Templates / Readable workflow export & deployment pipeline for multi-environment CI/CD

Readable workflow export & deployment pipeline for multi-environment CI/CD

Ready for 3.0

by Klaasjan te Voortwis · 1,271 views · created 2025-05-12 · DevOps

Ready for 3.0. This template uses no nodes that n8n 3.0 removes. No removed nodes, versions or helpers found. Static check, last run 2026-10-19.

Nodes used (7)

What it does

This n8n workflow template uses community nodes and is only compatible with the self-hosted version of n8n. Export workflows with readable names, tagged for different environments To ensure understandable workflow exports, ease of use in delivery pipelines, and a better developer experience, this workflow helps with exporting workflows. Inner workings - First, the workflow ensures that the directory structure for storing the workflows is correct. - Exports all workflows. - Next, it processes all workflow files and stores them with readable names. - Based on tags, it will also export to dev and prod folders for easy commit and usage in a delivery pipeline. Configration No special setup is required for readable exporting. Usage Create a workflow and tag it with 'Auto deploy to dev' Run the workflow, this will create the needed folders and workflows with readable names. Commit these in your version control. Have a CICD pipeline build an n8n container —see the attached Dockerfile. Check our Auto Starter workflow for auto-starting workflows after deployment. CI/CD Bonus: Attached are two nodes with some example configuration on building your own automated n8n deployment. - A Dockerfile, to get the new entrypoint and exported workflows packaged in the container. - An updated entrypoint to build your own container, import the workflows, and run the Auto Starter. Set the following environment variables: - STARTUPWORKFLOWSLOADLOCATION: to specify the folder to import from and distinguish between environments. - STARTUPWORKFLOWID: the ID of the workflow to run after starting n8n. > Note: The 'Instance Started' n8n trigger won't work, as all workflows are disabled upon import.

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