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n8n GitHub Workflow Backup and Update Automation

This workflow implements automatic backup and updates of the automation platform's workflow configuration, ensuring data security and version consistency. It is triggered daily at a scheduled time to automatically retrieve the current workflow information and compare it with the backup in the GitHub repository, adding any missing files and updating any changes. This mechanism supports intelligent deduplication and change detection, reducing manual maintenance errors and improving management efficiency. It is suitable for DevOps teams and multi-user collaborative environments, ensuring the integrity and traceability of workflow configurations.

Workflow Diagram
n8n GitHub Workflow Backup and Update Automation Workflow diagram

Workflow Name

n8n GitHub Workflow Backup and Update Automation

Key Features and Highlights

This workflow automates the retrieval, comparison, backup, and update of all workflow configuration data within the n8n platform. Triggered daily on a schedule, it automatically fetches all current workflows from the n8n instance, compares them against backup data stored in a GitHub repository, and then creates new files for missing workflows or updates existing files for changed workflows. This ensures that the repository always reflects the latest workflow configurations. The workflow supports intelligent deduplication and change detection to avoid redundant backups.

Core Problems Addressed

  • Automates backup of n8n workflow configurations to prevent data loss caused by operational errors or system failures.
  • Synchronizes local workflow configurations with the GitHub repository in real-time, reducing manual maintenance effort and errors.
  • Automatically detects new and updated workflows to guarantee completeness and timeliness of backup data.

Use Cases

  • DevOps teams requiring version control and backup of n8n automation platform workflows.
  • Automated operations scenarios that demand secure and traceable workflow configuration data.
  • Collaborative environments where unified management and updating of workflow configuration files are needed, supporting audit trails and rollback capabilities.

Main Process Steps

  1. Scheduled Trigger: Automatically starts the workflow daily at 23:59.
  2. Retrieve All Workflow List: Pulls basic information of all current workflows via the n8n REST API.
  3. Fetch Detailed Workflow Data Individually: Calls the API for each workflow ID to obtain complete configuration details.
  4. Data Transformation and Organization: Breaks down the retrieved data into individual items for easier processing.
  5. Fetch Existing Backup File List from GitHub Repository.
  6. Download Workflow Backup File Contents from GitHub.
  7. Difference Comparison: Uses a “Merge” node to filter out unchanged files that already exist, enabling change detection.
  8. Backup and Update Operations:
    • For new workflows, creates new files via the GitHub API.
    • For existing but modified workflows, edits and updates files via the GitHub API.
  9. Commit with Timestamped Message: Records version history through commits containing timestamp information.

Involved Systems and Services

  • n8n: Serves as the automation platform providing workflow API interfaces and trigger mechanisms.
  • GitHub: Acts as the backup repository storing workflow JSON configuration files.
  • HTTP Requests: Used to call n8n REST API and GitHub API.
  • Cron Scheduler: Enables daily automatic triggering.
  • Code Function Nodes: Handle data transformation and formatting.

Target Users and Value

  • Automation platform administrators and operations engineers: Facilitate automated backup of workflow configurations, enhancing data security and management efficiency.
  • DevOps teams: Support configuration management within continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines.
  • Collaborative teams: Ensure consistent workflow configuration versions, simplifying collaboration and change auditing.
  • Enterprise users: Mitigate risks caused by human errors and ensure stable operation of business automation processes.

By integrating n8n with GitHub, this workflow establishes an efficient and intelligent mechanism for backing up and updating workflow configurations, enabling users to effortlessly manage automation process configurations while ensuring data security and version control.