What is n8n? A Complete Guide to Workflow Automation for Beginners
Imagine automatically extracting text from Thai ID cards when customers upload them, sending the data to your CRM, notifying your team on Slack, and updating a Google Sheet — all without writing a single line of code. That's the power of n8n, an open-source workflow automation platform that connects your apps and automates your processes.
What is n8n?
n8n (pronounced "n-eight-n" or "nodemation") is a fair-code workflow automation platform that allows you to connect different applications and automate tasks through a visual, node-based interface. Think of it as the "brain" that coordinates all your apps and services to work together seamlessly.
Unlike traditional automation tools that charge per task, n8n offers:
- Self-hosting option: Run it on your own servers for complete data control
- Visual workflow builder: Drag-and-drop nodes to create automations
- 400+ integrations: Pre-built connections to popular apps and services
- Code when needed: Add JavaScript or Python for custom logic
- AI-native capabilities: Built-in LangChain integration for AI workflows
The n8n Philosophy
n8n operates on a "fair-code" license, meaning:
- Source code is publicly available
- Free to self-host on your infrastructure
- Your data stays on your servers
- No vendor lock-in
This makes n8n particularly attractive for businesses that need data sovereignty — especially important for Thai companies handling sensitive customer data under PDPA regulations.
How n8n Works
The Workflow Process
1. Trigger (Starting Point) Every workflow starts with a trigger — an event that kicks off the automation:
- Webhook: Receive data from external systems
- Schedule: Run at specific times (every hour, daily, etc.)
- App Event: New email, new row in spreadsheet, form submission
- Manual: Click a button to start
2. n8n Workflow Engine The visual editor where you:
- Connect nodes (building blocks) together
- Configure each node's settings
- Add conditions and branching logic
- Transform and manipulate data
3. Processing Nodes Nodes that process your data:
- HTTP Request: Call any API (including iApp AI APIs)
- Code Node: Write JavaScript or Python
- Data Transformation: Format, filter, merge data
- AI Nodes: Connect to LLMs, analyze content
4. Action Nodes Nodes that perform actions:
- Send emails or Slack messages
- Update databases or CRMs
- Create documents or spreadsheets
- Trigger other workflows
5. Output & Monitoring
- View execution history
- Debug failed workflows
- Monitor performance
- Set up error notifications
n8n vs Zapier vs Make: Which Should You Choose?
Quick Comparison
| Feature | n8n | Zapier | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free (self-hosted) / Paid cloud | Starts $29.99/mo | Starts $10.59/mo |
| Integrations | 400+ | 7,000+ | 1,800+ |
| Self-hosting | Yes | No | No |
| Learning Curve | Medium-High | Low | Medium |
| AI Integration | Advanced (LangChain) | Basic | Moderate |
| Best For | Developers, Data-sensitive businesses | Non-technical users | Power users |
| Data Privacy | Full control | Cloud only | Cloud only |
Choose n8n if:
- You need data sovereignty (keep data on your servers)
- You're comfortable with technical tools
- You want unlimited workflows without per-task pricing
- You need advanced AI integrations
- You're building complex, custom automations
Choose Zapier if:
- You need the most integrations (7,000+ apps)
- You want the easiest learning curve
- Simple automations are sufficient
- Budget is flexible
Choose Make if:
- You want a balance between power and ease
- Visual workflow building is important
- You need more complexity than Zapier allows
- Cost efficiency matters
Key Terms Explained (Jargon Buster)
1. Node
What it is: A single building block in your workflow that performs one specific action or function.
Simple explanation: Think of nodes like LEGO bricks. Each brick does one thing (trigger, process, action), and you connect them together to build something useful.
Types of nodes:
- Trigger nodes: Start the workflow (webhook, schedule, app event)
- Regular nodes: Process data or perform actions
- Sticky notes: Add comments and documentation
2. Workflow
What it is: A complete automation consisting of connected nodes that execute in sequence.
Simple explanation: Like a recipe that tells n8n exactly what to do, step by step. "When a new customer signs up (trigger), extract their ID card data (HTTP request to OCR API), save to database (action), and send welcome email (action)."
Workflow states:
- Active: Running and waiting for triggers
- Inactive: Paused, won't execute
- Draft: Being edited, not yet published (new in n8n 2.0)
3. Webhook
What it is: A URL that receives data from external systems and triggers your workflow.
