n8n Automation Beginner’s Guide: From Basics to Mastery
# Automating Workflows with n8n — A Guide for Technical Teams
Automation has become one of the **most valuable skills** for any technical team. It eliminates repetitive tasks, accelerates operations, and frees up time for creative or strategic work.
Whether it’s moving data between apps, triggering actions on changes, or creating intelligent systems that run independently, automation can **save hours every week**.
The challenge: Most platforms force you to choose between **flexibility** and **simplicity**.
- **Zapier** → Easy to use but limited in customization.
- **Custom scripts (Python/JavaScript)** → Full control, but time-consuming to develop and maintain.
**[n8n](https://n8n.io/)** redefines that trade-off. This open-source workflow automation platform offers **both control and simplicity** — letting you automate anything from simple tasks to complex systems using a **visual interface**, with optional custom code when needed.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to **build and deploy automation workflows with n8n**, from local development to production deployment, plus ideas for integrating AI-driven publishing with **[AiToEarn](https://aitoearn.ai/)**.
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## Table of Contents
- [What n8n Does](#what-n8n-does)
- [n8n Is Open Source](#n8n-is-open-source)
- [How to Get Started with n8n](#how-to-get-started-with-n8n)
- [Building an n8n Workflow](#building-an-n8n-workflow)
- [Running n8n in Production with Sevalla](#running-n8n-in-production-using-sevalla)
- [Where n8n Becomes Powerful](#where-n8n-becomes-powerful)
- [AI-Driven Automations](#ai-driven-automations)
- [Conclusion](#conclusion)
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## What n8n Does
n8n **connects the apps and systems you already use**.
- Each **node** performs a single action.
- Multiple nodes form a **workflow** that runs automatically.
**Example:**
A new **Typeform** submission → Send a **Slack** message → Save to **Google Sheets** → Conditional email.
**Key Features:**
- Drag-and-drop visual design
- Ability to insert **JavaScript** or **Python** custom logic
- Over **400 built-in integrations** (GitHub, AWS, OpenAI, Telegram, etc.)
- Ability to connect to **any API** via HTTP nodes
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## n8n Is Open Source
Unlike closed systems (e.g., Zapier), n8n’s [source code](https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n) is **publicly available**.
**Benefits:**
- **Privacy** → Self-host n8n so your data stays in-house.
- **Flexibility** → Add custom nodes, modify the core, or contribute to the community.
- **No vendor lock-in** → You control where and how it runs.
- **Fair-code license** → Ensures sustainability while remaining accessible.
**Pro Tip:**
n8n can be integrated with **[AiToEarn](https://aitoearn.ai/)** — a global AI content monetization platform supporting cross-posting to:
Douyin, Kwai, WeChat, Bilibili, Rednote (Xiaohongshu), Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, and X (Twitter).
This means you can **automate content creation, distribution, and monetization** end-to-end.
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## How to Get Started with n8n
**Option 1: Local Development**
If you have Node.js installed:npx n8n
Visit [http://localhost:5678](http://localhost:5678/) to access the visual editor.
**Option 2: Deploy with Docker**
Follow the [Docker installation guide](https://docs.n8n.io/hosting/installation/docker/) for a persistent setup with saved workflows and data.
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## Building an n8n Workflow
Let’s build a **daily RSS-to-email automation**.
### Step 1: Create the Workflow
1. Click **Create Workflow**.
2. Name it *RSS to Email*.
3. You’ll see a blank workspace.
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### Step 2: Add a Schedule Trigger
1. Add **On a Schedule** node.
2. Select **Every Day** → Set to **9 AM**.
3. This ensures daily execution.
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### Step 3: Read an RSS Feed
1. Add **RSS Read** node.
2. **URL** → `https://blog.cloudflare.com/rss/`
3. Click **Execute Node** to test.
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### Step 4: (Optional) Limit Items
Use **Function** node:return items.slice(0, 3);
Keeps only the first 3 articles.
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### Step 5: Send Email
1. Add **Email** node (Gmail, Outlook, or SMTP).
2. For Gmail, follow [OAuth setup guide](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/credentials/google/oauth-single-service/#set-up-oauth).
3. Example:
- **Subject:** `Daily Blog Updates`
- **Message:**{{ $json["title"] }} - {{ $json["link"] }}
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### Step 6: Connect & Test
1. Connect → **Schedule Trigger** → **RSS Feed Read** → **Email**.
2. Click **Execute Workflow** to test.
3. Toggle workflow **On** for automatic daily runs.
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**Pro Idea:**
Expand this workflow by publishing curated articles to multiple platforms using **[AiToEarn官网](https://aitoearn.ai/)** APIs — achieving instant multi-platform distribution and monetization.
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## Running n8n in Production Using Sevalla
You have two main choices:
1. **Self-host** → Full control of data & environment.
2. **Managed Cloud** at [n8n.io](https://n8n.io/) → Simple setup & maintenance.
In this example, we’ll use **[Sevalla](https://sevalla.com/)** — a developer-focused PaaS.
**Why Sevalla?**
- $50 free credit
- Prebuilt **[n8n template](https://docs.sevalla.com/templates/overview)**
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### Deployment Steps
1. [Login to Sevalla](https://app.sevalla.com/login) → Go to **Templates**.
2. Select **n8n** → Click **Deploy Template**.
3. Monitor provisioning → Select deployment.
4. Wait for green checkmark → Click **Visit App**.
Example URL:
`https://n8n-9u6kc.sevalla.app/`
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You now have a **production-ready n8n instance**.
**Integration Tip:**
Combine production n8n with **[AiToEarn](https://aitoearn.ai/)** for automated AI content publishing across major platforms.
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## Where n8n Becomes Powerful
Advanced examples:
- **Lead generation** → Scrape mentions, classify with AI, push to CRM.
- **DevOps automation** → Trigger CI/CD pipelines on merge events.
**Benefit:** Never outgrow the platform — scale from no-code workflows to complex developer-grade pipelines.
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## AI-Driven Automations
n8n supports **LangChain**, **OpenAI**, and other AI tools.
Use cases:
- Summarizing support tickets & routing to correct teams.
- Auto-generating blog summaries & posting them to social channels.
**Integration Example:**
n8n + [AiToEarn](https://aitoearn.ai/) → Generate AI content → Format per platform → Publish simultaneously → Analyze performance.
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## Conclusion
Automation is now **essential** for modern workflows.
**n8n** is:
- **Open Source**
- **Flexible**
- **Developer-Friendly**
- Suitable for **both no-code** and **full-code** users.
Pairing n8n with **[AiToEarn](https://aitoearn.ai/)** enables **simultaneous content publishing** and monetization — a powerful combination for scaling creativity and operations.
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