Module 9 Lesson 3: Version Control (Git)

n8n is "Low-code," but its output is a JSON file. This means we can treat our automations just like "Software code" and store them in Git.

1. Why Git?

• History: "I broke the workflow today! How did it look yesterday?"
• Review: You can "Diff" (compare) two versions of a workflow to see exactly which node changed.
• Rollback: If a new version fails, you can "Re-import" the older version in 5 seconds.

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2. Setting up the GitHub Node

n8n has a native GitHub node.

1. Trigger: Cron (Every night at 1:00 AM).
2. Action: "Get All Workflows" (using the n8n API node).
3. Action: "GitHub: Create/Update File" for each workflow.

• Result: Your GitHub repo now stays perfectly in sync with your live n8n instance.

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Visualizing the Process

graph TD
    Start[Input] --> Process[Processing]
    Process --> Decision{Check}
    Decision -->|Success| End[Complete]
    Decision -->|Retry| Process

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3. The "Manual" Export Method

If you don't want to build a workflow, you can use the n8n UI.

• Download: Top right menu -> "Download JSON."
• You can then manually commit this file to your local Git repo.

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4. Environment-Specific Git

Professional teams use Brauches:

• main: Matches the Production n8n server.
• develop: Matches the Staging n8n server. When a workflow is finished, you "Promote" it from develop to main.

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Exercise: The Git Sync

1. Create a private GitHub repository named my-n8n-backups.
2. Export your most important workflow as a JSON file.
3. Commit that file to your repo.
4. Try to "Import" that JSON into a NEW, blank workflow in n8n. Did all your settings and nodes survive?
5. Why is it important to EXCLUDE your Credentials from these Git backups? (Hint: See Module 6, Lesson 2).
6. Research: What is the "Git" node (community) vs the "GitHub" node?

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Summary

Git integration brings "Order" to the chaos of visual programming. By versioning your workflows, you protect yourself from accidental deletions and create a professional environment for your team to build together.

Next Lesson: Checking the pulse: Workflow Health Monitoring (Health-checks).