n8n: the automation tool I wish I’d found sooner
What n8n is, why I pick it over the usual suspects, and the first workflow I’d build if I were starting today.
If you’ve ever duct-taped apps together with copy-paste, n8n is going to feel like a superpower.
What is n8n?
n8n is a visual workflow automation tool. You drag nodes onto a canvas — each one is a step, like “new email arrives” or “add a row to a sheet” — and connect them. Data flows from one node to the next. That’s it. That’s the whole mental model.
Why I like it
Three reasons. First, you can run it in the cloud or host it yourself, so you’re not locked in. Second, when the visual nodes aren’t enough, you can drop in a bit of code. Third, it has AI built right in — you can put an AI agent node in the middle of a workflow and give it tools to use.
The three building blocks
Once that clicks, every workflow is just a different arrangement of the same three pieces.
Your first workflow
Start with something you do every week. A classic: when someone fills out your contact form, send them a friendly reply, drop their details into a spreadsheet, and ping yourself with a summary. Three nodes, maybe four. Twenty minutes to build, and it runs forever.
This is exactly the kind of thing I’m walking through step by step in N8N Explained — setup, the core concepts, and a stack of real workflows you can copy.
Contact
Questions about N8N Explained, a collab idea, or just want to say hey? Email me and I’ll get back to you.
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