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To call the API on a self-hosted n8n installation, use the instance’s public address followed by /api/v1, then send an API key in the X-N8N-API-KEY header. For example, a normally published instance uses https://n8n.example.com/api/v1. The key is created in the n8n editor under Settings > n8n API.
The API address and webhook address are related but not interchangeable. Your reverse proxy must advertise the public webhook URL separately, while forwarding the original host, protocol, and client IP to n8n. The configuration below covers direct and proxied deployments, key creation, a first request, Swagger testing, and the common reasons webhook URLs are generated incorrectly.
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What is the correct self-hosted n8n API URL?
The normal API root is your public n8n URL plus /api/v1. The host, port, protocol, and optional path must match the way the instance is published.
| Deployment value | How it appears in the API address | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Public HTTPS host | https://<host>/api/v1 |
https://n8n.example.com/api/v1 |
| Nonstandard public port | https://<host>:<port>/api/v1 |
https://n8n.example.com:8443/api/v1 |
| Configured n8n path | https://<host>/<N8N_PATH>/api/v1 |
The path configured for that installation, with its slash conventions preserved |
| Local, unproxied development instance | http://localhost:5678/api/v1 |
The documented default host, port, and protocol |
n8n’s documented request pattern is expressed as <N8N_HOST>:<N8N_PORT>/<N8N_PATH>/api/v<version-number>/workflows?active=true. For the current version-1 API, that means the /api/v1 segment. Do not copy localhost into a request made from another computer: it refers to the computer running the request, not automatically to your n8n server.
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How do I set the public address on a self-hosted instance?
Set the address variables before exposing n8n. The documented defaults are localhost, port 5678, protocol http, and the root path /. A production deployment normally replaces those defaults with the name and protocol users actually reach.
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|---|---|---|
N8N_HOST |
Hostname used by n8n for its server address | localhost by default; example: n8n.example.com |
N8N_PORT |
Port on which the n8n process listens | 5678 by default |
N8N_PROTOCOL |
Protocol n8n uses for its address | http by default; use https when n8n itself is serving HTTPS |
N8N_PATH |
Optional path prefix for an installation published below the domain root | / by default |
If a reverse proxy terminates HTTPS, n8n can continue listening on its internal port while the proxy provides the public HTTPS endpoint. In that arrangement, the public URL, not the internal container or VM address, is the one clients should use for API calls.
Example environment configuration
N8N_HOST=n8n.example.com
N8N_PORT=5678
N8N_PROTOCOL=https
N8N_WEBHOOK_URL=https://n8n.example.com/
N8N_PROXY_HOPS=1Apply environment changes using the restart or redeploy procedure for your installation. Keep the path and trailing slash conventions consistent between the proxy and n8n; a mismatch can produce links that look plausible but do not resolve.
Where do I create the n8n API key?
Create the key in the n8n editor, not in your operating system or proxy configuration. n8n’s authentication documentation states that “n8n uses API keys to authenticate API calls.”
- Sign in to the self-hosted n8n editor.
- Open Settings.
- Select n8n API.
- Choose the control to create a key, give it a label, and set an expiration.
- Copy the key when it is shown and store it in a secret manager or protected environment variable. Treat it like a password.
Every API request must carry the key in the X-N8N-API-KEY header. Enterprise instances can apply API-key scopes. According to the authentication guide, non-Enterprise keys have full access to account resources, so use additional care with those keys.
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How should keys be organized?
- Use separate keys for a production integration, a staging integration, and interactive testing when your edition permits it.
- Give each key a label that identifies its owner and purpose.
- Choose an expiration that matches the integration’s lifecycle rather than creating an unbounded credential by default.
- Rotate or revoke a key when its owner leaves, an integration is replaced, or the value may have been exposed.
- Never place the key in a browser-visible page, a public repository, a shell-history example that will be shared, or a URL query string.
How do I make the first API request?
Once the public address and key are ready, call a version-1 endpoint under /api/v1. This read-only workflow request is a useful initial check because it tests the base path, authentication header, and query-string handling together.
curl -X GET 'https://n8n.example.com/api/v1/workflows?active=true'
-H 'accept: application/json'
-H 'X-N8N-API-KEY: YOUR_API_KEY'Replace the hostname, optional port or path, and key with values from your installation. The active=true filter asks for active workflows; remove or change query parameters only when the endpoint documentation for your n8n version supports that operation.
