Summary
Highlights
The video introduces two methods for installing n8n: npx and npm. It quickly reiterates that npx is for temporary installations, where packages are removed after the session, making it unsuitable for long-term projects. The focus of this video is on the npm method for permanent installation.
The npm method installs all n8n packages permanently on your device, ensuring they remain available even after closing your session. This is crucial for ongoing projects. However, a key aspect of npm installation is that packages do not update automatically. Manual updates are necessary due to continuous releases on n8n's GitHub repository.
To install n8n permanently, open the command prompt (or Node.js command prompt) and execute the command 'npm install -g n8n'. This global installation ensures n8n is always available on your system, unlike the temporary npx method used previously.
Once installed, n8n can be launched by simply typing 'n8n' in the command prompt. The video shows how to check the current n8n version through the settings. To update n8n, stop the running instance (Ctrl+C in the command prompt) and then use the command 'npm update -g n8n'. This ensures your n8n instance is running with the latest features and bug fixes.
The video concludes by summarizing the two installation methods: npx for temporary use and npm for permanent, self-hosted deployment. It emphasizes that npm is the preferred method for this course, requiring occasional manual updates to stay current. The next video will cover the first practical application of n8n.