✨ Use convict for configuration to make n8n easier to configure

docker/compose/withMongo/docker-compose.yml

@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ services:
   n8n:
     image: n8n
     restart: always
+    environment:
+      - DB_TYPE=mongodb
+      - DB_MONGODB_CONNECTION_URL=mongodb://n8nuser:${MONGO_NON_ROOT_PASSWORD}@mongo:27017/${MONGO_INITDB_DATABASE}
     ports:
       - 5678:5678
     links:
@@ -25,4 +28,4 @@ services:
       - ~/.n8n:/root/.n8n
     # Wait 5 seconds to start n8n to make sure that MongoDB is ready
     # when n8n tries to connect to it
-    command: /bin/sh -c "sleep 5; n8n start --NODE_CONFIG='{\"database\":{\"type\":\"mongodb\", \"mongodbConfig\":{\"url\":\"mongodb://n8nuser:${MONGO_NON_ROOT_PASSWORD}@mongo:27017/${MONGO_INITDB_DATABASE}\"}}}'"
+    command: /bin/sh -c "sleep 5; n8n start"

docker/images/n8n/README.md

@@ -89,10 +89,11 @@ Replace the following placeholders with the actual data:
 docker run -it --rm \
   --name n8n \
   -p 5678:5678 \
+	-e DB_TYPE=mongodb \
+	-e DB_MONGODB_CONNECTION_URL="mongodb://MONGO_USER:MONGO_PASSWORD@MONGO_SERVER:MONGO_PORT/MONGO_DATABASE" \
   -v ~/.n8n:/root/.n8n \
   n8nio/n8n \
-  n8n start \
-  --NODE_CONFIG='{\"database\":{\"type\":\"mongodb\", \"mongodbConfig\":{\"url\":\"mongodb://MONGO_USER:MONGO_PASSWORD@MONGO_SERVER:MONGO_PORT/MONGO_DATABASE\"}}}'"
+  n8n start
 ```
 
 A full working setup with docker-compose can be found [here](../../compose/withMongo/README.md)

packages/cli/README.md

@@ -71,30 +71,22 @@ n8n start --tunnel
 ### Start with MongoDB as Database
 
 By default n8n uses SQLite to save credentials, past executions and workflows.
-To use MongoDB instead you can either overwrite the default configuration on
-startup like this:
+To use MongoDB instead you can provide the environment varialbles `DB_TYPE` and
+`DB_MONGODB_CONNECTION_URL` like in the example bellow.
+
+Replace the following placeholders with the actual data:
+ - MONGO_DATABASE
+ - MONGO_HOST
+ - MONGO_PORT
+ - MONGO_USER
+ - MONGO_PASSWORD
 
