--- description: CLI commands available in n8n. --- # CLI commands for n8n n8n includes a CLI (command line interface), allowing you to perform actions using the CLI rather than the n8n editor. These include starting workflows, and exporting and importing workflows and credentials. ## Running CLI commands You can use CLI commands with self-hosted n8n. Depending on how you choose to install n8n, there are differences in how to run the commands: * npm: the `n8n` command is directly available. The documentation uses this in the examples below. * Desktop app: in the examples below, replace `n8n` with the absolute path to the `n8n.cmd` file (Windows) or the n8n Desktop executable (Mac). The exact path depends on where you install your Node.js modules. For example, to export all workflow data: ```sh # Windows "C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Programs\n8n\resources\app\node_modules\n8n\bin\n8n.cmd" export:workflow --all # Mac /Users//Desktop/n8n.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/n8n/bin/n8n export:workflow --all ``` * Docker: the `n8n` command is available within your Docker container: ```sh docker exec -u node -it ``` ## View the CLI help You can see a list of available commands and descriptions in your CLI: ```bash n8n --help ``` ## Start a workflow You can start workflows directly using the CLI. Execute a saved workflow by its ID: ```bash n8n execute --id ``` Execute a workflow from a workflow file: ```bash n8n execute --file ``` ## Change the active status of a workflow You can change the active status of a workflow using the CLI. !!! note "Restart required" These commands operate on your n8n database. If you execute them while n8n is running, the changes don't take effect until you restart n8n. Set the active status of a workflow by its ID to false: ```bash n8n update:workflow --id= --active=false ``` Set the active status of a workflow by its ID to true: ```bash n8n update:workflow --id= --active=true ``` Set the active status to false for all the workflows: ```bash n8n update:workflow --all --active=false ``` Set the active status to true for all the workflows: ```bash n8n update:workflow --all --active=true ``` ## Export workflows and credentials You can export your workflows and credentials from n8n using the CLI. Command flags: | Flag | Description | |-------------|-------| | --help | Help prompt. | | --all | Exports all workflows/credentials. | | --backup | Sets --all --pretty --separate for backups. You can optionally set --output. | | --id | The ID of the workflow to export. | | --output | Outputs file name or directory if using separate files. | | --pretty | Formats the output in an easier to read fashion. | | --separate | Exports one file per workflow (useful for versioning). Must set a directory using --output. | | --decrypted | Exports the credentials in a plain text format. | ### Workflows Export all your workflows to the standard output (terminal): ```bash n8n export:workflow --all ``` Export a workflow by its ID and specify the output file name: ```bash n8n export:workflow --id= --output=file.json ``` Export all workflows to a specific directory in a single file: ```bash n8n export:workflow --all --output=backups/latest/ ``` Export all the workflows to a specific directory using the `--backup` flag (details above): ```bash n8n export:workflow --backup --output=backups/latest/ ``` ### Credentials Export all your credentials to the standard output (terminal): ```bash n8n export:credentials --all ``` Export credentials by their ID and specify the output file name: ```bash n8n export:credentials --id= --output=file.json ``` Export all credentials to a specific directory in a single file: ```bash n8n export:credentials --all --output=backups/latest/ ``` Export all the credentials to a specific directory using the `--backup` flag (details above): ```bash n8n export:credentials --backup --output=backups/latest/ ``` Export all the credentials in plain text format. You can use this to migrate from one installation to another that has a different secret key in the configuration file. !!! warning "Sensitive information" All sensitive information is visible in the files. ```bash n8n export:credentials --all --decrypted --output=backups/decrypted.json ``` ## Import workflows and credentials You can import your workflows and credentials from n8n using the CLI. !!! warning "Update the IDs" When exporting workflows and credentials, n8n also exports their IDs. If you have workflows and credentials with the same IDs in your existing database, they will be overwritten. To avoid this, delete or change the IDs before importing. Available flags: | Flag | Description | |-------------|-------| | --help | Help prompt. | | --input | Input file name or directory if you use --separate. | | --separate | Imports `*.json` files from directory provided by --input. | !!! note "Migrating to SQLite" n8n limits workflow and credential names to 128 characters, but SQLite doesn't enforce size limits. This might result in errors like **Data too long for column name** during the import process. In this case, you can edit the names from the n8n interface and export again, or edit the JSON file directly before importing. ### Workflows Import workflows from a specific file: ```bash n8n import:workflow --input=file.json ``` Import all the workflow files as JSON from the specified directory: ```bash n8n import:workflow --separate --input=backups/latest/ ``` ### Credentials Import credentials from a specific file: ```bash n8n import:credentials --input=file.json ``` Import all the credentials files as JSON from the specified directory: ```bash n8n import:credentials --separate --input=backups/latest/ ``` ## License Clear your existing license from n8n's database and reset n8n to default features: ```sh n8n license:clear ``` ## User management You can reset user management using the n8n CLI. This returns user management to its pre-setup state. It removes all user accounts. Use this if you forget your password, and don't have SMTP set up to do password resets by email. ```sh n8n user-management:reset ``` ## Security audit You can run a [security audit](/security-audit/) on your n8n instance, to detect common security issues. ```sh n8n audit ```