n8n Integration Hub

n8n is a self-hostable, MIT-licensed workflow automation platform under evaluation for the RERI/OpenClaw stack — specifically as an OSIL pipeline candidate for self-improvement workflows and AI-native pipelines (LLM calls, embedding generation, eval triggers). Unlike Make and Zapier, n8n runs on the VPS (no SaaS dependency), supports code nodes (arbitrary JavaScript/Python), and connects natively to PostgreSQL/Supabase. Status: staging — not in production as of 2026-05-04. Read this hub when evaluating n8n for OSIL Tier 2, or when comparing self-hosted automation options. KB last verified 2026-03-04.

Quick reference

Field	Value
Vendor	n8n.io
URL	https://n8n.io
KB doc	API
Auth method	API Key via X-N8N-API-KEY header (self-hosted)
Auth credential	op://Aurora/n8n/api-key
Cred-proxy port	n/a (until NemoClaw B1-B6 ratified — see nemoclaw-audit-2026-05-03)
Webhook port	n/a (not yet deployed on VPS; would need G-SERVICE-PRE-START-DOC entry before first start)
Webhook handler	n/a (staging — no handler in workspace/webhooks/)
Webhook dedup table	n/a
Tunnel path	n/a
Outbound API base	http://localhost:5678/api/v1 (self-hosted; port configurable via N8N_PORT)
Webhook trigger base	http://localhost:5678/webhook/{path} (production); http://localhost:5678/webhook-test/{path} (dev)
Rate limits	None on self-hosted (server resources only); Cloud Starter: 2,500 exec/mo
Rate-limit action	n/a (self-hosted); Cloud 429 → backoff
Cost	Free (community self-hosted); Cloud Starter $24/mo;Pro$60/mo
Backup/recovery	Export workflows via GET /workflows?limit=250 to JSON — store in GitHub
Discord alert channel	ops
Drift cadence	Manual (staging)
Status	staging

Components

• workspace/knowledge-base/n8n/API.md — Workflows, Executions, Credentials, Tags, Users, Audit, Webhook Triggers, Error Handling, Node Types; last_verified 2026-03-04
• workspace/knowledge-base/n8n/examples/ — n8n workflow examples and node configuration patterns
• workspace/knowledge-base/n8n/_audit/ — Audit trail for KB drift checks
• [[wiki/_hubs/integrations/portkey]] — OSIL pipeline candidate: n8n → Portkey → LLM calls with CHOKEPOINT-1 tool_calls writes
• [[wiki/_hubs/integrations/supabase]] — n8n natively supports PostgreSQL; would write OSIL eval results, embeddings, and agent state to Supabase CCP
• [[wiki/_hubs/integrations/1password]] — Credential store for n8n API key and any credentials provisioned into n8n’s encrypted credential store

How it’s used (OSIL pipeline candidate)

• Trigger condition (planned): OSIL eval event, daily cron, or inbound webhook → n8n workflow → LLM call via Portkey → result written to Supabase tool_calls table (CHOKEPOINT-1 compliant)
• Workflow (planned): n8n Webhook node receives OSIL trigger → Code node (JavaScript) → HTTP Request to 127.0.0.1:18900 (Portkey) → Set node extracts result → PostgreSQL node writes to Supabase → Webhook response node signals completion
• Agents involved: OSIL eval agent (Tier 4.2 diff engine), self-improvement layer. Not yet wired to any production OpenClaw agent.
• Failure mode: Execution error → check GET /executions?status=error via n8n API. If N8N_PUBLIC_API_DISABLED is not set to false, API calls silently fail with no response. Common trap: wrong zone URL or X-N8N-API-KEY header missing.
• Success criteria: Workflow execution shows "status": "success" in /executions list; downstream Supabase row exists.

OSIL pipeline candidate rationale

n8n is cross-linked to portkey because the OSIL Tier 2 evaluation pipeline requires:

1. Self-hosted (no SaaS cost; eval pipelines can be high-volume)
2. Code nodes (complex LLM call orchestration, not just HTTP modules)
3. Native PostgreSQL node (direct Supabase writes without an intermediary)
4. API-driven workflow management (OSIL can deploy/activate/deactivate eval workflows programmatically)

Make and Zapier lack (1) and (2). n8n satisfies all four. See openclaw-self-improvement-layer-2026-05-03 §OSIL Tier 2 for ratification decision.

Cross-links

Agents that touch this

• _summary — OSIL eval agent (planned consumer of n8n eval pipelines)

Skills that invoke this

• acquisitions-outreach — NEEDS VERIFICATION: if n8n is ratified for OSIL, Stage 1 quality eval pipeline would run through n8n
• acq-analyze — OSIL Tier 4 quality metrics would route through n8n eval workflows

Plans that govern this

• openclaw-self-improvement-layer-2026-05-03 — n8n as OSIL Tier 2 automation substrate (B3, pending ratification)
• openclaw-fragmentation-fix-2026-05-01 — automation platform rationalization (n8n vs Make vs Zapier footprint)
• nemoclaw-audit-2026-05-03 — cred-proxy pattern applies to n8n API key if deployed

Feedback rules

• feedback_no_plaintext_creds — n8n API key stored in 1Password only; reference as op://Aurora/n8n/api-key
• feedback_service_pre_start_doc — G-SERVICE-PRE-START-DOC: n8n MUST be added to CLAUDE.md port map AND ARCHITECTURE.md service table BEFORE first start on VPS
• feedback_blocker_surfacing — n8n deployment decision (self-hosted on VPS vs EC2 Mac vs cloud) is an open blocker; do not proceed without Henry signoff

KB / source docs

• API — Full API reference: Workflows, Executions, Credentials, Tags, Users, Audit, Webhook Triggers, Node Types, Error Handling, Expression Language
• examples — Workflow blueprints and node configuration patterns

System maps

• vm-osil-overview — OSIL architecture; n8n’s prospective position in Tier 2 eval pipeline
• external-integrations — automation platform landscape

Related: Automation platforms cluster

n8n is a staging peer in the Automation Platforms cluster anchored by make. Cluster members:

• make — cluster anchor; cloud-hosted, HMAC-capable, production
• zapier — lighter-weight; HubSpot-native trigger flows; production

n8n is the only self-hosted option in the cluster. Ratification decision for OSIL Tier 2 pending per openclaw-self-improvement-layer-2026-05-03.

Related: Credential layer cluster

All n8n credentials are in 1Password vault Aurora (when deployed). Hub: 1password. Per G-NO-PLAINTEXT-CREDS — no plaintext API keys in any tracked file. Reference as op://Aurora/n8n/api-key only.

Open issues / TODOs

• BLOCKER: n8n not yet deployed — deployment decision (VPS vs EC2 Mac vs cloud) requires Henry signoff per openclaw-self-improvement-layer-2026-05-03 B3
• PRE-START: If n8n is deployed on VPS, register port (default 5678) in CLAUDE.md port map + ARCHITECTURE.md service table BEFORE first systemctl start (G-SERVICE-PRE-START-DOC)
• Evaluate n8n vs Make for OSIL Tier 2: n8n wins on cost (free, self-hosted) and Code node flexibility; Make wins on reliability (cloud SLA) and existing account
• Plan workflow backup strategy: export all workflows as JSON to GitHub traewayrer/openclaw-vault

Recent activity

• 2026-05-04: Hub created (Wave 3 W3-S6). Status: staging. KB last_verified 2026-03-04. OSIL pipeline candidate link to Portkey established.