n8n (pronounced "n-eight-n", from "nodemation") is a Berlin-based AI workflow automation platform that uniquely combines visual, node-based workflow building with the ability to write custom JavaScript or Python code at any step. Founded in 2019 by Jan Oberhauser — a former VFX pipeline engineer with credits on films like Maleficent and Pirates of the Caribbean — n8n was built to give technical teams the flexibility of code with the speed of no-code. It operates under a "fair-code" (source-available) licensing model, allowing self-hosting and modification while barring direct resale as a competing service.

n8n enables users to connect over 500 apps and services, build multi-step automations, and orchestrate AI agents and RAG (retrieval-augmented generation) systems with full visibility into every execution step. Customers can self-host on-premises (including air-gapped environments), deploy via Docker or Kubernetes, or use n8n's managed cloud. The platform targets IT operations, security operations, DevOps, and sales teams at enterprises, with notable customers including Vodafone and Huel.

With more than 206,000 GitHub stars (ranked in the top 150 repositories of all time), 200,000+ community members, and $100M+ ARR as of 2026, n8n has become one of the fastest-growing open-source projects globally. The company raised a $180M Series C in October 2025 at a $2.5B valuation, and in May 2026 received a strategic investment from SAP — embedding n8n natively into SAP's Joule Studio — that valued the company at approximately $5.2B, making it Germany's most valuable AI company.