AI and machine learning
AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n
Build no-code workflows in n8n that use an AI model to handle everyday engineering office jobs, with a person approving every write.
AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for engineers, developers and students applying AI to real work. It has 12 modules and takes about 25.2 hours, with written notes, a practice task per module, a practical project and a final assessment of 15 questions (pass mark 60%). Learning costs nothing and needs only a free account. The optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, verifiable by code, is a one-off US$23.99 for you; it is not a vendor credential. Updated 1 November 2026.
- Free
- Beginner
- 25.2 hours
- Self-paced
- Certificate optional
- Lab practice in your browser
No card, no trial. The course is free for good. Certificate US$23.99, optional.
- Who it is for
- Engineers, developers and students applying AI to real work
- Jobs
- Roles that use this skill: AI engineer, machine learning engineer, data analyst and automation developer. No course guarantees a job.
- Tools
- n8n (free self-hosted via npx or Docker, or a free trial of n8n Cloud), a free OpenRouter key, optionally Ollama. Hardware: none. A laptop with 8 GB RAM for the optional local-model modules.
- Updated
After this course you can
By the end you will be able to:
- Build n8n workflows from triggers, app nodes and expressions
- Transform data and handle errors with retries
- Build an AI agent with memory, tools and structured output
- Put a human approval step before every write
- Build a RAG agent over your own documents
Who it is for, and what you need first
Who it is for
Engineers, developers and students applying AI to real work.
Level: Beginner. Beginner. No coding needed; a little JavaScript in expressions is taught as you go. Node-RED experience helps but is not required.
What you need
Software: n8n (free self-hosted via npx or Docker, or a free trial of n8n Cloud), a free OpenRouter key, optionally Ollama..
Hardware: None. A laptop with 8 GB RAM for the optional local-model modules.. What to download, and how.
How this course works
Watch the lessons
Short video lessons, one module at a time, at your own pace.
Read the notes
Open the Reading tab for the written notes and diagrams of the module.
Practise in the 3D labOptional
Try the module in the free 3D lab, in your browser.
Check yourself
Answer the questions to see what stuck before you move on.
Final assessment
Pass the final once you have been through the modules.
Certificate, if you want oneOptional
Optional, with a page anyone can use to verify it.
What you learn
12 modules in order, at your own pace. 25.2 hours of video lessons, with written notes and a practice task in each module.
- 1What n8n is: workflows, APIs and webhooks32m
- 2Nodes, items and expressions45m
- 3Core workflow concepts and everyday nodes50m
- 4Your first workflow: form to sheet to alert39m
- 5Transforming data16m
- 6Error handling and safe writes36m
- 7Your first AI agent, with lab practice: 9h 8m
- 8Tools, guardrails and human-in-the-loop, with lab practice: 1h 21m
Show the other 4 modules
- 9Local AI with n8n4h 5m
- 10RAG agents over your documents, with lab practice: 36m
- 11Deploying and working as a team31m
- 12Final assessment
Software you need
What to download, where from, what it costs and how to install it. Every link goes to the maker's own site, never a mirror.
Self-hosted n8n needs Node.js (for npx) or Docker. The n8n Cloud trial needs neither.
Show what to download (5 tools)
Required
- 01Free to self-host (Community Edition)
n8n
n8n GmbH
- Runs on
- Windows, macOS or Linux with Node.js 20.19 to 24.x, or Docker
- Account
- None needed
The self-hosted Community Edition is free under n8n's Sustainable Use License: you may use it for your own internal business, personal or non-commercial purposes, but not resell it. n8n Cloud has a 14-day free trial with no credit card needed.
Steps
- 1.Install Node.js (version 20.19 to 24.x) from nodejs.org, or install Docker.
- 2.To try n8n without installing, run: npx n8n
- 3.Or install it globally with: npm install -g n8n and then run: n8n
- 4.Open http://localhost:5678 and create the owner account for your local copy.
- With Docker: docker volume create n8n_data, then docker run -it --rm --name n8n -p 5678:5678 -v n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n
- n8n says npm installs are deprecated from n8n 3.0, so Docker is the safer long-term choice.
- The Cloud trial lasts 14 days with Pro plan features and up to 1,000 executions.
Official download pagedocs.n8n.ioAlternatives
- n8n Cloud free trial: Hosted by n8n. 14 days, no credit card.
- 02Free models with rate limits
OpenRouter
OpenRouter, Inc., in the browser
- Runs on
- Any modern web browser (API works from any language)
- Account
- A free OpenRouter account
Models with IDs ending in :free cost nothing but are limited to 20 requests per minute and 50 requests per day. Buying at least 10 credits raises the daily free-model limit to 1,000 requests.
Steps
- 1.Open openrouter.ai and sign up.
- 2.Go to Keys in your account settings and create an API key. Copy it somewhere safe.
- 3.Pick a model whose ID ends in :free.
- 4.Call it with any OpenAI-compatible client using the base URL https://openrouter.ai/api/v1 and your key.
