Ep.01 Setting Up Your n8n Development Environment – Zero to Automation Pro Series

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Learn how to set up n8n locally and build your first automation workflows. Complete beginner’s guide with hands-on examples and code to setting Up Your n8n Development Environment.

What You’ll Accomplish Today

By the end of this episode, you will have:

• A fully functional n8n instance running on your local machine
• Your development environment configured with VS Code
• Created and tested your first automation workflow
• Understanding of n8n’s core architecture and data flow
• A GitHub repository to track your learning journey

Time Required: 2-3 hours
Difficulty: Beginner
Prerequisites: Basic computer skills, willingness to learn

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Part 1: Install Required Software (30 minutes)

Step 1: Install Node.js

n8n requires Node.js to run. We need version 18 or higher.

For Windows:

1. Visit https://nodejs.org/
2. Download the LTS (Long Term Support) version
3. Run the installer and follow the prompts
4. Check “Automatically install necessary tools” option

For Mac:

# Using Homebrew (recommended)
brew install node

# Or download from nodejs.org

For Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):

# Update package list
sudo apt update

# Install Node.js 20.x
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Verify installation
node --version
npm --version

Verify Installation: Open your terminal/command prompt and run:

node --version
# Should show v18.x.x or higher

npm --version
# Should show 9.x.x or higher

Step 2: Install VS Code

Visual Studio Code will be your primary code editor.

1. Download from https://code.visualstudio.com/
2. Install for your operating system
3. Open VS Code

Essential Extensions to Install:

Open VS Code and press Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+X (Mac) to open Extensions.

Install these extensions:

• JavaScript (ES6) code snippets – by charalampos karypidis
• REST Client – by Huachao Mao (for testing APIs)
• Path Intellisense – by Christian Kohler
• GitLens – by GitKraken (for Git integration)
• Prettier – Code formatter

Step 3: Install Git

Git will help you version control your workflows and code.

For Windows:

• Download from https://git-scm.com/
• Install with default options

For Mac:

brew install git

For Linux:

sudo apt install git

Configure Git:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

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Part 2: Install n8n Locally (15 minutes)

Install n8n Globally

Open your terminal and run:

npm install n8n -g

This installs n8n globally on your system. The -g flag means you can run n8n from anywhere.

Installation might take 3-5 minutes. You’ll see a progress bar.

Start n8n

Once installed, start n8n with:

n8n start

You should see output like:

n8n ready on 0.0.0.0, port 5678
Version: 1.x.x

Editor is now accessible via:
http://localhost:5678/

🎉 Success! Your n8n instance is running!

Access n8n Interface

1. Open your web browser
2. Go to: http://localhost:5678
3. You’ll see the n8n welcome screen
4. Create your account (stored locally):
   • Email: use any email (doesn’t need to be real for localhost)
   • First Name & Last Name
   • Password: choose a secure password

Important: Keep this terminal window open while working with n8n. When you close it, n8n stops.

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Part 3: Create Your Project Structure (15 minutes)

Set Up Your Learning Directory

Create a organized folder structure for your n8n journey:

For Windows (Command Prompt):

cd %USERPROFILE%\Documents
mkdir n8n-learning
cd n8n-learning
mkdir workflows
mkdir custom-nodes
mkdir scripts
mkdir notes

For Mac/Linux:

cd ~
mkdir -p n8n-learning/{workflows,custom-nodes,scripts,notes}
cd n8n-learning

Initialize Git Repository

git init

Create .gitignore File

Create a file named .gitignore in your n8n-learning folder:

# Node modules
node_modules/

# Environment variables
.env
.env.local

# Credentials (NEVER commit these)
*credentials*.json

# OS files
.DS_Store
Thumbs.db

# Logs
*.log
logs/

# IDE files
.vscode/
.idea/

Create Your First README

Create a README.md file:

# My n8n Learning Journey

## Series: Zero to Automation Pro

This repository tracks my progress from n8n beginner to professional automation developer.

### Goals
- Master n8n automation workflows
- Build custom nodes from scratch
- Deploy production-ready automation systems
- Become a professional automation developer

### Progress
- [x] Episode 1: Environment Setup & First Workflow
- [ ] Episode 2: ...

### Projects
(Will be updated as I progress)

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Started: [Today's Date]

Commit Your Initial Setup

git add .
git commit -m "Initial setup: n8n learning journey begins"

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Next Episode:

In next episode, we will learn the n8n core concepts with a hello world workflow example.

Need Help? If you’re stuck on anything:

1. Share your specific error message
2. Tell me which step you’re on
3. Describe what you expected vs. what happened

I’m here to help you succeed! 🚀