What does a successful request prove?
- The DNS name and public port reach the server that hosts n8n.
- The proxy, if present, routes the API path to n8n rather than to another application.
- The request uses the correct version prefix, currently
/api/v1. - The API key is present in the exact
X-N8N-API-KEYheader. - The key has permission to read the requested account resource.
If the request fails, test the same URL from the server or network where the caller runs, then compare the host, path, protocol, and header one at a time. A browser address bar is not a substitute for the header-bearing request because it does not add your API key automatically.
Which n8n resources can the API manage?
The public endpoint reference covers more than workflows. The available resource families include workflows, executions, credentials, users, audit information, tags, variables, data tables, projects, and other account resources.
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How do I configure n8n behind a reverse proxy?
Set the public webhook URL and proxy-hop count in n8n, then make the final proxy forward the original request metadata. TLS can terminate at the proxy while n8n remains on its internal listener port.
- Publish n8n at the external HTTPS name you want users and webhook providers to reach.
- Set
N8N_WEBHOOK_URLto that public URL, including the trailing slash shown in the documented example:https://n8n.example.com/. - Set
N8N_PROXY_HOPS=1when one reverse-proxy hop sits in front of n8n. Adjust the value only when your actual proxy chain differs. - On the last proxy before n8n, forward
X-Forwarded-For,X-Forwarded-Host, andX-Forwarded-Proto. - Keep the n8n process listening on its internal port, commonly
5678, while the proxy accepts public HTTPS traffic. - Restart or redeploy n8n after changing environment variables, then create or inspect a webhook URL again.
What each forwarded header does
| Header | Information conveyed to n8n | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
X-Forwarded-For |
The originating client IP as seen through the proxy chain | Preserves client-address information when n8n is not directly internet-facing |
X-Forwarded-Host |
The host requested by the client | Lets n8n distinguish the public hostname from its internal listener address |
X-Forwarded-Proto |
The original protocol, such as HTTPS | Prevents n8n from constructing HTTP links when the user reached the proxy over HTTPS |
Why are my n8n webhook URLs wrong behind the proxy?
Webhook URLs are generated from the public webhook configuration, not from the API root alone. If n8n does not know the external hostname or protocol, it can display or register an address pointing to an internal host, the wrong scheme, or the wrong path.
Common symptoms and fixes
| Symptom | Likely configuration issue | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The URL contains an internal hostname or container name | N8N_WEBHOOK_URL is unset or still uses an internal address |
Set it to the externally reachable HTTPS URL and redeploy n8n |
The URL starts with http:// even though visitors use HTTPS |
The original protocol is not being passed to n8n | Forward X-Forwarded-Proto from the final proxy |
| The hostname is wrong or missing a subdomain | The proxy does not pass the public host | Forward X-Forwarded-Host and verify the proxy’s host-routing rule |
| Client information is lost across the proxy | The forwarding chain omits the client-IP header | Forward X-Forwarded-For and set the proxy-hop count to match the deployment |
| The URL has a duplicated or missing path segment | N8N_PATH, proxy routing, and webhook URL prefixes disagree |
Make the path prefix identical at every layer, then regenerate or recheck the webhook URL |
Do not “fix” a webhook by adding /api/v1. The API and webhook namespaces serve different purposes: API calls use the versioned API root, while webhook addresses come from the public webhook URL configuration.
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Self-hosted n8n includes a Swagger UI playground at a path assembled from your configured host, port, path, and API version 1. It can be useful for discovering the operations available in your installation and seeing the required request structure.
- Open the Swagger playground associated with your self-hosted editor and API version.
- Use its authorization control to enter an API key.
- Select a read-only operation, such as listing workflows, and review the generated request before sending it.
- Confirm that the host, path, and version match the public address you intend to automate.
- Clear the authorization value when finished, especially on a shared workstation.
Authorizing the playground grants it access to live n8n data. Use test data and, where possible, a key with the narrowest available scope. Treat the playground as an administrative tool rather than a harmless documentation page.
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Should I expose n8n directly or use a reverse proxy?
