⚙️ Readable workflow export & deployment pipeline for multi-environment CI/CD
⚡ 1,048 views · ⚙️ DevOps & CI/CD
Description
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
devandprodfolders 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:
STARTUP_WORKFLOWS_LOAD_LOCATION: to specify the folder to import from and distinguish between environments.STARTUP_WORKFLOW_ID: 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.
🔗 Nodes Used
Read/Write Files from Disk, Convert to File, Extract from File
📥 Import
Download workflow.json and import into n8n:
Workflow menu → Import from File