What does the import container do?

[ciyo65]

Under the stack, there is a container named n8n import but shuts itself down soon after starting. Can someone explain what that container does?

[jeanpaul]

The import container does, as the name implies, import a starter workflow and some credentials that you need for it. It does so by connecting to the database, running the import and then exiting. The main n8n instance then takes over. This last bit works by the following setting in docker-compose.yml:

    depends_on:
...
      n8n-import:
        condition: service_completed_successfully

The import happens in the n8n-import container using:

    entrypoint: /bin/sh
    command:
      - "-c"
      - "n8n import:credentials --separate --input=/backup/credentials && n8n import:workflow --separate --input=/backup/workflows"

[lkraider]

Can we deploy without the import? What are the stored credentials? I mention that because some systems it is an extra hoop to copy files instead of just deploying the stack and setting the required vars (deploying with Portainer in may case).

[jeanpaul]

You can deploy without the imports if you want, they are there to make life easier for people that want to experience what it is to use self-hosted AI models in n8n.