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How to Install n8n Community Nodes (Self-Hosted, Docker, npm and n8n Cloud)

Posted by Oct 26, 2026

n8n community nodes are npm packages that add new nodes to n8n (new to them? start with What Are n8n Community Nodes?). How you install one depends on where your n8n runs: n8n Cloud only offers verified community nodes, while a self-hosted instance can install any community package from npm. This guide walks through each method n8n documents, how to update or roll back a node, and what to do when something breaks. Every step below comes from the official n8n documentation.

Which install method fits your setup

n8n lists four ways to install community nodes:

Method Where it works Use it when
Nodes panel (verified nodes) n8n Cloud and self-hosted The node you want is verified by n8n
Settings > Community Nodes (GUI) Self-hosted You want any package from npm, installed from the browser
Command line with npm Self-hosted Your instance runs in queue mode, or you install private packages
Environment variables Self-hosted, n8n 2.21.0 and later You want a fixed set of packages, for example from a deployment pipeline

Unverified community nodes are not available on n8n Cloud. To use them you need to self-host n8n. The free self-hosted Community edition is enough; n8n Community Edition vs Cloud compares what each edition allows.

Before you install: who can do it

Only users with the Owner or Admin role can install and manage community nodes. Once a node is installed, every member of the instance can use it in their workflows.

Method 1: Install a verified community node from the nodes panel

Verified community nodes are nodes that n8n has inspected. They have to meet a set of data and system security requirements before n8n approves them. This is the only way to add community nodes on n8n Cloud.

  1. Open the canvas and open the nodes panel, either with the + button or by pressing N.
  2. Search for the node you need. If a verified community node matches, a More from the community section shows at the bottom of the panel.
  3. Select the node. n8n shows a detail view with all the actions it supports.
  4. Select Install. The node is installed for the whole instance.
  5. Add the node to your workflow like any other node.

On n8n Cloud, the instance owner can hide verified community nodes by turning off Verified community nodes under Instance settings in the Cloud console. On a self-hosted instance the same switch is the environment variable N8N_VERIFIED_PACKAGES_ENABLED (default true).

Method 2: Install any npm package from Settings (self-hosted)

  1. Go to Settings > Community Nodes.
  2. Select Install.
  3. Find the package name. Browse opens an npm search for every package tagged with the keyword n8n-community-node-package. You can also search on this site: each node page lists the npm package name, and the homepage sorts nodes by weekly downloads.
  4. Enter the npm package name in Enter npm package name. You can add a version or a dist-tag:
    • n8n-nodes-evolution-api installs the latest version.
    • n8n-nodes-evolution-api@1.0.4 installs that exact version.
    • n8n-nodes-evolution-api@beta installs whatever version the beta tag points to at that moment.
  5. Tick I understand the risks of installing unverified code from a public source.
  6. Select Install. n8n installs the package and returns you to the Community Nodes list.

A dist-tag is resolved only once, at install time. If beta pointed to 2.0.0-beta.1 when you installed, n8n keeps comparing future updates against 2.0.0-beta.1, not against the beta tag.

n8n also keeps a blocklist of community nodes. Packages on it cannot be installed, for example because they are malicious or of harmful quality.

Method 3: Install with npm from the command line (Docker or self-hosted)

n8n recommends this method when your instance runs in queue mode or when you want to install a private npm package. With the standard Docker setup:

docker exec -it n8n sh
mkdir ~/.n8n/nodes
cd ~/.n8n/nodes
npm i n8n-nodes-evolution-api

Then restart n8n. Skip the mkdir line if the nodes folder already exists. To remove a package, open the same shell and run npm uninstall <package-name>.

If you install from a private registry, n8n reads the registry URL from N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_REGISTRY (default https://registry.npmjs.org, a license is required to change it) and the token from N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_AUTH_TOKEN.

Method 4: Manage packages with environment variables (n8n 2.21.0+)

From n8n 2.21.0, a self-hosted instance can take its list of community packages from environment variables. On every startup n8n installs missing packages, corrects versions and uninstalls packages that are not on the list.

export N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_MANAGED_BY_ENV=true
export N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES='[{"name":"n8n-nodes-foo","version":"1.2.3"}]'

Each entry takes a name (required, you can write the version inline as name@version), an optional version and an optional checksum (sha512-..., needs version). Keep three things in mind:

  • The first start with this setting uninstalls every community package that is not in N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES. Copy the packages you want to keep from the Community Nodes page into the list first.
  • While the setting is on, the Community Nodes page in Settings is read-only.
  • If a package is not in n8n’s vetted registry and N8N_UNVERIFIED_PACKAGES_ENABLED is false, n8n fails to start. Pin a checksum, allow unverified packages, or pick a vetted package.

