n8n is an open-source workflow automation platform that allows users to connect different services and build complex workflows with minimal effort. With support for hundreds of integrations and a visual interface, n8n is ideal for teams looking to increase productivity without writing extensive custom code.

Set up n8n on AWS with xCloud is a straightforward way to bring automation to the cloud. This guide walks you through the essential steps to configure, deploy, and run n8n seamlessly on AWS, so you can start building powerful workflows without the usual complexity.

You can easily set up an AWS server in xCloud for both EC2 and Lightsail instances. Now let us follow these steps to get you started.

Step 1: Sign Up/Login With xCloud #

To create the AWS server in xCloud, the first step is to visit the xCloud website and create your account or log in using your existing credentials. Once you are signed, you can effortlessly set up your AWS server.

If you already have an account please visit our app URL to log in to your account to set up an AWS server in xCloud Host.

Step 2: Create Your AWS Server In xCloud #

After logging in to your xCloud account, start by adding a new server by clicking on the ‘Add New Server’ button from your dashboard.

The next screen will provide the list of our available server providers. Select the AWS option from the list. The billing of the server will be handled on your AWS account.

Step 3: Sign In to the AWS Management Console #

Now, before going to the next step, you need to log in to the AWS management console.  Sign in as a ‘Root User’ to the AWS Management Console using your AWS account credentials. Once logged in, navigate to the main dashboard where you can access various AWS services.

Step 4: Navigate to the IAM Console #

From the AWS Management Console, click on the Services menu located at the top left corner or search with “IAM” and select IAM from the list of services. This will direct you to the IAM dashboard, where you can manage users, groups, roles, and policies.

Step 5: Add a New User #

On the IAM dashboard, locate and click on the Users option in the left navigation panel. This will display a list of existing IAM users. To create a new user, click on the ‘Create User’ button.

Step 6: Configure User Details #

In this step, enter a unique ‘Username’ for the new IAM user. Next, choose the type of access the user requires. Check-in ‘AWS Management Console’ access option if the user requires access to the AWS Management Console and click on the ‘Next’ button.

Step 7: Set Permissions for Amazon EC2 Instance #

You have three options to set permissions for the new user. The first one is ‘Add user to group’ which lets you add the user to an IAM group with predefined permissions, which is efficient for managing multiple users with similar access needs. The second one is ‘Copy permissions’ which enables you to duplicate the permissions of another IAM user. And the final policy ‘Attach policies directly’ allows you to assign AWS-managed policies or custom policies.

Here we are choosing the ‘Attach policies directly’ and assigning the access for Amazon EC2 Instance to the user and hit on the Next.

Note: If you do not find the EC2 Access here, search for the policy in the search bar.

Step 8: Add Tags, Review and Create #

You can add ‘Tags’ to help organize and manage users. Now carefully review all the details and permissions assigned to the new IAM user. If everything is accurate and complete, click the ‘Create user’ button to finalize the creation of the IAM user.

Step  9: Give Another permission for Amazon Lightsail #

Now, set another permission for the new user for Amazon LightSail easily. To specify the permissions for the created user, go to the Permission Policies and click on the ‘Add Permissions Menu’. Choose the ‘Create Inline Policy’ option from the dropdown menu.

Click on the ‘JSON’ button from the Policy Editor and paste the below given JSON code in the editor. Finally, tap on the ‘Next’ button.

Here is the JSON code:

{
     "Version": "2012-10-17",
     "Statement": [
         {
             "Sid": "VisualEditor0",
             "Effect": "Allow",
             "Action": [
                 "lightsail:GetInstances",
                 "lightsail:GetKeyPair",
                 "lightsail:DeleteKeyPair",
                 "lightsail:GetStaticIp",
                 "lightsail:ReleaseStaticIp",
                 "lightsail:SetIpAddressType",
                 "lightsail:CreateInstances",
                 "lightsail:GetInstance",
                 "lightsail:GetInstanceAccessDetails",
                 "lightsail:DeleteInstance",
                 "lightsail:CreateKeyPair",
                 "lightsail:ImportKeyPair",
                 "lightsail:StartInstance",
                 "lightsail:DownloadDefaultKeyPair",
                 "lightsail:GetInstancePortStates",
                 "lightsail:StopInstance",
                 "lightsail:AttachStaticIp",
                 "lightsail:GetRegions",
                 "lightsail:RebootInstance",
                 "lightsail:GetOperation",
                 "lightsail:DetachStaticIp",
                 "lightsail:GetInstanceState",
                 "lightsail:GetBundles",
                 "lightsail:TagResource",
                 "lightsail:PutInstancePublicPorts"
             ],
             "Resource": "*"
         }
     ]
 }

Once the policy is created for Lightsail instance, give the policy a name and hit on the ‘Create Policy’ button.

Step 10: Create & Retrieve a User Access Key #

Now we have to create a user access key. Find ‘Create access key’ under the Summary tab and click on it. Then you will be redirected to the Access Key best practices & Alternatives page, from here select the ‘Other’ option and click on Next.

