Deploy n8n on AWS Lightsail - Step-by-Step Guide

1. Provision AWS Lightsail Instance

• Go to AWS Lightsail
• Click Create Instance
  • Choose Linux/Unix platform
  • Select Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
  • Choose $3.50/month plan (90 days free)
  • Name the instance and create

2. Connect to Instance

• Use Lightsail browser SSH or your terminal:

  ssh ubuntu@<instance_public_ip>
  

3. Install Docker & Docker Compose

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y docker.io docker-compose
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

4. Create n8n Directory and Docker Compose File

mkdir ~/n8n && cd ~/n8n
nano docker-compose.yml

Paste the following (adjust environment variables as needed):

services:
  n8n:
    image: n8nio/n8n
    ports:
      - "5678:5678"
    volumes:
      - ./n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n
    environment:
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=yourUser
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=yourPassword
      - N8N_SECURE_COOKIE=false
    restart: always

5. Run n8n in Docker

docker compose up -d

Check if running:

docker ps

Logs:

docker logs n8n-n8n-1 --tail=50

6. Configure Lightsail Networking

• Go to Networking > Firewall
  • Allow TCP ports 22 (SSH), 80 (HTTP), 443 (HTTPS), 5678 (n8n)

7. Access n8n

Visit: http://<instance_public_ip>:5678

• If you see secure cookie warning, either:
  • Use HTTPS (recommended with a domain + SSL)
  • Or set N8N_SECURE_COOKIE=false (already done above)

8. Optional - Set Up HTTPS with Nginx + Let's Encrypt

(Recommended for production, enables TLS/HTTPS)

Notes

• Auto-Restart: Handled by restart: always in docker-compose
• Backup: Regularly back up ./n8n_data directory
• Free Tier: 90 days free, then $3.50/month

Best Practices

• Keep instance and Docker updated
• Monitor resource usage (CPU, RAM)
• Secure your instance: strong passwords, limit SSH access

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