- Never paste your API key into shared code or public repositories.
- The list of free models changes over time. Check the model page before a class.
Open OpenRouteropenrouter.ai
Optional
Useful, not needed to finish the course.
- 03Free
Node.js
OpenJS Foundation
- Runs on
- Windows, macOS and Linux
- Account
- None needed
Free, open source runtime. npm, the package manager, is installed with it.
Steps
- 1.Open nodejs.org/en/download.
- 2.Choose the LTS (long-term support) version and your system.
- 3.Download and run the installer with the default options.
- 4.Open a new terminal and run: node -v and then npm -v
- Pick LTS, not Current, unless your course says otherwise.
- Some tools need a minimum Node.js version. Node-RED 5 needs Node.js 22 or later.
Official download pagenodejs.org - 04Free for personal use, education and small businesses
Docker Desktop
Docker, Inc.
- Runs on
- Windows 10 64-bit version 22H2 (build 19045) or Windows 11 64-bit version 23H2 (build 22631) or later, with WSL 2 and hardware virtualisation on, 8 GB RAM. Also macOS and Linux.
- Account
- None needed
Free for personal use, education, non-commercial open source projects, and businesses with fewer than 250 employees and less than 10 million US dollars in annual revenue. Larger businesses need a paid subscription. Docker Engine on Linux is open source and is not covered by these terms.
Steps
- 1.Open docker.com/products/docker-desktop and download the installer for your system.
- 2.On Windows, install WSL first (wsl --install) if you do not have it.
- 3.Run the installer and keep the WSL 2 option selected.
- 4.Restart if asked, then start Docker Desktop and accept the subscription terms.
- 5.Open a terminal and run: docker run hello-world
- Turn on virtualisation in BIOS or UEFI if Docker says it is not available.
- On Linux servers, install Docker Engine instead of Docker Desktop.
Official download pagedocker.comAlternatives
- Docker Engine (Linux): Free, open source engine for Linux. Not covered by the Docker Desktop subscription terms.
- 05Free
Ollama
Ollama Inc.
- Runs on
- macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Windows 10 or later, Linux
- Account
- None needed
Ollama is free and open source (MIT licence). Each model you download has its own licence; check it before commercial use.
Steps
- 1.Open ollama.com/download and pick your system.
- 2.On Windows run OllamaSetup.exe; on macOS open the DMG; on Linux run: curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh
- 3.Open a terminal and run a small model, for example: ollama run <model name> (browse names on ollama.com).
- 4.Type a question at the prompt. Type /bye to exit.
- Models are several GB each. Check your free disk space first.
- More RAM, or a supported GPU, lets you run larger models faster.
- On Windows you can also install from PowerShell: irm https://ollama.com/install.ps1 | iex
Official download pageollama.com
Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.
Practise in the 3D lab
Practise the checks behind a good n8n agent in the AI Workbench: exact structured output, tool limits with human approval, and answers that cite their source.
- Prompt to specAI Workbench, about 25 minOpen in the lab (opens in a new tab): Prompt to spec
- A safe agentAI Workbench, about 30 minOpen in the lab (opens in a new tab): A safe agent
- Answers with sourcesAI Workbench, about 25 minOpen in the lab (opens in a new tab): Answers with sources
Optional. Skip it whenever you like: it never blocks your progress or your certificate.
Course project, about 6 hours
A maintenance-ticket triage agent, with a gated write and a measured accuracy
Technicians report faults from a phone form. An AI agent classifies each ticket and logs it, and the lead is alerted on high urgency. A work order is created only after a person approves, and you measure the agent's accuracy.
- 8documents in the pack
- 7steps to follow
- Laboptional: in the 3D lab
- 6things to hand in
- 6 hof work, at your pace
- URSUser Requirements: Maintenance Ticket Intake and Triage
- SDSWorkflow Design: Ticket Intake, Triage Agent and Approval Sub-workflow
- RegisterGoogle Sheets Schema: MNT-Register
- ProcedureTriage Agent System Message, v1 and v2
- Test reportFunctional Test Record
- ReportClassification Accuracy on Fifty Labelled Tickets
Do it in the lab: 5 steps.
The project is optional practice. The certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.
After the course, your next step
Show what you can do, then keep going in the same field.
A certificate you can verify
Finish the modules and pass the final assessment (15 questions, pass mark 60%) and you can add a certificate with a public verification page. One-off, US$23.99 for you. It is not a vendor credential.
Want a free certificate? Do the matching Free internship: 4 weeks, nothing to buy, with a free certificate of completion.
Generative AI and Prompt Engineering
Eight short weeks of how language models work, prompting that gets better answers, and the risks to manage: notes, diagrams, a few videos and worked exercises. Finish weeks 1 to 4 and the final, then claim a free Internship Completion Certificate with your real dates and study hours, and a QR code anyone can scan to verify it. Training, not employment.
