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N8N Redis Setup

Redis is the message broker for n8n queue mode; the main process pushes execution IDs to Redis and workers pick them up for processing.

Independent third-party notes. n8n is a trademark of its owner and is referenced only for compatibility and troubleshooting context.

Quick Answer

Redis is the message broker for n8n queue mode; the main process pushes execution IDs to Redis and workers pick them up for processing.

Key Facts

Default Redis port
6379
Default database
0
Required connection variables
QUEUE_BULL_REDIS_HOST and QUEUE_BULL_REDIS_PORT are the core host and port settings.
Optional variables
Username, password, db, timeout threshold, and graceful shutdown timeout can also be configured.

Recommended Steps

  1. Start Redis where n8n main and worker processes can reach it.
  2. Set QUEUE_BULL_REDIS_HOST.
  3. Set QUEUE_BULL_REDIS_PORT if Redis is not on the default port.
  4. Set username, password, and db variables if Redis requires them.
  5. Start n8n in queue mode and watch for Redis connection errors.

Verification

  • The main process connects to Redis.
  • Workers receive and complete queued executions.
  • Redis outages trigger clear errors instead of silent stuck executions.

Warnings

  • Redis must be reachable from all queue-mode processes.
  • Use authentication and network restrictions for production Redis.

Sources