Now give a Description Tag to proceed to create an access key. Once the access key is created copy the Access Key and Secret from from here and go back to your xCloud Dashboard to integrate the server with xCloud.

Step 11: Connect the Account & Add Necessary Information #

From the AWS dashboard, select an existing or connect new account from the dropdown menu. Then choose the AWS services from, you can use any one with the proper credentials or both from the xCloud dashboard.

Note: EBS-supported instances of AWS are not supported. For example, T3 instances use EBS storage. These instances are not available through the API. However, you can set up such instances manually in your AWS account first and then add them through the Any Provider method in xCloud.

As you have the Access Key and Secret Key Paste them into the designated blank boxes one by one carefully. Now click on ‘Verify’ button, it will start verifying the credential and connect you with the AWS server. 

Fill all the information like ‘Server Name’, ‘Server Region’, ‘Server Zone’,’Server Size’, etc according to your preference. 

Next, choose the web server stack from NGINX or OLS as your requirements and click on ‘NEXT’ button to proceed with the server creation process.

It will start creating a AWS server with xCloud within a while and if you go to the ‘Servers’ from the menu you can see your created server and create as many site as you want under this server

This is how easily you can create an AWS server from xCloud seamlessly without going through any difficulties. 

How to Deploy n8n with xCloud with One Click Apps #

With xCloud’s One Click Apps feature, you can deploy n8n with ease. Follow the steps below to quickly set up n8n in a demo or production environment with xCloud.

🔖Recommendations #

📌Web Server for Deployment #

Though you can deploy n8n application from both NGINX and OLS server, but we recommend deploying n8n on an Nginx server for the best performance and stability. While, you can use an OLS server, Nginx generally provides a more reliable experience.

📌CPU Requirements #

We recommend using a server with more than 1 CPU when running n8n. A 1 CPU server may not function as expected, so choosing a server with higher resources will help ensure smooth and successful operation.

Note: n8n is available in our plans, including the free plan. But you have to upgrade to our PRO plans to access the Environment feature.

Step 1: Access the One Click Apps Dashboard #

Begin by logging into your xCloud account. Once logged in, navigate to your dashboard and click on the ‘New Site’ button.

This will take you to the site creation interface. From here, choose the ‘Server’, then go to the ‘One Click Apps’ section. Select ‘n8n’ from the available applications to initiate the deployment process.

This will take you to the site creation interface. From here, go to the ‘One Click Apps’ section. Select “n8n” from the available applications to initiate the deployment process.

Ensure your server is already connected to xCloud. If not, follow the instructions on the dashboard to establish a server connection. Once connected, you can create a new site either from the main dashboard or the site list by selecting the ‘Create New Site‘ option.

Step 2: Set Up the n8n Application #

In the site setup screen, you will be prompted to enter basic site information. Provide a ‘Site Title’ and add relevant ‘Tags’ to help organize your deployment. At this point, you can choose between two deployment modes: ‘Go Live’ for a production-ready deployment or ‘Demo Site’ for testing purposes. Selecting ‘Go Live’ will immediately create a live environment, while choosing ‘Demo Site’ allows you to experiment in a staging environment before promoting to production.

Step 3: Configure Domain Settings #

If you select the ‘Demo Site’ option, xCloud will assign a temporary subdomain for your n8n application. 

Note: Note that once a demo site is promoted to a live environment, you cannot revert back to using the demo domain. Ensure your choice aligns with your deployment goals before proceeding.

Step 4: Configure and Install the Site #

Then, a default ‘Port’, ‘Site User’ will be selected automatically. Then choose a ‘Timezone’ for this site. Once all settings have been configured, click the ‘Next’ button to proceed.

Note: We recommend leaving the port and site user as default.

Step 6: Add Your Custom Domain #

You can add your own ‘Domain’ to host the site by going to the Domain section. Also, you can add an ‘Additional Domain’ with your custom domain.

Step 7: Visit the n8n Site #

With n8n set up with xCloud, you should be able to log in and confirm that it’s working. From the dashboard, click on the ‘Visit Site’ app.

This will open the n8n dialog window for registration, which should look something like the example below. Simply enter your details and create a password according to the specs indicated. Hit the Next button, then click through any additional popups, leaving them empty for now. 

This should bring you to the n8n Overview page. Now that your n8n instance is up and running, let’s fine-tune its settings for security and customization. From here, go to the ‘Create workflow’ , set according to your preferences. 

Environment Editor for n8n #

The Environment section in xCloud allows you to customize configuration settings for your n8n instance. Just go to the ‘Environment’ option from the sidebar and adjust as you needed then click on the ‘Save’ button.

Update N8N Version #

To update n8n to the latest version, simply go to  ‘Updates’ from the sidebar of the dashboard. Then simply search for the ‘Check for Updates’ button. Click the Update button, and this will install the latest N8N version on your server.

And that’s it, this is how easily you can quickly and efficiently deploy an n8n instance on AWS using xCloud’s One Click Apps feature. You can create your own n8n application and automate with workflows seamlessly.

Still stuck? Contact our support team for any of your queries.