# n8n Quickstart

> This connection brings structured business data from NIZU directly into n8n’s powerful workflow engine, unlocking end-to-end automation without glue code, brittle scripts, or manual workarounds. (App…

- Page: https://dashboard.nizu.io/knowledge_base/view/98-n8n-quickstart
- Part of: [Knowledge base](https://dashboard.nizu.io/knowledge_base/llms.txt) on NIZU — https://dashboard.nizu.io/llms.txt
- Updated: 2026-10-25T11:50:03Z

Creating an **n8n workspace** depends on which n8n flavor you’re using. The term “workspace” means very different things across editions, so here’s the practical mapno mythology, just mechanics.

#### **n8n Cloud (hosted by n8n)**

This is the only place where “workspace” is a first-class concept.

You create one like this:

1. Log in to **n8n Cloud**.
2. Open **Settings → Workspaces**.
3. Click **Create workspace**.
4. Name it, invite users, assign roles.

Each workspace has:

• Its own workflows

• Its own credentials

• Its own members and permissions

Think of it as a clean, isolated automation universe. Good for agencies, multi-product companies, or keeping experiments from touching production.

#### **n8n Self-hosted (Docker, VM, bare metal)**

Here’s the important truth: **there is no native workspace concept**.

Instead, you simulate workspaces using isolation patterns:

• **Multiple n8n instances**

Each instance = one “workspace”

Separate databases, separate credentials, zero cross-contamination

• **Separate databases per environment**

prod / staging / dev

Same instance, different lifecycle

• **Folder + naming conventions**

Human discipline instead of system guarantees

Works until it doesn’t

If you need **hard separation**, spin up multiple instances. Everything else is theater.

#### **Docker example (cleanest approach)**

One workspace = one container + one database.

Each instance gets:

• Its own N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY

• Its own database

• Its own URL or subdomain

This mirrors Cloud workspaces almost perfectly.

#### **Which should you choose?**

If you need:

• Fast setup → **n8n Cloud**

• Full control / on-prem / compliance → **Self-hosted + multiple instances (cheaper)**

• Shared workflows with soft boundaries → **Single instance, conventions**

Automation scales when boundaries are explicit. Implicit boundaries turn into late-night incident calls.