---
title: Step-by-Step Workflow
privateVideoUrl: https://stream.mux.com/pvs4YiRFguMxPdkAEuL1G0102r4bPjcep3eCcuFOCCUcE.m3u8
isPublicLesson: true
---

Welcome to Lesson 3. In Lesson 2, we talked about n8n’s AI powers, especially AI agents. Now, we’re getting ready to build our first workflow by going over the general steps you’ll follow. This is like a roadmap to make sure we’re all on the same page before diving into the hands-on stuff. By the end of this lesson, you’ll know the key steps to create any n8n workflow. Let’s get to it!

## The General Workflow Process

Before we jump into building, let’s walk through the typical steps for creating an n8n workflow. These are the basics you’ll use every time, whether you’re automating something simple or complex. Knowing this process will make the next lessons, where we build a real AI workflow, way easier to follow.

Here’s how it goes:

1. **Set Up n8n**: First, you need n8n running. You’ve got options here since it’s open-source. You can use n8n Cloud, which is hosted for you and super easy, or run it locally on your computer (we’ll cover this soon — it’s simpler than you think). Self-hosting is free and gives you full control, which is awesome.
2. **Create a Trigger Node**: Every workflow starts with a trigger node — it’s what kicks things off. This could be something like a new email, a chat message, or a schedule (like running every hour). You pick a trigger that matches what you want to automate.
3. **Add Action Nodes**: Next, you add action nodes to do the work. These nodes handle tasks like sending messages, fetching data, or posting to apps. n8n has tons of built-in action nodes for all kinds of services, so you’ll likely find what you need.
4. **Configure Nodes**: Most nodes, especially ones that connect to external apps (like Gmail or Linear), need credentials, like API keys, to work. You set these up securely in n8n’s credential system.
5. **Manipulate Data (Optional)**: Sometimes, the built-in nodes aren’t enough. That’s where custom code comes in. You can use nodes to write e.g. JavaScript code to transform data or handle special tasks. This is great for developers, but if you’re not technical, don’t worry — you can often skip this or use simple built-in helper nodes.
6. **Handle Errors and Logging**: n8n makes it easy to see what’s going on in your workflow with visual logs. You can check if nodes are working right or spot issues. We won’t dive deep into error handling today, but I’ll show you how to use these logs to keep things smooth.
7. **Test and Run**: Finally, you test your workflow to make sure it works. n8n lets you test individual nodes or the whole thing, which is super handy — you don’t have to run everything to debug one part. Once it’s good, you activate it to run automatically.

## Why This Process is Useful

This process is straightforward but powerful. It works for beginners using n8n’s drag-and-drop interface. Plus, n8n’s open-source nature and visual tools (like those logs) make it easy to experiment and fix things fast.

For example, let’s say you want a workflow to automate task management. You’d:

- Set up n8n (locally or on the cloud).
- Use a chat message as your trigger (e.g., “List my tasks”).
- Add an action node to fetch tasks from Linear.
- Configure the node with your Linear API key.
- Maybe use a code node to filter tasks (if you’re fancy).
- Check logs to ensure it’s working.
- Test and run it to automate task updates.

That’s the process in action!