Simple explanation: Like a mailbox for your automation. When another system "sends mail" (data) to this address, your workflow wakes up and processes it.
Use cases:
- Receive form submissions from your website
- Get notified when a payment is made
- Process incoming documents or images
4. Execution
What it is: A single run of your workflow from start to finish.
Simple explanation: Every time your workflow runs, that's one execution. If your workflow processes 100 invoices, that's 100 executions.
Execution data:
- Input/output of each node
- Timing information
- Success or error status
- Debug information
5. Credentials
What it is: Stored authentication information (API keys, passwords, tokens) that allows n8n to connect to external services.
Simple explanation: The "passwords" that let n8n access your other apps. You set them up once, and n8n uses them securely whenever needed.
Security features:
- Encrypted storage
- Access control (who can use which credentials)
- Credential sharing across workflows
Why n8n is Important in 2025
1. AI-Native Automation
n8n 2.0 (released December 2025) brings advanced AI capabilities:
- LangChain integration: Build AI agents and chains
- 70+ AI nodes: Connect to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and more
- Vector databases: Store and query embeddings
- RAG workflows: Build document Q&A systems
2. Cost Efficiency at Scale
Unlike Zapier's per-task pricing, n8n offers:
- Unlimited workflows on all plans
- Unlimited users on all plans
- Self-hosted option for zero per-execution costs
- 220 executions/second on a single instance
3. Data Sovereignty & Compliance
For Thai businesses under PDPA:
- Self-host in Thailand for data residency
- No data leaves your infrastructure
- Audit logs for compliance
- Role-based access control
4. Developer-Friendly
n8n bridges no-code and code:
- Visual builder for most tasks
- JavaScript/Python for custom logic
- HTTP Request node for any API
- Version control via Git
What Problems Does n8n Solve?
| Business Challenge | Without n8n | With n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Manual data entry | Staff copy-paste between systems | Automatic data flow between apps |
| Slow customer onboarding | Days to verify documents | Minutes with automated OCR + verification |
| Missed follow-ups | Rely on human memory | Automatic reminders and notifications |
| Data silos | Information trapped in separate apps | Unified data across all systems |
| Repetitive tasks | Hours of manual work daily | "Set it and forget it" automation |
| Scaling operations | Hire more people | Scale with automation |
Using n8n with iApp Technology APIs
iApp Technology provides Thai-optimized AI APIs that integrate seamlessly with n8n via HTTP Request nodes.
Example 1: Automated ID Card Processing
Scenario: When a customer uploads their Thai ID card, automatically extract the information and save it to your database.
// n8n HTTP Request Node Configuration
// Method: POST
// URL: https://api.iapp.co.th/v3/store/ekyc/thai-national-id
// Headers: apikey: YOUR_API_KEY
// Body Type: Form Data
// File: {{ $binary.file }}
Workflow:
- Webhook Trigger: Receive uploaded image
- HTTP Request: Call iApp Thai ID OCR API
- Set Node: Extract relevant fields (name, ID number, DOB)
- MySQL/Postgres: Save to database
- Slack: Notify team of new registration
Example 2: Voice Message Transcription
Scenario: Automatically transcribe voice messages from customers and create support tickets.
// n8n HTTP Request Node Configuration
// Method: POST
// URL: https://api.iapp.co.th/v3/speech/stt-pro
// Headers: apikey: YOUR_API_KEY
// Body Type: Form Data
// File: {{ $binary.audio }}
Workflow:
- Email Trigger: New email with audio attachment
- HTTP Request: Call iApp Speech-to-Text API
- HTTP Request: Analyze sentiment (optional)
- Zendesk/Freshdesk: Create support ticket
- Email: Send confirmation to customer
Example 3: Multi-Language Customer Support
Scenario: Translate incoming messages and respond in the customer's language.
