflows at once (NEW in v0.9.0)
n8n-deploy wf push wf1 wf2 wf3 --remote production
n8n-deploy wf pull wf1 wf2 wf3 --remote staging

# Update workflow metadata without push/pull
n8n-deploy wf link my-workflow --flow-dir ./new-location
n8n-deploy wf link my-workflow --server staging

# Override with --remote for ad-hoc operations
n8n-deploy wf push workflow-name --remote staging

# Delete workflow from local database
n8n-deploy wf delete workflow-name

# List workflows from server
n8n-deploy wf server --remote production

# Folder synchronization (NEW in v0.2.0)
n8n-deploy folder sync --remote production  # Sync folders with server

# Enable verbose logging for debugging
n8n-deploy -v wf push workflow-name   # Basic verbose
n8n-deploy -vv wf push workflow-name  # Extended verbose

Community & Support

💬 Get Help & Connect:

• Discussions - Ask questions, share ideas, showcase workflows
• Issues - Report bugs or request features
• Documentation - Complete guides and API reference

Discussion Categories:

• 📣 Announcements - Project updates and releases
• 🙏 Q&A - Get help from the community
• 💡 Ideas - Suggest new features
• 🎯 Show and Tell - Share your workflows
• #️⃣ General - Everything else

Configuration

n8n-deploy supports multiple configuration methods:

1. CLI Flags
2. Environment Variables
3. .env Files (in development mode)

Environment Variables

• N8N_DEPLOY_FLOWS_DIR: Workflow files directory
• N8N_DEPLOY_DATA_DIR: Application data directory
• N8N_SERVER_URL: n8n server URL for remote operations

Documentation

📚 Read the full documentation

Quick Links:

• Getting Started
• Configuration Guide
• Workflow Management
• API Key Management
• Troubleshooting

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please see our Contributing Guide and Code of Conduct.

Quick Links:

• Developer Guide
• Architecture Overview
• Testing Framework

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Requirements

• Python 3.9+
• n8n server (local or remote)
• Basic understanding of workflow management

Performance Note

Designed for efficient workflow management with minimal overhead. Ideal for DevOps, automation engineers, and workflow enthusiasts.