To add, remove, upgrade or downgrade a package, edit the list and restart n8n.

Update, downgrade or uninstall a community node

Node authors can publish breaking changes. Depending on how the author versions the node, an upgrade with a breaking change can break every workflow that uses it, so check the release notes first. On each node page on this site, the version history shows when each release came out.

  • Update in the GUI: when a new version exists, n8n shows an Update button on the package in Settings > Community Nodes.
  • Go to a specific version in the GUI: uninstall the package, then install it again with package@version. This is also how you downgrade.
  • Uninstall in the GUI: open the package’s options menu (three dots), select Uninstall package and confirm.
  • Command line: npm update <package-name> for the latest version, or npm uninstall followed by npm install <package-name>@2.1.0 for a specific one.

Find the node in your workflow

After installing, the node appears in the nodes panel search like any built-in node. n8n marks community nodes with a Package icon. Several community nodes can share the same name. If you use two of them in one workflow they look the same unless their icons differ, so check the package name in the node details.

Troubleshooting

Error: missing packages after a restart or upgrade (Docker)

n8n installs community nodes onto the disk and loads them at startup. If the files are gone, n8n warns about missing packages. With Docker this happens when the container is recreated or n8n is upgraded and the nodes folder was not stored outside the container. The fixes n8n gives:

  • Persist the ~/.n8n/nodes directory. n8n’s Docker guide does this by mounting a volume on /home/node/.n8n (-v n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n). This is the recommended fix.
  • Or set N8N_REINSTALL_MISSING_PACKAGES=true. This can make startup slower and may cause health checks to fail.

n8n will not start after installing a node

On a self-hosted instance, set N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_PREVENT_LOADING=true so installed community nodes are not loaded at startup, then remove or downgrade the faulty package. On n8n Cloud, open the Cloud console, go to Instance settings, turn on Disable all community nodes and select Save and restart. That switch only shows while Verified community nodes is on. If the instance is offline you can still sign in to the Cloud console with a magic link.

The Install button or the Community Nodes page is missing

  • Your user needs the Owner or Admin role.
  • On n8n Cloud, only verified nodes can be installed, from the nodes panel.
  • On a self-hosted instance, check that N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_ENABLED is not false. When it is false, neither verified nor unverified packages are available.
  • Check that N8N_UNVERIFIED_PACKAGES_ENABLED is not false if you install from npm.
  • If N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_MANAGED_BY_ENV is on, the page is read-only by design.

Queue mode

For instances in queue mode, n8n’s docs point to the command line method instead of the GUI.

Security: what a community node can access

A package from npm is unverified code from a public source. n8n’s documentation lists the risks: a community node has full access to the machine n8n runs on and can do anything, including harmful actions, and it can read the data in your workflows. Verified nodes go through n8n’s review first; Verified vs Unverified n8n Community Nodes explains what that review checks. You can report a bad community node to security@n8n.io. To turn community nodes off completely on a self-hosted instance, set N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_ENABLED=false.

Popular nodes to start with

Browse by service: WhatsApp, Evolution API, Telegram, MCP, OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Discord and Chatwoot. For a ranked comparison, read Best n8n Community Nodes for Evolution API (WhatsApp). New packages appear on New community nodes and fresh releases on Recently updated.

FAQ

Can I install community nodes on n8n Cloud?

Only verified community nodes, from the nodes panel. Installing other packages from npm needs a self-hosted n8n. See Verified vs Unverified n8n Community Nodes.

Where does n8n store installed community nodes?

In the nodes folder inside the n8n user folder, ~/.n8n/nodes. In the official Docker image that is under /home/node/.n8n, so keep that path on a volume.

Do I need to restart n8n?

After a command line install, yes. Packages managed with environment variables are applied on the next startup.

How do I install a specific version of a community node?

Enter package-name@version in the GUI, or run npm install package-name@version in the nodes folder. To change versions in the GUI, uninstall first and install again with the version.

What is the npm keyword for n8n community nodes?

n8n-community-node-package. The Browse button in n8n searches npm for it. If you are building your own node, see How to Build and Publish Your Own n8n Community Node.

How do I uninstall a community node that crashes n8n?

Start n8n with N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_PREVENT_LOADING=true, then uninstall the package. On n8n Cloud use Disable all community nodes in the Cloud console.

Are community nodes safe?

They run with full access to your n8n server and your workflow data. Verified nodes are reviewed by n8n; others are not, so check the package’s source, author and update history before you install it.