Self-Hosted Version Check and Coolify Deployment Updater - n8n Workflow

DevOps teams and site reliability engineers (SREs).
Users self-hosting n8n instances via platforms like Coolify.
System administrators who need reliable, scheduled update checks.
Anyone seeking efficient, ready-to-use n8n templates for maintenance.

Maintaining a self-hosted application, such as an n8n instance, requires frequent monitoring to ensure you are running the latest, most secure version. This specialized n8n workflow solves the manual pain point by automating the entire version comparison and deployment process.

This robust n8n automation is designed for users leveraging Coolify (or similar container management services) for application hosting. It runs on a customizable schedule, making two parallel HTTP calls: one to check the versionCli of your current n8n instance and one to query the official n8n GitHub repository for the latest stable release tag. The powerful n8n node logic then processes this data, determines if an upgrade is required, and, if true, executes a restart command against the Coolify API, seamlessly initiating the update. This eliminates the need for manual checks, ensuring your n8n infrastructure stays current.

This powerful n8n workflow operates through a precise sequence of data retrieval, processing, and conditional execution:

1. Trigger Activation: The process begins either manually via the 'Manual Trigger' n8n node or automatically using the 'Schedule' n8n trigger, which can be set to run every few hours.


2. Version Retrieval: Two parallel HTTP Request n8n nodes execute:

1. Data Consolidation: The 'Merge bot data and pass just what we need' n8n node combines the two input streams using an SQL query, ensuring the workflow continues with a single item containing both version strings.


2. Normalization: The 'Rename variable and unify format' Set n8n node cleans up the data. It extracts the raw version number from the GitHub tag (e.g., stripping the leading n8n@ from [email protected]) and standardizes both current and new versions into clean variables (actualn8nversion, newn8nversion).


3. Conditional Check: The 'If the 2 versions is not the same make an update of image' IF n8n node checks the condition: actualn8nversion !== newn8nversion.


4. Deployment: If the condition is True (versions differ), the 'CALL COOLIFY OR SIMILAR SERVICE FOR UPDATE IMAGE' n8n node executes, sending a Bearer-authenticated HTTP request to the Coolify service restart endpoint, which pulls the latest image and updates the application.


5. No-Op: If the condition is False (versions match), the 'No Operation, do nothing' n8n node is executed, halting the n8n workflow until the next scheduled n8n trigger.

To deploy and utilize this n8n template for automated updates, follow these steps:

1. Import the n8n Workflow: Copy the provided JSON data and import it into your self-hosted or cloud n8n instance.


2. Configure the N8N Settings Node: Locate the n8n node named 'CALL YOUR N8N INSTANCE...'. Update the URL parameter to match your actual n8n domain (e.g., https://yourn8ndomain/rest/settings).


3. Set the Schedule: Configure the 'Schedule every time you want start the update check' n8n trigger node to your desired interval (e.g., every 6 hours).


4. Configure Coolify Credentials: Create a new HTTP Bearer Auth credential within n8n. This credential must use a valid API token obtained from your Coolify dashboard.


5. Configure the Deploy Node: In the n8n node named 'CALL COOLIFY OR SIMILAR SERVICE FOR UPDATE IMAGE':

1. Activate: Save and activate the n8n workflow.

Schedule (n8n trigger): Sets the automation to run periodically (e.g., daily or hourly) to check for new n8n versions. This is the primary n8n trigger for routine checks.
Manual Trigger (n8n trigger): Allows immediate execution for testing or forced checks outside of the schedule.
CALL YOUR N8N INSTANCE... (HTTP Request n8n node): Retrieves the current version of your self-hosted n8n installation by querying the /rest/settings endpoint. This is crucial for comparison.
CALL GITHUB... (HTTP Request n8n node): Queries the public n8n GitHub repository to find the latest stable release tag, providing the target version for the update.
Merge bot data... (Merge n8n node): Combines the data from the two HTTP requests into a single item, using a complex SQL query to structure the current and latest versions for subsequent steps.
Rename variable... (Set n8n node): Cleans and normalizes the version strings, ensuring both actualn8nversion and newn8nversion are pure version strings suitable for the comparison check in the next n8n node.
If the 2 versions is not the same... (IF n8n node): A core logic n8n node that uses a strict notEquals comparison to determine if the deployment action is necessary.
CALL COOLIFY OR SIMILAR SERVICE... (HTTP Request n8n node): If an update is required, this node sends an authenticated POST request to the Coolify API, triggering a container restart and pulling the latest n8n image. This performs the final action of the n8n workflow.