How to Recreate n8n Database

This guide explains how to completely reset an n8n instance to a fresh state by recreating its PostgreSQL database. This procedure removes all data (workflows, credentials, users, execution history) and resets the service as if it were newly installed, without requiring full reinstallation of the n8n service itself.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

SSH access to the server running the n8n instance
Administrative privileges (sudo access)
Database credentials from the n8n configuration

⚠️ WARNING: This procedure will permanently delete ALL n8n data including workflows, credentials, users, and execution history.

Step 1: Stop the n8n Service

First, stop the n8n service to prevent it from accessing the database during recreation:

sudo systemctl stop n8n
sudo systemctl status n8n  # Verify it's stopped

Step 2: Identify Database Configuration

Locate the database configuration in the n8n environment file:

cat /home/webapp/.n8n/.env

Look for these database configuration variables:

DB_HOST=localhost
DB_PORT=5432
DB_NAME=n8n
DB_USER=n8n
DB_PASSWORD=your_database_password
DB_SCHEMA=public

Note down these values as you’ll need them for the database operations.

Step 3: Connect to PostgreSQL and Recreate Database

Connect to PostgreSQL as the postgres superuser:
```
sudo -u postgres psql
```

List databases:

\l

    Name    |  Owner   | Encoding | Locale Provider | Collate |  Ctype  | ICU Locale | ICU Rules |   Access privileges   
 -----------+----------+----------+-----------------+---------+---------+------------+-----------+-----------------------
  n8n       | n8n      | UTF8     | libc            | C.UTF-8 | C.UTF-8 |            |           | =Tc/n8n              +

Drop the existing n8n database:
```
DROP DATABASE n8n;
```
Recreate the empty database:
```
CREATE DATABASE n8n OWNER n8n;
```

Grant necessary privileges:

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE n8n TO n8n;

Exit PostgreSQL:
```
\q
```

Step 4: Clean n8n Configuration Files

Remove n8n’s local configuration files to ensure a clean start:

# Remove the config file (will be recreated on startup)
rm -f /home/webapp/.n8n/config

# Optional: Remove logs if you want a completely clean slate
rm -f /home/webapp/.n8n/*.log

Step 5: Start n8n Service

Start the n8n service. It will automatically initialize the empty database with the default schema:

sudo systemctl start n8n
sudo systemctl status n8n  # Check that it's running correctly

Step 6: Verify Database Recreation

Check service logs to ensure successful startup:
```
sudo journalctl -u n8n -n 50 -f
```
Look for messages indicating successful database connection and schema creation.
Access the n8n web interface and verify it shows the initial setup screen for creating the first admin user.

Step 7: Initial Setup

After the database recreation, you’ll need to:

Access the n8n web interface (typically at the server’s IP address or configured domain)
Create the first admin user through the setup wizard
Configure basic settings as needed for your environment

Summary

This procedure provides a clean reset of your n8n instance by:

Stopping the n8n service
Dropping and recreating the PostgreSQL database
Cleaning configuration files
Restarting the service for fresh initialization

The result is an n8n instance in the same state as a fresh installation, ready for initial setup and configuration.