Introducing n8n 3.0

Today we're releasing n8n version 3.0.0 BETA

n8n 3.0 focuses on internal changes that improve reliability, stability and security, and lays the groundwork for the improvements we're building next. It clears out legacy features, tightens security defaults and reworks parts of how n8n runs under the hood.

The short version: the beta is available today and the stable release follows in early December. Because 3.0 includes breaking changes, some workflows and settings may need updates before you upgrade. The Migration Report in your instance tells you exactly which ones.

It’s worth taking a look now, even if you’re not planning to upgrade right away.

Why change the version number?

n8n follows semantic versioning. That means we don't ship breaking changes (updates that might require you to change your workflows or configuration) without bumping the major version number.

Over the past year we collected a list of breaking changes we wanted to make: legacy code paths to remove, defaults to make safer, a few features to retire. Each of them had to wait for a major version, so 3.0 brings them together in one release.

If you're wondering where the new features went, they didn't wait. We ship features continuously instead of saving them for a major version. Since 2.0 came out in December 2025, we've shipped over 45 releases, roughly one a week, and many of them included major new features. The full list is on our changelog.

That's why 3.0 can focus purely on the foundation, and everything new after the stable release ships on 3.x.

What's in version 3.0

The 3.0 breaking changes docs have a detailed list with what to do for each change. Here are the main themes, with a few examples.

Reliability and stability

Queue mode. Manual executions now always run on workers, so the main instance isn't doing that work.
Binary data. The in-memory binary data mode is removed. Instances use the filesystem, or S3 and other external storage, which is more predictable under load.
Guardrails against runaway work. The default Code node timeout (task runner) drops from 5 minutes to 1 minute, and it's configurable. Decompression limits are lower, to protect instances from oversized archives ("zip bombs").
Scheduling. The old Cron and Interval nodes are replaced by the Schedule Trigger, which runs on n8n's more durable scheduler.

Security

We made several defaults safer:

Encryption key rotation is always on.
Slack credentials require a signing secret, so nobody can send forged requests pretending to be Slack.
A larger default SSRF (server-side request forgery) block list when SSRF protection is enabled.
Unverified community packages are off by default.

Self-hosting

Self-hosted n8n now runs on Docker. Installing with npm or npx n8n is no longer supported, partly because new security features depend on a container setup. If you liked npx n8n for how quick it was, there's a one-line setup script that gets you to the same place. Kubernetes and Helm deployments aren't affected.

Cleanup

We removed legacy nodes: Function, Function Item, Item Lists, Cron, Interval, the legacy OpenAI node, older AI Agent modes, older versions of the Edit Image node, nodes for services that no longer exist, and others. Most have a direct replacement (Function becomes the Code node; Item Lists becomes Split Out, Aggregate, Sort, Limit, Remove Duplicates or Summarize), and many migrate automatically.

A few features are retired too. Chat Hub is off by default (you can turn it back on for 3.x; the n8n AI assistant and agents are replacing it), Import from URL is gone from the editor, and the Ask AI tab is gone from the Code node.

Check if you're ready: the Migration Report

This is the part I'd read if I read nothing else.

Every instance on version 2.39 or later has a Migration Report under Settings > Migration Report.

The latest 2.x version has the newest version of the report and we'll continue to improve the experience as we get more feedback, so update first.

Here's what it does:

Lists the workflows and instance-level settings affected by 3.0.
Fixes many issues automatically. Each fix is saved as a new workflow version for you to review and publish, and your published workflows keep running on v2 while you work.
Suggests an owner for each workflow (whoever edited it last), lets admins reassign, and emails owners what to fix.
Filters out workflows that aren't published or haven't run in a long time, so you can mark those "won't fix" and move on.
Exports a CSV summary.

Admins see every workflow; other users see the workflows they have access to. Unlike last year, you don't need to be an admin to see it.

The path we recommend:

Update to the latest 2.x and open the Migration Report.
Fix, or mark "won't fix", everything it flags.
Take a full backup.
Upgrade a test or staging instance first, then production.

Try the beta today

No sign-up needed.

Self-hosted: install it like any other beta release.
n8n Cloud: pick 3.0.0 Beta (early access) when changing your n8n version.

One thing to know before you click: moving to 3.x is one way. There's no going back to 2.x. Try it on a test instance first, and take a full backup.

A year since 2.0

It's only been a year, but the numbers are worth a look.

GitHub stars: from about 160,000 at the 2.0 release to over 208,000 today.
Community forum members: from 115,192 to over 183,000.

Behind those numbers are the people who file issues, build nodes, answer questions in the forum, write tutorials, and tell us when something broke. Thank you for all of it.

FAQ: What you need to know

When is this happening?
Beta (3.0.0) today, October 27. Stable (3.x) in early December. Follow the release notes for updates.

What are the breaking changes?
Here are all of them, with what to do for each, are in the 3.0 breaking changes docs.

How do I know if I'm affected?
Open the Migration Report under Settings > Migration Report (version 2.39 or later).

Does the Community edition get all 3.0 updates?
Yes. Everything in 3.0 applies to self-hosted Community, Cloud, and Enterprise/Business.

What happens to 2.x?
After the stable release, 2.x gets security and critical bug fixes for 12 months. New features ship on 3.x only.

I'm still on 1.x. What do I do?
Upgrade to 2.x first; there's no direct path from 1.x to 3.x. Support for 1.x ends December 31, 2026.

Can I roll back?
No. Take a full backup before upgrading; going back means restoring it.

Is there downtime?
A short restart, like any upgrade.

Do my credentials and execution history carry over?
Yes.

What if I have questions?
Reply to the announcement thread in the community forum and we'll help you out.

Thanks from Ophir and all of the n8n team!