n8n-ffmpeg-stack
docker compose setup for running n8n with FFmpeg and Docker CLI baked into the image. Caddy sits in front for automatic HTTPS. the whole stack auto-starts on boot via systemd. ```bash docker compose up -d ``` [](https://docs.docker.com/compose/) [](https://n8n.io/) [](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT) --- ## what it does extends the official n8n Alpine image with two packages: - **FFmpeg** — so n8n workflows can transcode, convert, and manipulate audio/video via execute command nodes - **docker-cli** — so n8n workflows can control the host Docker daemon through the mounted socket the `node` user (n8n's runtime user) gets added to the `docker` group for socket access without root. ## the stack two containers on a shared compose network: | service | image | role | |:---|:---|:---| | `n8n` | custom build from `Dockerfile` | workflow engine on port 5678, FFmpeg + Docker CLI available | | `caddy` | `caddy:latest` | TLS-terminating reverse proxy on 80/443, auto Let's Encrypt certs | ### volumes | volume | type | what it stores | |:---|:---|:---| | `n8n_data` | external, named | workflows, credentials, execution history (`/home/node/.n8n`) | | `caddy_data` | external, named | TLS certificates and ACME state | | `./local_files` | bind mount | shared file staging area at `/files` — drop media in, FFmpeg outputs land here | | `/var/run/docker.sock` | bind mount | host Docker socket, gives n8n container control over host daemon | both named volumes are `external: true` — you need to create them before first run. this is intentional to prevent accidental data loss from `docker compose down -v`. ## setup ### 1. create volumes ```bash docker volume create n8n_data docker volume create caddy_data ``` ### 2. configure environment edit `.env` or set values directly in `docker-compose.yml`: ```env N8N_HOST=n8n.local N8N_PORT=5678 N8N_PROTOCOL=https NODE_ENV=production WEBHOOK_URL=https://n8n.local/ GENERIC_TIMEZONE=America/New_York ``` replace `n8n.local` with your actual domain or add it to `/etc/hosts`. ### 3. add a Caddyfile create `caddy_config/Caddyfile` to proxy traffic to n8n: ``` n8n.local { reverse_proxy n8n:5678 } ``` ### 4. run ```bash docker compose up -d ``` n8n is at `https://n8n.local`. direct access also available at `http://localhost:5678`. ## auto-start on boot create a systemd unit at `/etc/systemd/system/docker-compose.service`: ```ini [Unit] Description=Docker Compose Service After=network.target docker.service Requires=docker.service [Service] Type=oneshot User=root WorkingDirectory=/path/to/your/n8n-ffmpeg-stack ExecStart=/usr/bin/docker compose build --no-cache ExecStartPost=/usr/bin/docker compose up -d RemainAfterExit=true [Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target ``` then enable it: ```bash sudo systemctl enable --now docker-compose.service ``` rebuilds the image fresh and starts the stack on every boot. ## example workflow drop a video into `local_files/`, then use an n8n execute command node: ```bash ffmpeg -i /files/input-video.mp4 -q:a 0 -map a /files/output-audio.mp3 ``` the output lands in `local_files/` on the host. n8n can then continue the workflow — upload to cloud storage, send a notification, call an API, whatever. ## security note the Docker socket mount gives the n8n container root-equivalent access to the host. don't expose this to untrusted users or the open internet without additional safeguards. ## license MIT