Backup tag-selected workflows to Gitlab

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2/3/2026

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Fetches workflow definitions from within n8n, selecting only the ones that have one or more (configurable) assigned tags and then:

Derives a suitable backup filename by reducing the workflow name to a string with alphanumeric characters and no-spaces
- Note: This isn't bulletproof, but works as long as workflow names aren't too crazy.
Determines which workflows need to be backed up based on whether each one:
- has been modified. (Note: Even repositioning a node counts.) ...or...
- is new. (Note: Renaming counts as this.)
Commits JSON copies of each workflow, as necessary, to a Gitlab repository with a generated, date-stamped commit message.

Setup

Credentials

Create a Gitlab Credentials item and assign it to all Gitlab nodes.
Create an n8n Credentials item and assign it to the n8n node
- Note: This was tested with http://localhost:5678/api/v1 but should work with any reachable n8n instance and API key.

Modify these values in the "Globals" Node

gitlab_owner - {{your gitlab account}}
gitlab_project - {{ your gitlab project name }}
gitlab_workflow_path - {{ subdirectory in the project where backup files should be saved/committed }}
tags_to_match_for_backup - {{tag(s) to match for backup selection}}
- ALERT: According to the n8n node's Filters -> tags field annotations, and API documentation, this supports a CSV list of multiple tags (e.g. tag1,tag2), but the API behavior requires workflows to have all-of the listed tags, not any-of them.
  - See: https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/issues/10348
  - TL/DR - Don't expect a multiple tag list to be more inclusive.
  - Possible workaround: To match more than one tag value, duplicate the n8n node into multiple single-tag matches, or split and iterate multiple values, and merge the results.

Possible Enhancements

Make the branch ("Reference") for all the gitlab nodes configurable. Fixed on all as "main" in the template.
Add an n8n node to generate an audit and store the output in gitlab along with the backups.
Extend the workflow at the end to create a Gitlab release/tag whenever any backup files are actually updated or created.

n8n Workflow: Backup Selected Workflows to GitLab

This n8n workflow provides a robust solution for backing up specific n8n workflows to a GitLab repository. It allows for both manual and scheduled execution, offering flexibility in how you manage your workflow backups. The workflow intelligently identifies workflows based on a predefined tag, retrieves their JSON definitions, and then pushes them to a specified GitLab project.

What it does

Triggers Workflow: Can be initiated manually or on a schedule (e.g., daily, weekly).
Lists All Workflows: Connects to your n8n instance to fetch a list of all available workflows.
Filters Workflows by Tag: Identifies workflows that have a specific tag (e.g., "gitlab-backup") applied.
Retrieves Workflow JSON: For each tagged workflow, it fetches its complete JSON definition.
Aggregates Data: Combines the workflow IDs and their JSON data into a structured format.
Prepares File Content: Formats the workflow JSON into a string suitable for a file.
Pushes to GitLab: Creates or updates a file in a specified GitLab project with the workflow's JSON content, ensuring your backups are version-controlled.

Prerequisites/Requirements

n8n Instance: An active n8n instance where this workflow will run.
GitLab Account: Access to a GitLab instance and a project where the backups will be stored.
GitLab API Token: A Personal Access Token (PAT) with appropriate permissions (at least api scope) to create/update files in your GitLab project. This will be configured as an n8n GitLab credential.
n8n API Key: An n8n API key with permissions to read workflows. This will be configured as an n8n credential.
Workflows Tagged for Backup: Ensure the n8n workflows you wish to back up are tagged with a consistent identifier (e.g., gitlab-backup).

Setup/Usage

Import the Workflow:
- Copy the provided JSON code.
- In your n8n instance, go to "Workflows" and click "New".
- Click the "Import from JSON" button and paste the copied JSON.
- Save the workflow.
Configure Credentials:
- GitLab Credential:
  - Locate the "GitLab" node.
  - Click on "Credential" and select "Create New".
  - Choose "GitLab API" as the credential type.
  - Provide a name (e.g., My GitLab Account).
  - Enter your GitLab Access Token.
  - Save the credential.
- n8n Credential:
  - Locate the "n8n" node.
  - Click on "Credential" and select "Create New".
  - Choose "n8n API" as the credential type.
  - Provide a name (e.g., My n8n Instance).
  - Enter your n8n API Key.
  - Save the credential.
Customize Workflow Settings:
- Schedule Trigger (Optional): If you want scheduled backups, configure the "Schedule Trigger" node with your desired interval (e.g., every day, every week).
- Filter Node:
  - Review the "Filter" node. Ensure the condition for filtering workflows by tag matches the tag you use for workflows intended for backup (e.g., item.tags.includes('gitlab-backup')).
- GitLab Node:
  - Project ID: Enter the ID of your GitLab project where the backups should be stored.
  - Branch: Specify the branch where the files should be committed (e.g., main or master).
  - File Path: Define the path within your GitLab repository where the workflow JSON files will be saved. A good practice is n8n-workflows/{{ $json.id }}.json to create a folder and name files by their n8n workflow ID.
  - Commit Message: Customize the commit message if desired.
Activate the Workflow:
- Once configured, activate the workflow by toggling the "Active" switch in the top right corner of the workflow editor.
Test the Workflow:
- Run a manual execution using the "Manual Trigger" node to ensure everything is set up correctly and files are being pushed to GitLab as expected.

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