Executing Docker Commands from an n8n Workflow on Ubuntu?

Below is an explanation on how you can achieve this:

---

Docker Socket Access

By default, an n8n Docker container does not have the ability to run Docker commands on the host or other containers. To trigger Docker commands from within your n8n container, you need to provide access to the Docker daemon. This is usually done by bind mounting the Docker socket (typically /var/run/docker.sock) into your container and ensuring the Docker CLI is available.

For example, in your docker-compose file you could add a volume for the n8n service as follows:

YAMLCopied
services:
  n8n:
    image: docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n
    volumes:
      - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock   # Mount Docker socket

---

Executing Commands

Once the Docker socket is available in the n8n container, you can leverage nodes such as the Execute Command node or custom code nodes to run Docker commands. For instance, using the Execute Command node you can trigger a command like:

SHCopied
docker ps -a

This will list all containers, including container no.2.

---

Security Considerations

• Privileges: Mounting the Docker socket into a container gives that container control over the Docker daemon. This is a potential security risk, so ensure that your environment is secure and that the container is trusted.
• Docker CLI Availability: Make sure the Docker CLI is installed in your n8n container (or you build a custom image that includes it).

---

Alternatives

If you find exposing the Docker socket too risky, consider these options:

• Docker API: Use the Docker REST API by exposing it securely, which your n8n node could then interact with via HTTP request nodes.
• Custom Nodes: Develop a custom n8n node to interact with Docker in a controlled way if your use case is advanced.

---

Conclusion

Yes, it is possible to trigger Docker commands from within an n8n node running in a Docker container. The key is that your container must have access to the Docker daemon (typically via the Docker socket) and the necessary tooling to run commands. Just be aware of the security implications of doing so.