Automatic workflow & credentials backup to GitHub with change detection

by Hamed Nickmehr · 6,576 views · created 2025-06-02 · DevOps

What this workflow does

This workflow has 21 nodes and runs when another workflow calls it (plus 1 other trigger). Along the way it connects GitHub.

How it runs

Trigger: When another workflow calls it (plus 1 other trigger).

1. Read File (Read/Write Files from Disk): reads a file from disk
2. Set Workflow Path (Edit Fields (Set)): sets 1 field: filePath
3. Set Credential Path (Edit Fields (Set)): sets 1 field: filePath
4. Extract Data (Extract from File): extracts data from a file (text)
5. Get Old Workflow Hash (Execute Sub-workflow): calls another n8n workflow
6. Get Old Credential Hash (Execute Sub-workflow): calls another n8n workflow
7. Hash Data (Crypto): hashes or encrypts values
8. Execute Workflow Backup (Execute Command): runs a shell command on the n8n host
9. Execute Credential Backup (Execute Command): runs a shell command on the n8n host
10. Get New Workflow Hash (Execute Sub-workflow): calls another n8n workflow

…plus 9 more steps. See the full node list below.

Services it uses

GitHub

Before you upgrade to n8n 3.0

Nodes used (10)

• Schedule Triggern8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger
• Execute Sub-workflown8n-nodes-base.executeWorkflow
• Read/Write Files from Diskn8n-nodes-base.readWriteFile
• Edit Fields (Set)n8n-nodes-base.set
• Execute Commandn8n-nodes-base.executeCommand
• Extract from Filen8n-nodes-base.extractFromFile
• Crypton8n-nodes-base.crypto
• Execute Workflow Triggern8n-nodes-base.executeWorkflowTrigger
• GitHubn8n-nodes-base.github
• Ifn8n-nodes-base.if

From the author

This n8n workflow template uses community nodes and is only compatible with the self-hosted version of n8n. Title: n8n Credentials and Workflows Backup on Change Detection Purpose: Never lose track of your n8n changes again! This workflow smartly backs up all…

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