Deploy and Host n8n with Task Runners on Railway

n8n is a powerful workflow automation platform that lets you connect apps and automate tasks. This template deploys n8n with Task Runners - a game-changing feature that allows you to easily add custom Python and JavaScript dependencies to your Code nodes. Unlike traditional n8n deployments that require rebuilding entire Docker containers to add packages, Task Runners let you simply update environment variables and redeploy in seconds.

About Hosting n8n with Task Runners

This template provides a complete n8n deployment with three services: PostgreSQL database, n8n main application, and Task Runners service. The Task Runners service executes Python and JavaScript code with your custom dependencies. Adding new packages is simple - just update Railway environment variables and trigger a redeploy. No Docker knowledge required. The multi-stage build system optimizes deployment speed, with lightweight packages deploying in approximately 2 minutes and scientific packages in approximately 5-10 minutes. Configuration is managed entirely through Railway's dashboard, making dependency management transparent and version-controlled.

Common Use Cases

Data Processing Workflows - Use pandas, BeautifulSoup, or other Python libraries to parse, transform, and analyze data from APIs and databases
Advanced Date/Time Operations - Leverage moment.js or python-dateutil for complex timezone conversions, relative dates, and scheduling logic
HTTP API Integrations - Use axios or requests with custom authentication libraries for advanced API integrations not available in standard n8n nodes
Scientific Computing - Run statistical analysis, machine learning predictions, or mathematical computations with scipy, numpy, or similar packages
Custom Business Logic - Implement complex algorithms using specialized JavaScript/Python libraries that aren't available in standard n8n

Dependencies for n8n with Task Runners Hosting

This template requires three Railway services:

PostgreSQL - Database for storing n8n workflows and execution history
n8n Main Service - The n8n web UI and workflow execution engine (uses official n8n Docker image)
Task Runners Service - Service that executes Python and JavaScript code with your dependencies

Deployment Dependencies

Managing Custom Dependencies

This template's key feature is easy custom dependency management - the main differentiator from standard n8n deployments.

Configuration Variables

This template provides four environment variables for managing dependencies:

JS_PACKAGES - JavaScript packages to install (with versions)
JS_ALLOW_LIST - JavaScript packages available in Code nodes
PY_PACKAGES - Python packages to install (with versions)
PY_ALLOW_LIST - Python packages available in Code nodes

Learn more in the official n8n documentation.

JavaScript Configuration Example

Go to Railway Dashboard → Runners Service → Variables:

JS_PACKAGES=moment,axios,lodash,uuid

JS_ALLOW_LIST=moment,axios,lodash,uuid

Click Redeploy and packages deploy in 2-3 minutes.

Note: JS_ALLOW_LIST requires package names listed explicitly (comma-separated). This ensures proper library initialization for packages like moment.js.

Python Configuration Example

Go to Railway Dashboard → Runners Service → Variables:

PY_PACKAGES=requests,python-dateutil,beautifulsoup4

PY_ALLOW_LIST=requests,dateutil,bs4

Click Redeploy and packages deploy in 2-10 minutes (scientific packages take longer).

Note: Package install names may differ from import names (python-dateutil imports as dateutil, beautifulsoup4 imports as bs4).

Deploying Specific n8n Versions

By default, this template deploys the latest n8n version. To deploy a specific version:

n8n Main Service: Go to Railway Dashboard → n8n Service → Settings → Image

ghcr.io/n8n-io/n8n:1.75.0

Task Runners Service: Go to Railway Dashboard → Runners Service → Variables

N8N_VERSION=1.75.0

Click Redeploy on both services.

Note: Both services must use the same version number for compatibility.

Package Compatibility

Included Package Support:

This template includes build dependencies for a wide range of packages:

JavaScript packages: moment, axios, lodash, uuid, date-fns, and most npm packages work out-of-the-box
Python packages: requests, python-dateutil, beautifulsoup4, and pure-Python packages work out-of-the-box
Scientific packages: numpy, pandas, scipy supported (deployment takes approximately 5-10 minutes)
Build tools: Included for packages with compiled extensions

Deployment Times:

Lightweight packages: 2-3 minutes
Scientific/numerical packages: 5-10 minutes
First deployment includes initial setup time

Getting Help:

For packages requiring additional system libraries, contact the template maintainer with:

Package name
Railway deployment log output
Language (JavaScript or Python)

The template can be updated to include additional system dependencies as needed.

Why Deploy n8n-with-code-runner on Railway?

Railway is a singular platform to deploy your infrastructure stack. Railway will host your infrastructure so you don't have to deal with configuration, while allowing you to vertically and horizontally scale it.

By deploying n8n-with-code-runner on Railway, you are one step closer to supporting a complete full-stack application with minimal burden. Host your servers, databases, AI agents, and more on Railway.