Automated n8n Backup to Git Repository

Automated n8n Backup to Git Repository

This workflow automatically exports all your n8n workflows and credentials and commits them to a local Git repository, then pushes the changes to a remote Git server (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket). It runs four times daily (midnight, 6 AM, noon, and 6 PM) to ensure your n8n configuration is always backed up and version-controlled.

Workflow Nodes

1. Cron — Runs the workflow at 00:00, 06:00, 12:00, and 18:00 daily (No auth)
2. Export Workflows — Executes the command npx n8n export:workflow --backup --output repo/workflows/ to export all workflows as JSON files into the repo/workflows/ directory (No auth)
3. Export Credentials — Executes the command npx n8n export:credentials --backup --output repo/credentials/ to export all credentials as encrypted JSON files into the repo/credentials/ directory (No auth)
4. git add — Runs git -C repo add . to stage all changes in the local repository (No auth)
5. git commit — Runs git -C repo commit -m "Auto backup ({{ new Date().toISOString() }})" to commit staged changes with a timestamped message (No auth)
6. git push — Runs git -C repo push to push the commit to the remote repository (No auth)

There is also a Manual Trigger node (On clicking 'execute') that allows you to run the backup on demand without waiting for the scheduled cron.

Setup Instructions

1. Prerequisites:

   • n8n must be installed and running (self-hosted or cloud)
   • Git must be installed on the server where n8n runs
   • A local Git repository must be initialized in a directory named repo relative to the n8n working directory
   • The local repository must have a remote configured (e.g., git remote add origin https://github.com/yourusername/n8n-backup.git)
   • Git credentials must be configured (either via SSH keys or credential helper) so that git push works without interactive prompts

2. Initial Setup:

   • Create a directory called repo in your n8n working directory
   • Run git init inside that directory
   • Add a remote: git remote add origin <your-repo-url>
   • Make an initial commit and push to ensure the remote is accessible

3. Activate the workflow in n8n — it will run automatically on the cron schedule

Use Cases and Variations

• Disaster Recovery: Quickly restore your n8n instance by cloning the Git repository and importing workflows/credentials
• Version History: Track changes to your workflows over time, roll back to previous versions if needed
• Team Collaboration: Share workflow configurations across multiple n8n instances via a shared Git repository
• Customization Ideas:
  • Add a Slack or Email notification node after git push to alert on successful backup
  • Use a GitHub or GitLab node instead of raw git commands for more robust integration
  • Add error handling with an IF node to retry failed pushes
  • Schedule backups more or less frequently by modifying the Cron node parameters
  • Exclude credentials from the backup by removing the Export Credentials node (for security)

{
  "id": "15",
  "name": "Tools / Backup Gitlab",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "name": "On clicking 'execute'",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.manualTrigger",
      "position": [
        250,
        400
      ],
      "parameters": {},
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "name": "Export Workflows",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.executeCommand",
      "position": [
        450,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "command": "npx n8n export:workflow --backup --output repo/workflows/"
      },
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "name": "Export Credentials",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.executeCommand",
      "position": [
        600,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "command": "npx n8n export:credentials --backup --output repo/credentials/"
      },
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "name": "git add",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.executeCommand",
      "position": [
        750,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "command": "git -C repo add ."
      },
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
// ... truncated (copy to see full JSON)