// n8n HTTP Request Node Configuration
// Method: POST
// URL: https://api.iapp.co.th/v3/nlp/translation
// Headers: apikey: YOUR_API_KEY
// Body: {
// "text": "{{ $json.message }}",
// "source_lang": "auto",
// "target_lang": "en"
// }
Workflow:
- Webhook: Receive chat message
- HTTP Request: Detect language and translate to English
- AI Agent: Generate response
- HTTP Request: Translate response back to customer's language
- Webhook Response: Send translated reply
Getting Started with n8n
Step 1: Choose Your Deployment
Option A: n8n Cloud (Easiest)
- Sign up at n8n.io
- Start free trial
- No installation required
Option B: Self-Hosted with Docker (Recommended for PDPA)
docker run -it --rm \
--name n8n \
-p 5678:5678 \
-v ~/.n8n:/home/node/.n8n \
n8nio/n8n
Option C: npm Installation
npm install n8n -g
n8n start
Step 2: Create Your First Workflow
- Open n8n (http://localhost:5678 or your cloud URL)
- Click "Add workflow"
- Add a trigger node (e.g., Manual Trigger for testing)
- Add an HTTP Request node
- Configure with iApp API endpoint
- Test and activate
Step 3: Integrate iApp APIs
Get your API key from iApp Control Panel and configure:
// HTTP Request Node Settings
{
"method": "POST",
"url": "https://api.iapp.co.th/v3/store/ekyc/thai-national-id",
"headers": {
"apikey": "{{ $credentials.iappApiKey }}"
},
"body": {
"formData": {
"file": "={{ $binary.data }}"
}
}
}
Real-World Thai Use Cases
1. Bank Loan Application Automation
Problem: Manual document review takes 3-5 days per application
n8n Solution:
- Customer uploads documents via web form
- n8n triggers on new submission
- iApp OCR extracts ID card, income statement, bank statement data
- iApp Face Verification matches selfie to ID photo
- Data validates against business rules
- Approved applications auto-forwarded; others queued for review
Result: Processing time reduced from days to minutes
2. E-Commerce Order Processing
Problem: Managing orders from Shopee, Lazada, and direct website
n8n Solution:
- Webhooks receive orders from all channels
- n8n normalizes order data
- Inventory checked and updated
- Shipping labels generated
- Customer notified in their language (via iApp Translation API)
- Returns processed automatically
Result: 80% reduction in manual order handling
3. HR Document Processing
Problem: New employee onboarding requires manual document verification
n8n Solution:
- Employee uploads ID card, house registration, bank book
- iApp OCR extracts all data automatically
- Data validated and cross-referenced
- Employee record created in HRIS
- Welcome email sent with benefits info
- IT notified to provision accounts
Result: Onboarding time reduced from 2 days to 2 hours
iApp APIs for n8n Integration
| Use Case | API | n8n Node Type |
|---|---|---|
| Thai ID Card OCR | Thai National ID | HTTP Request |
| Passport OCR | Passport OCR | HTTP Request |
| Face Verification | Face Verification | HTTP Request |
| Face Liveness | Liveness Detection | HTTP Request |
| Speech-to-Text | Speech-to-Text Pro | HTTP Request |
| Text-to-Speech | Text-to-Speech | HTTP Request |
| Translation | Multilingual Translation | HTTP Request |
| Sentiment Analysis | Sentiment Analysis | HTTP Request |
n8n 2.0: What's New (December 2025)
The latest n8n 2.0 release brings significant improvements:
Key Updates
- Save vs Publish: Drafts are now separate from live workflows
- Task Runners: Code executions run in isolated environments (more secure)
- SQLite Pooling: Up to 10x faster performance
- Security Defaults: Environment variables blocked from Code nodes by default
- Breaking Changes: Review upgrade guide before migrating
New Pricing (August 2025)
- All plans include unlimited users
- All plans include unlimited workflows
- All plans include unlimited steps
- No more active workflow limits
Conclusion
n8n represents the future of workflow automation — powerful enough for developers, accessible enough for power users, and flexible enough to handle any integration challenge. Its open-source nature, self-hosting capability, and advanced AI features make it particularly attractive for Thai businesses that need:
- Data sovereignty under PDPA
- Custom integrations with Thai-specific services
- Cost-effective scaling without per-task pricing
- AI-powered workflows with LangChain
Combined with iApp Technology's Thai-optimized AI APIs, n8n enables you to build sophisticated automations that understand Thai language, read Thai documents, and serve Thai customers — all without writing complex code.
Ready to automate? Get your iApp API key and start building n8n workflows today!
Need help? Join our Discord Community or email us at support@iapp.co.th.
iApp Technology Co., Ltd. Thailand's Leading AI Technology Company
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