Both approaches can work, but they differ in where the public URL and TLS are handled. The proxy arrangement is the usual choice when a separate web server or ingress already manages HTTPS and host routing.
| Consideration | Direct publication | Reverse-proxy publication |
|---|---|---|
| Public URL and TLS | n8n itself serves the address; its protocol and certificate settings must match the public endpoint | The proxy normally terminates TLS and publishes the HTTPS hostname |
| Internal listener | The listener is also the externally reachable service | n8n can remain on an internal port such as 5678 |
| Webhook URL | Derived from the n8n address configuration | Requires N8N_WEBHOOK_URL, proxy-hop configuration, and forwarded headers |
| API request URL | Public address plus /api/v1 |
Proxy’s public address plus /api/v1; never the private listener address for external callers |
| Operational access | Logs and backups depend on the n8n host and its storage setup | Proxy and n8n logs are separate; storage, logging, and backup choices depend on the hosting architecture |
The API documentation establishes the URL, listener, proxy, and key settings. It does not prescribe a particular database, backup system, logging stack, or hosting provider, so those decisions must follow your own deployment architecture.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What security checks should I complete before automating calls?
- Use HTTPS for the public endpoint so the API key is not sent over an unencrypted connection.
- Keep the key out of source code and pass it through a secret store or protected environment variable.
- Set an expiration and record the owner, purpose, and replacement procedure.
- Use Enterprise scopes when available and appropriate; remember that non-Enterprise keys have full account-resource access according to n8n’s authentication guide.
- Restrict access to the Swagger playground and avoid authorizing it with a broad production key during demonstrations.
- Review proxy access logs and n8n logs for accidental key disclosure before sharing diagnostic output.
- Test with a non-production workflow or account resource before sending write operations.
How do I troubleshoot a failed self-hosted API call?
Work from the outside in: network address, proxy routing, API path, then authentication and permissions. Change one variable at a time so a successful test identifies the layer that was wrong.
- Verify the public address. Confirm that the hostname resolves to the proxy or n8n server intended for this installation and that the caller can reach the published port.
- Verify the path. Start with the public URL, add any configured path prefix, and append
/api/v1. Do not use the editor URL without the API segment. - Verify protocol handling. If HTTPS terminates at a proxy, check that
X-Forwarded-Protoreaches n8n and thatN8N_WEBHOOK_URLuses the HTTPS address. - Verify the header spelling. Send
X-N8N-API-KEYexactly as written. A key in a query parameter or a differently named header will not authenticate the request. - Verify key status. Check that the key was copied correctly, has not expired or been revoked, and belongs to the n8n account you are addressing.
- Verify access scope. On Enterprise, confirm the key’s scopes include the requested resource. On non-Enterprise editions, treat the key as broadly privileged.
- Compare with the playground. A read-only request in Swagger can show whether the problem is the client command or the server’s URL and authentication configuration, but remember that the playground operates on live data.
What should I document for future maintenance?
Record the public API root, the internal listener port, the configured path prefix, the proxy-hop count, the proxy’s forwarded-header behavior, and the owner and expiration of each API key. Keep that record separate from the secret value itself.
Also document where n8n and proxy logs live and how persistent data is backed up. Those storage, logging, and backup choices are specific to the hosting architecture; they are not fixed by the API URL settings. A clear handover note prevents a future operator from substituting the internal listener address for the public API address or changing proxy variables without updating webhook configuration.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I call a self-hosted n8n API from another server?
Yes, provided that server can route to the n8n public hostname and port. Use the externally published address, not localhost or a container-only hostname, and ensure the network or firewall permits the connection.
Can I keep n8n on port 5678 while users connect over HTTPS?
Yes. In a reverse-proxy design, n8n can keep its internal listener on port 5678 while the proxy accepts public HTTPS traffic. The client still uses the proxy’s hostname and /api/v1 path.
How often should an n8n API key be rotated?
There is no universal interval in the API documentation. Rotate it when its owner, integration, or exposure risk changes, and use the expiration option so an abandoned credential does not remain valid indefinitely.
Is it safe to use the Swagger playground with a production key?
The playground can act on live data after authorization, so use test data and a limited key whenever possible. Avoid pasting a broad production key into a shared browser session or a screen recording.
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