Part 1: Getting to Know n8n – Your Swiss Army Knife for Automation

Introduction to n8n: What is it and why does it matter?

In today’s fast-paced world, routine tasks can consume too much time and energy. This is where automation tools come to the rescue. You’ve probably heard of “low-code” and “no-code” concepts that allow you to build powerful applications and automate processes without deep programming knowledge. One of the most prominent tools in this space is n8n.

So what is n8n? Imagine a universal builder that lets you “glue” together hundreds of different online services and apps, making them work as a single, synchronized system. Whether it’s sending notifications, processing data, or syncing information across platforms – n8n does it visually, intuitively, and incredibly powerfully. It’s your Swiss Army knife for automation that helps you focus on what matters most while delegating routine to a “digital assistant.”

Key Features and Advantages of n8n

What makes n8n so special? Here are its key highlights:

• Visual builder (Drag-and-Drop): Creating complex workflows in n8n is like assembling a puzzle. You just drag and drop the necessary blocks (called nodes), connect them, and configure the logic. No coding required – everything is clear and visual.
• Incredible flexibility: Unlike some other tools, n8n doesn’t limit you to predefined templates. You can set up almost any logic you can imagine.
• Tons of integrations: n8n supports hundreds of services — from CRM systems (like HubSpot or Salesforce) and messengers (Telegram, Slack) to databases (Google Sheets, PostgreSQL), social media, and payment platforms. The list is constantly growing.
• HTTP Requests and Webhooks: This is n8n’s superpower! It can interact with any API, send and receive data via HTTP requests, and respond to events (e.g., new sign-ups on your website) using Webhooks. This opens the door to integration with almost anything.
• Conditional logic and branching: Need your workflow to act differently based on certain conditions? No problem! n8n allows you to build complex scenarios with branches, loops, and conditionals – just like in “real” programming.
• JavaScript functions (for advanced users): If standard logic isn’t enough, n8n allows you to embed your own JavaScript functions. This provides almost limitless possibilities for customization.
• Open source: n8n is an open-source project. That means it’s transparent, secure, actively developed by the community, and you can even adapt it to your own needs if you have the skills.

Use Cases: What Can You Automate with n8n?

To better understand n8n’s potential, let’s look at a few simple yet illustrative examples:

1. Automatic post publishing: Imagine you run a blog or news site. You can set up n8n so that whenever a new article appears in your RSS feed, it automatically gets published to your Telegram channel or VK group.
2. Lead collection from forms: If you have a lead capture form on your website, n8n can automatically send that data to your Google Sheet, add a new client to your CRM (e.g., AmoCRM or Bitrix24), and send a notification to Slack or your email.
3. Price monitoring and alerts: Want to track price changes for a product in an online store? n8n can regularly check the page, and if the price drops below a certain threshold, send you an email or SMS.

And that’s just a small part of what n8n can do. Your imagination is the only limit!

Who is n8n for?

Thanks to its flexibility and accessibility, n8n is perfect for a wide range of users:

• Marketers and SMM specialists: For automating posts, collecting leads, managing ad campaigns.
• Small and medium business owners: For optimizing routine operations like order processing, client tracking, and internal communications.
• Project managers: For syncing tasks across tools, generating automatic reports.
• Developers: For quickly setting up prototypes, automating internal DevOps processes, and building custom integrations.
• Even regular users: If you want to automate personal tasks — like getting weather alerts or syncing your calendars.

In the next article, we’ll dive deeper into how you can use n8n: comparing cloud and self-hosted versions so you can choose the best option for your needs.