Configuration files for self-hosting n8n using Docker and Cloudflare Tunnel.

• Domain managed by Cloudflare
• Docker and Docker Compose installed
• Cloudflared CLI installed (brew install cloudflared on macOS)
• Cloudflare account

docker-compose up -d

First, create your config.yml file from the example:

cp config.yml.example config.yml

Then edit config.yml and replace the placeholders:

• Replace YOUR_TUNNEL_NAME with your tunnel name (e.g., n8n)
• Replace YOUR_TUNNEL_ID with your actual tunnel ID (you'll get this after creating the tunnel)
• Replace YOUR_SUBDOMAIN.YOUR_DOMAIN.com with your actual hostname (e.g., n8n.example.com)

Authenticate with Cloudflare:

cloudflared tunnel login

Create the tunnel:

cloudflared tunnel create n8n

After creating the tunnel, update config.yml with the correct credentials-file path. The tunnel ID will be in the filename of the credentials file created in ~/.cloudflared/ (e.g., ~/.cloudflared/513686a1-6a7b-42a8-b36e-61f8d7e08409.json).

Route DNS (replace YOUR_TUNNEL_NAME and YOUR_SUBDOMAIN.YOUR_DOMAIN.com with your actual values):

cloudflared tunnel route dns YOUR_TUNNEL_NAME YOUR_SUBDOMAIN.YOUR_DOMAIN.com

If the automated DNS route command fails, manually create a DNS record in Cloudflare:

1. Go to Cloudflare Dashboard
2. Select your domain
3. Go to DNS → Records
4. Click Add record:
   • Type: CNAME
   • Name: n8n (or your desired subdomain)
   • Target: <your-tunnel-id>.cfargotunnel.com (replace <your-tunnel-id> with your actual tunnel ID)
   • Proxy status: Proxied (orange cloud)
   • Click Save

Start the tunnel:

cloudflared tunnel --config config.yml run

To run in the background:

cloudflared tunnel --config config.yml run &

Note: The tunnel must be running for your n8n instance to be accessible. To keep it running permanently, set it up as a system service or use a process manager like screen or tmux.

Access n8n at: https://YOUR_SUBDOMAIN.YOUR_DOMAIN.com (replace with your actual hostname)

• Docker context: Ensure the CLI talks to Docker Desktop:

  docker context ls          # current context has * next to it
  docker context use desktop-linux   # or "default" if that’s your Desktop context

• config.yml: No change needed. service: http://localhost:5678 is correct for both; the tunnel runs on your Mac and reaches n8n on the host’s localhost.
• Containers: Start the stack again so it runs in Docker Desktop:

  docker-compose up -d

1. Confirm n8n is running and listening on the host:

   docker ps                    # n8n container should be Up
   curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" http://localhost:5678   # should be 200 or 302

2. Start the tunnel only after n8n is up:

   cloudflared tunnel --config config.yml run

For more details, see: http://jeffbailey.us/blog/2025/11/21/how-do-i-self-host-n8n