AI and machine learning · Free
AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n
No-code automation with a language model in the loop, for the jobs an engineering office does by hand: triage maintenance tickets, send the 07:00 plant report, log a phone form into a register, watch a mailbox. n8n runs free on a laptop; the AI node points at a free model or a local Ollama. Every write goes through a human approval step.
Inside the course
From the lessons
What n8n is: workflows, APIs and webhooks
n8n
Nodes, items and expressions
n8n
Core workflow concepts and everyday nodes
n8n
![n8n Quick Start Tutorial: Build Your First Workflow [2025]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4cQWJViybAQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Your first workflow: form to sheet to alert
n8n
Transforming data
Sven Janssen
Error handling and safe writes
n8n
Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits below and are shown from YouTube.
What you will learn
Install and run n8n; build workflows from triggers, app nodes, core nodes and expressions; transform data with Set, Split Out, Aggregate and Merge; handle errors with retries and an error workflow; build AI agents with memory, tools and structured output on free or local models; gate every write behind human approval; build a RAG agent over documents; and deploy self-hosted with backups.
- 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
- Build an AI agent on a free or local model with a system prompt, memory, tools and JSON output
- Gate every write behind a human approval step, and test which tool the agent calls
- Build a document-reading RAG agent and deploy self-hosted with backups
For you
Taking AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n from the United States
- Free in the United States, as everywhere, and self-paced: lessons, notes and the final assessment are open at any hour, so your time zone and shift pattern do not matter.
- The optional certificate for learners in the United States is a one-off US$23.99. What you get for it
- Plants across the Americas most often run Allen-Bradley, Siemens and Inductive Automation; each has its own free course to take next.
- See automation and engineering jobs in the United States, and what the industry looks like in Houston, Detroit and Chicago.
- EDWartens also has a regional site for the United States, for classroom training and local support: edwartens.com/us.
The 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, drafts the acknowledgement, logs it to a register, alerts the lead on high urgency, and — only after a human approves — creates the work order. You measure how often it classifies the way you would.
The course project · about 4 hours
The 07:00 plant energy report, written by a model, sent by n8n
A scheduled workflow reads yesterday's 15-minute meter rows from a sheet, computes kWh, peak demand and the hours over contract, asks a free model to write the four-sentence morning note, and sends it by email or Telegram. With an error workflow, and an idempotent log.
Course content
12 modules · 30 lessons · 19h 34m
In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.
- 01What n8n is: workflows, APIs and webhooks3 lessons32m
- 02Nodes, items and expressions3 lessons45m
- 03Core workflow concepts and everyday nodes3 lessons50m
- 04Your first workflow: form to sheet to alert3 lessons39m
- 05Transforming data1 lesson16m
- 06Error handling and safe writes3 lessons36m
- 07Your first AI agent3 lessons9h 8m
- 08Tools, guardrails and human-in-the-loop3 lessons1h 21m
Requirements
- Who it is for
- Beginner. No coding needed; a little JavaScript in expressions is taught as you go. Node-RED experience helps but is not required.
- Software
- n8n (free self-hosted via npx or Docker, or the 14-day cloud trial), a free OpenRouter key, optionally Ollama. What to download, and how
- Hardware
- None. A laptop with 8 GB RAM for the optional local-model modules.
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.
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.
AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n at a glance
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 19h 34m of video lessons by n8n, Sven Janssen, AI Lavishka and others, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.
All course factsHide course facts
- Price
- Free, for good. No trial, no card. The only paid item is the optional certificate, a small one-off fee.
- Who it is for
- Engineers, developers and students applying AI to real work
- Format
- 12 self-paced modules, 19h 34m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
- Level
- Beginner. Beginner. No coding needed; a little JavaScript in expressions is taught as you go. Node-RED experience helps but is not required.
- Brand
- Vendor-neutral
- Software
- n8n (free self-hosted via npx or Docker, or the 14-day cloud trial), a free OpenRouter key, optionally Ollama.
- Hardware
- None. A laptop with 8 GB RAM for the optional local-model modules.
- Certificate
- Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
- Video lessons by
- n8n, Sven Janssen, AI Lavishka, Nate Herk | AI Automation, freeCodeCamp.org (independent creators, credited below)
- Language
- English
- Last updated
- 27 September 2026
A shareable EDWartens certificate
Finish every module and pass the final assessment, and the optional EDWartens certificate is yours. It carries a unique verification code on a public page anyone can check, so it stands up when a recruiter looks it up. See it below.
The course itself stays free whether or not you ever buy one.
Stuck? Ask a practising engineer
A free course usually means a comment section and hope. This one does not. Every module has an Ask-your-trainer panel that reaches the same engineers who teach our paid programme: people who commission panels for a living, not moderators.
Pairs well with
PLC programming · FreeSiemens TIA PortalFrom zero electrical knowledge to a working, simulated S7-1200 program, for nothing.
PLC programming · FreeSiemens TIA Portal in Three HoursThe first three hours of the Siemens TIA Portal course, cut to end on a win: what a PLC is, how it is wired, a project configured in TIA Portal, and your first ladder program running in simulation. Finish it in an evening or two, earn a certificate, and carry straight on into the full course.
PLC programming · FreeTIA Portal: Build a MachineOne machine, start to finish. Take a bottle filling line from a written specification and an I/O list to a structured S7-1200 program with a fill station, a capper, a reject sorter and an operator screen with alarms, then test it against a written record and archive it for hand-over. The lessons are the reference; the machine is yours, and it is what you submit.
Instrumentation · FreeInstrumentation for PLC EngineersThe half of the loop that is not code. Follow one measurement from the transmitter in the field, down the 4-20 mA loop, into the analog card, through NORM_X and SCALE_X into engineering units, out again to a valve, and back to the control room when the reading is wrong.More free courses: Free AI courses for engineers · Free generative AI and ChatGPT courses
Learning paths with this course
- AI foundations for engineers · 4 coursesFrom zero code to a working AI assistant: Python on engineering data, how large language models actually work, prompting for engineering documents, and AI agents and workflow automation with n8n.
Learner reviews
No reviews yet
Reviews here are written only by learners who have finished every module of AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n, and they are published exactly as written. Finish the course and yours will be the first.
Common questions
Is n8n free?
Self-hosted, yes: one command on your laptop (npx n8n) or Docker, no time limit. n8n Cloud has a 14-day trial and is paid after that. 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: phone form intake, AI classification, a register, a high-urgency alert, a work-order write that waits for the lead's approval, an error workflow, and a measured accuracy 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.
What you walk away with
Your certificate for AI Agents and Workflow Automation with n8n
Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.
Verifiable by anyone
Adds to LinkedIn in one click
QR code on the certificate
Names what you can do
A permanent link
Earned, not attended
Learning is free. The certificate is optional.
Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$23.99, with a receipt.
Issued by EDWartens, the training division of Wartens, as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. Sold by Wartens Ltd (England and Wales). It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.
Credits
Who made the video lessons
The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
- n8nthe n8n Beginner Course, the quick-start tutorials, the AI agent lessons and the integration walkthroughs
- Sven Janssenthe Nodemation basics on the canvas and transforming JSON
- AI Lavishkathe RAG agent builds and the self-hosted versus cloud comparison
- Nate Herk | AI Automationthe eight-hour Build and Sell n8n AI Agents course
- freeCodeCamp.orgthe n8n zero-to-hero course
If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.