Complete backup solution for n8n workflows & credentials (local/FTP)

Automated n8n Workflows & Credentials Backup to Local/Server Disk & FTP Complete backup solution that saves both workflows and credentials to local/server disk with optional FTP upload for off-site redundancy. What makes this workflow different: Backs up workflows AND credentials together Saves to local/server disk (not Git, GitHub, or any cloud services) Optional FTP upload for redundancy (disabled by default) Comprehensive error handling and email notifications Timezone-aware scheduling Ready to use with minimal configuration How it works Backup Process (Automated Daily at 4 AM): 1. Initialisation - Sets up timezone-aware timestamps and configurable backup paths for both local/server disk and FTP destinations 2. Folder Creation - Creates date-stamped backup directories (YYYY-MM-DD format) on local/server disk 3. Dual Backup Operations - Processes credentials and workflows in two separate branches: - Credentials Branch: - Exports n8n credentials using the built-in CLI command with backup flag - Lists exported credential files in the credentials folder - Reads each credential file from disk - Optional: Uploads to FTP server (disabled by default) - Optional: Logs FTP upload results for credentials - Workflows Branch: - Retrieves all workflows via n8n API - Cleans workflow names for cross-platform compatibility - Converts workflows to formatted JSON files - Writes files to local/server disk - Optional: Uploads to FTP server (disabled by default) - Optional: Logs FTP upload results for workflows 4. Data Aggregation - Combines all workflow data with binary attachments for comprehensive reporting 5. Results Merging - Consolidates credentials FTP logs, workflows FTP logs, and aggregated workflow data 6. Summary Generation - Creates detailed backup logs including: - Statistics (file counts, sizes, durations) - Success/failure tracking for local and FTP operations - Error tracking with detailed messages - Timezone-aware timestamps 7. Notifications - Sends comprehensive email reports with log files attached and saves execution logs to disk How to use Initial Setup: 1. Configure the Init Node - Open the "Init" node and customize these key parameters in the "Workflow Standard Configuration" section: Then customize these parameters in the "Workflow Custom Configuration" section: These variables can also be set as environment variables in your n8n configuration. 2. Set Up Credentials: - Configure n8n API credentials for the "Fetch Workflows" node - Configure SMTP credentials for email notifications - Optional: Configure FTP credentials if you want to enable off-site backups 3. Configure Backup Folder: - Ensure the backup folder path exists on your server - Verify proper write permissions for the n8n process - If running in Docker, ensure volume mapping is correctly configured 4. Customize Email Settings: - Update the "Send email" node with your recipient email address or your "N8NADMINEMAIL" environment value - Adjust email subject and body text as needed Enabling FTP Upload (Optional): By default, FTP upload nodes are disabled for easier setup. To enable off-site FTP backups: 1. Simply activate these 4 nodes (no other changes needed): - "Upload Credentials To FTP" - "FTP Logger (credentials)" - "Upload Workflows To FTP" - "FTP Logger (workflows)" 2. Configure FTP credentials in the two upload nodes 3. The workflow will automatically handle FTP operations and include upload status in reports Requirements - n8n API credentials (for workflow fetching) - SMTP server configuration (for email notifications) - Adequate disk space for local backup storage - Proper file system permissions for backup folder access - Docker environment with volume mapping (if running n8n in Docker) - Optional: FTP server access and credentials (for off-site backups) Good to know - Security: Credentials are exported using n8n's secure backup format - actual credential values are not exposed in plain text - Timezone Handling: All timestamps respect configured timezone settings (defaults to Europe/Paris, configurable in Init node) - File Naming: Automatic sanitization ensures backup files work across different operating systems (removes forbidden characters, limits length to 180 characters) - FTP Upload: Disabled by default for easier setup - simply activate 4 nodes to enable off-site backups without any code changes - Connection Resilience: FTP operations include error handling for timeout and connection issues without failing the entire backup - Graceful Degradation: If FTP nodes are disabled, the workflow completes successfully with local backups only and indicates FTP status in logs - Error Handling: Comprehensive error catching with detailed logging and email notifications - Dual Logging: Creates both JSON logs (for programmatic parsing) and plain text logs (for human readability) - Storage: Individual workflow JSON files allow for selective restore and easier version control integration - Scalability: Handles any number of workflows efficiently with detailed progress tracking --- This automated backup workflow saves your n8n data to both local disk and FTP server. To restore your backups, use: - "n8n Restore from Disk - Self-Hosted Solution" for local/server disk restores - "n8n Restore from FTP - Remote Backup Solution" for FTP remote restores