Multi-Instance n8n Deployment Guide on Ubuntu

1️⃣ User Account Creation

Establish a dedicated, non-root system user (user) for running the n8n processes for enhanced security. This is mandatory for service isolation.

Switch to the new user before proceeding with the installation:

2️⃣ Node.js (LTS) Installation

Install Node.js (Long-Term Support version recommended) and required build tools.

3️⃣ Global n8n Installation

Install the n8n application globally using npm. Verify the executable path for systemd configuration.

Expected executable path: /usr/local/bin/n8n

4️⃣ Instance Data Directory Configuration

Create separate data directories for each n8n instance to ensure isolation of databases, credentials, and settings.

Configuration Matrix

Command to create data directories:

5️⃣ Systemd Service Definition

Define independent service files in /etc/systemd/system/ for reliable startup, restart, and user management for each instance. Use sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/n8n.service (and similarly for n8n1/n8n2) to create these files.

Service Configuration: n8n.service

[Unit]
Description=n8n workflow automation
After=network.target

[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/n8n
Restart=always
User=user
Environment=PATH=/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin
Environment=NODE_ENV=production
Environment=N8N_PORT=5678
Environment=N8N_HOST=n8n.example.com
Environment=N8N_PROTOCOL=https
Environment=N8N_WEBHOOK_URL=https://n8n.example.com/
Environment=N8N_EDITOR_BASE_URL=https://n8n.example.com
Environment=N8N_USER_FOLDER=/home/user/.n8n
WorkingDirectory=/home/user

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Service Configuration: n8n1.service

[Unit]
Description=n8n (second instance)
After=network.target

[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/n8n
Restart=always
User=user
Environment=PATH=/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin
Environment=NODE_ENV=production
Environment=N8N_PORT=5680
Environment=N8N_HOST=n8n1.example.com
Environment=N8N_PROTOCOL=https
Environment=N8N_WEBHOOK_URL=https://n8n1.example.com/
Environment=N8N_EDITOR_BASE_URL=https://n8n1.example.com
Environment=N8N_USER_FOLDER=/home/user/.n8n1
WorkingDirectory=/home/user

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Service Configuration: n8n2.service

[Unit]
Description=n8n (third instance)
After=network.target

[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/n8n
Restart=always
User=user
Environment=PATH=/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin
Environment=NODE_ENV=production
Environment=N8N_PORT=5682
Environment=N8N_HOST=n8n2.example.com
Environment=N8N_PROTOCOL=https
Environment=N8N_WEBHOOK_URL=https://n8n2.example.com/
Environment=N8N_EDITOR_BASE_URL=https://n8n2.example.com
Environment=N8N_USER_FOLDER=/home/user/.n8n2
WorkingDirectory=/home/user

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

6️⃣ Enable and Start Services

Apply the new systemd configurations and activate the services.

Monitor logs for initial startup confirmation (use Ctrl+C to exit):

7️⃣ Nginx Reverse Proxy and SSL Setup

Configure Nginx to proxy external traffic to the correct internal ports (5678, 5680, 5682). Create this configuration file for **each domain**.

Example Nginx Server Block: n8n1.example.com.conf

server {
    server_name n8n1.example.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:5680;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    }
}

Activate the configuration and reload Nginx:

Acquire SSL Certificate using Certbot:

9️⃣ Individual Instance Reset Procedure

To perform a factory reset, deleting all persistent data (workflows, credentials, users) and forcing the initial “Create Account” screen to reappear:

Resetting Instance: n8n1

Access after reset: https://n8n1.example.com

10️⃣ Command Management Reference

Quick reference for common service management commands, using n8n1 as the service example.