How to Install N8N on CloudPanel (Debian 12)
Introduce:
N8N is a self-hosted, open-source workflow automation tool that allows you to connect applications and automate tasks through a visual interface. This guide walks you through installing N8N on a Debian 12 VPS using CloudPanel, a lightweight control panel for node.js hosting.
Prerequisites
- A VPS or dedicated server running Debian 12
- Root SSH access
- A domain name pointing to your server’s IP address (for SSL)
Step 1: Update System Packages
Connect via SSH and run:
apt update && apt -y upgrade && apt -y install curl wget sudo
Step 2: Set the Hostname
Edit your /etc/hosts file:
nano /etc/hosts
Find this line:
127.0.1.1 hostname
Replace cloudpanel.local with your custom hostname. Save and exit.
Step 3: Install CloudPanel
Download and run the installer:
curl -sS https://installer.cloudpanel.io/ce/v2/install.sh -o install.sh
sudo DB_ENGINE=MARIADB_10.11 bash install.sh
Step 4: Configure the Firewall
Allow CloudPanel’s default port:
ufw allow 8443/tcp
sudo ufw status verbose
Step 5: Access CloudPanel
Open your browser and visit:
https://your_server_ip:8443
Ignore the certificate warning if necessary. Set up an admin account and time zone.
Step 6: Create a Site
In CloudPanel:
- Go to Sites > Add Site > Create a Node.js Site
- Enter the following details:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Domain | n8n.yourdomain.com |
| Version | 22 LTS |
| App Port | 5678 |
| Site User | n8nuser |
| Password | Your secure password |
Click Create and wait for it to complete.
Step 7: Install N8N and PM2
SSH into the site user:
ssh n8nuser@your_server_ip
Install N8N and PM2 globally:
npm install -g n8n
npm install -g pm2
Start N8N with your webhook URL:
WEBHOOK_URL=https://n8n.yourdomain.com pm2 start n8n
pm2 save
Allow the port:
ufw allow 5678/tcp
Step 8: Enable Free SSL
In CloudPanel:
- Go to Sites > Manage for your N8N domain
- Click the SSL/TLS tab
- Choose New Let’s Encrypt Certificate
- Click Create and Install
Step 9: Access N8N
Visit:
https://n8n.yourdomain.com
Complete the setup wizard and create your admin account.
Conclusion
You now have:
- A secure Node.js environment
- PM2 for process management
- SSL with Let’s Encrypt
- N8N running through CloudPanel