See the internshipPart of a learning path
Courses in a planned order, so each one builds on the last.
More free courses
Roles that use this skill
- AI engineer
- Machine learning engineer
- Data analyst
- Automation developer
These are the kinds of roles where the skill is used. We make no promise of a job or an interview.
Plain notes
- Free: the whole course, the notes, the practice tasks, the final assessment and support from practising engineers.
- Paid, and optional: the course certificate, and the Engineer-verified internship (the Free internship costs nothing).
- No job promise: the course teaches a skill. It does not place you in a job.
- Lessons by: n8n, Sven Janssen, Nate Herk | AI Automation, freeCodeCamp.org. Independent creators; the lessons stream from their own channels. EDWartens wrote the study plan, notes, practice tasks and assessments.
n8n · Sven Janssen · Nate Herk | AI Automation · freeCodeCamp.org. If you are one of these creators and want a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@edwartens.com.
Practise what you learn in the free 3D lab
Technical work is judged on what you can do: wiring, commissioning, finding a fault. Doing a task yourself teaches more than watching it a second time, and a lab lets you try it safely before you meet real equipment. It does not replace working on real hardware.
- Practise safely, so a mistake costs nothing.
- The lab checks your work like a site test, so you know when it is right.
- Free, in your browser, with nothing to install.
Why learn with EDWartens
What you get with this course, and what comes after it.
- Free from the first lesson to the final assessment.
- Practice in a free 3D lab in your browser, with nothing to install.
- Video lessons with written notes and a project.
- An optional certificate that anyone can verify online.
- Free internships to keep practising afterwards.
Common questions
Is n8n free?
Self-hosted, yes: one command on your laptop (npx n8n) or Docker, no time limit. n8n Cloud has a free trial and is paid after that (check n8n.io/pricing for its length). The course assumes self-hosted.
Do I need to code?
No. Expressions use a little JavaScript inside braces and are taught as you go; a Code node appears in two places with the code given. If you know Node-RED you will feel at home in an hour.
What is the project in the AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n course?
A maintenance-ticket triage agent. It takes tickets from a phone form, classifies them with AI and logs them in a register. It sends an alert for high urgency, and the work-order write waits for the lead's approval. There is an error workflow, and accuracy is measured on fifty sample tickets. A second project sends the 07:00 plant energy report written by a model.
Which AI model does it use?
Any. The course uses OpenRouter's free models through an OpenAI-compatible credential, and shows the swap to a local Ollama model for confidential data. No paid key is needed anywhere.
Is the AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n course really free?
Yes. Every module, practice task, project and assessment. You create an account so your progress is saved and the assessments can be marked. The certificate is the only paid item, and only if you want it.
What certificate does the AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n course give?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you have finished the modules and passed the final assessment (the project is optional practice), with a verification code anyone can check. It is not an n8n credential and is never described as one.
Who made the video lessons in the AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n course?
The creators named in the Credits block at the foot of this page, on their own YouTube channels. EDWartens did not make the videos and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks, the projects and the assessments.
Do I have to use the lab?
No. The lab is optional practice. You can skip it whenever you like, and it never blocks your progress, the final assessment or your certificate.
Is the lab free?
Yes. Every lab level for this course opens in your browser, free, with nothing to install.
What topics does the AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n course cover, module by module?
The AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n course has 12 modules. It opens with "What n8n is: workflows, APIs and webhooks", goes through "Nodes, items and expressions", "Transforming data", "Tools, guardrails and human-in-the-loop" and "Deploying and working as a team" and ends with "Final assessment". The full list with minutes is under "What you learn" on this page.
What can I do after the AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n course?
After the AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n course: Run n8n free on your own laptop and build a form-to-sheet-to-alert workflow; Read and shape data with expressions, Set, Split Out, Aggregate and Merge; Make a workflow safe to run unattended: retries, error workflow, idempotent writes. These are the practical outcomes the course is written around, and the final assessment of 15 questions checks them.
What software and hardware do I need for the AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n course, and does it cost anything?
For the AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n course, software: n8n (free self-hosted via npx or Docker, or a free trial of n8n Cloud), a free OpenRouter key, optionally Ollama. Hardware: none. A laptop with 8 GB RAM for the optional local-model modules. The course itself is free.
Is the AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n course suitable for me, and what level is it?
AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n is rated beginner. Beginner. No coding needed; a little JavaScript in expressions is taught as you go. Node-RED experience helps but is not required. It is written for engineers, developers and students applying AI to real work, and takes about 25.2 hours at your own pace.
Which jobs use the skills from the AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n course?
Skills from the AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n course (for example: run n8n free on your own laptop and build a form-to-sheet-to-alert workflow) are used in roles such as AI engineer, machine learning engineer, data analyst and automation developer, and in machine learning engineer work. The course gives you practical evidence of the skill; it does not promise a job, and employers decide on experience and interview.
Start free today
AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n, at your own pace. Add the certificate only if you want one.