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Supported databases#

By default, n8n uses SQLite to save credentials, past executions, and workflows. n8n also supports PostgresDB.

Shared settings#

The following environment variables get used by all databases:

  • DB_TABLE_PREFIX (default: -) - Prefix for table names

PostgresDB#

To use PostgresDB as the database, you can provide the following environment variables:

  • DB_TYPE=postgresdb
  • DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE (default: 'n8n')
  • DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST (default: 'localhost')
  • DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT (default: 5432)
  • DB_POSTGRESDB_USER (default: 'postgres')
  • DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD (default: empty)
  • DB_POSTGRESDB_SCHEMA (default: 'public')
  • DB_POSTGRESDB_SSL_CA (default: undefined): Path to the server's CA certificate used to validate the connection (opportunistic encryption isn't supported)
  • DB_POSTGRESDB_SSL_CERT (default: undefined): Path to the client's TLS certificate
  • DB_POSTGRESDB_SSL_KEY (default: undefined): Path to the client's private key corresponding to the certificate
  • DB_POSTGRESDB_SSL_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED (default: true): If TLS connections that fail validation should be rejected
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export DB_TYPE=postgresdb
export DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE=n8n
export DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST=postgresdb
export DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT=5432
export DB_POSTGRESDB_USER=n8n
export DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD=n8n
export DB_POSTGRESDB_SCHEMA=n8n

# optional:
export DB_POSTGRESDB_SSL_CA=$(pwd)/ca.crt
export DB_POSTGRESDB_SSL_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=false

n8n start

Required permissions#

n8n needs to create and modify the schemas of the tables it uses.

Recommended permissions:

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CREATE DATABASE n8n-db;
CREATE USER n8n-user WITH PASSWORD 'random-password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE n8n-db TO n8n-user;

TLS#

You can choose between these configurations:

  • Not declaring (default): Connect with SSL=off
  • Declaring only the CA and unauthorized flag: Connect with SSL=on and verify the server's signature
  • Declaring _{CERT,KEY} and the above: Use the certificate and key for client TLS authentication

SQLite#

This is the default database that gets used if nothing is defined.

The database file is located at: ~/.n8n/database.sqlite

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