 ```bash
-n8n start \
-  --NODE_CONFIG='{\"database\":{\"type\":\"mongodb\", \"mongodbConfig\":{\"url\":\"mongodb://MONGO_USER:MONGO_PASSWORD@MONGO_SERVER:MONGO_PORT/MONGO_DATABASE\"}}}'"
+export DB_TYPE=mongodb
+export DB_MONGODB_CONNECTION_URL=mongodb://MONGO_USER:MONGO_PASSWORD@MONGO_HOST:MONGO_PORT/MONGO_DATABASE
+n8n start
 ```
 
-Or you can provide a custom configuration file by copying the default
-configuration file [(config/defaults.ts)](https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/blob/master/packages/cli/config/default.ts).
-Make sure the file is also called `default.ts` and then set the path of the
-parent directory as environment variable `NODE_CONFIG_DIR`.
-
-For example like this:
-```bash
-export NODE_CONFIG_DIR=/directory-containing-config-file
-```
-
-Change in the config file the value under `database.type` from `sqlite`
-to `mongodb` and adjust the Mongo connection URL
-`database.mongodbConfig` accordingly.
-
-n8n will then read your custom configuration and use MongoDB instead.
-
 
 ## Execute Workflow from CLI
 

packages/cli/commands/start.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import Vorpal = require('vorpal');
 import { Args } from 'vorpal';
-import * as config from 'config';
+import * as config from '../config';
 
 const open = require('open');
 
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ flag "--init" to fix this problem!`);
 						subdomain: userSettings.tunnelSubdomain,
 					};
 
-					const port = config.get('urls.port') as number;
+					const port = config.get('port') as number;
 
 					// @ts-ignore
 					const webhookTunnel = await tunnel(port, tunnelSettings);

packages/cli/config/default.ts

@@ -1,53 +0,0 @@
-module.exports = {
-	urls: {
-		// Default path of the rest-endpoint
-		endpointRest: 'rest',
-		// Default path of the webhook-endpoint
-		endpointWebhook: 'webhook',
-		// Default path of the webhook-endpoint for testing
-		endpointWebhookTest: 'webhook-test',
-
-		// How n8n can be reached (Editor & REST-API)
-		host: 'localhost',
-		port: 5678,
-		protocol: 'http',
-	},
-	database: {
-		type: 'sqlite', // Available types: sqlite, mongodb
-
-		// MongoDB specific settings
-		mongodbConfig: {
-			url: 'mongodb://user:password@localhost:27017/database',
-		},
-	},
-
-	executions: {
-		// If a workflow executes all the data gets saved by default. This
-		// could be a problem when a workflow gets executed a lot and processes
-		// a lot of data. To not write the database full it is possible to
-		// not save the execution at all.
-		// Depending on if the execution did succeed or error a different
-		// save behaviour can be set.
-		saveDataErrorExecution: 'all', // Available options: all, none
-		saveDataSuccessExecution: 'all', // Available options: all, none
-
-		// If the executions of workflows which got started via the editor
-		// should be saved. By default they will not be saved as this runs
-		// are normally only for testing and debugging. This setting can
-		// also be overwritten on a per workflow basis in the workflow settings
-		// in the editor.
-		saveManualExecutions: false,
-	},
-
-	nodes: {
-		// Nodes not to load even if found
-		// exclude: ['n8n-nodes-base.executeCommand'],
-		errorTriggerType: 'n8n-nodes-base.errorTrigger',
-	},
-
-	// The timezone to use. Is important for nodes like "Cron" which start the
-	// workflow automatically at a specified time. This setting can also be
-	// overwritten on a per worfklow basis in the workflow settings in the
-	// editor.
-	timezone: 'America/New_York',
-};

packages/cli/config/index.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+import * as convict from 'convict';
+import * as dotenv from 'dotenv';
+
+dotenv.config();
+
+const config = convict({
+
+	database: {
+		type: {
+			doc: 'Type of database to use',
+			format: ['sqlite', 'mongodb'],
+			default: 'sqlite',
+			env: 'DB_TYPE'
+		},
+		mongodb: {
+			connectionUrl: {
+				doc: 'MongoDB Connection URL',
+				format: '*',
+				default: 'mongodb://user:password@localhost:27017/database',
+				env: 'DB_MONGODB_CONNECTION_URL'
+			}
+		},
+	},
+
+	executions: {
+		// If a workflow executes all the data gets saved by default. This
+		// could be a problem when a workflow gets executed a lot and processes
+		// a lot of data. To not write the database full it is possible to
+		// not save the execution at all.
+		// Depending on if the execution did succeed or error a different
+		// save behaviour can be set.
+		saveDataOnError: {
+			doc: 'What workflow execution data to save on error',
+			format: ['all', 'none'],
+			default: 'all',
+			env: 'EXECUTIONS_DATA_SAVE_ON_ERROR'
+		},
+		saveDataOnSuccess: {
+			doc: 'What workflow execution data to save on success',
+			format: ['all', 'none'],
+			default: 'all',
+			env: 'EXECUTIONS_DATA_SAVE_ON_SUCCESS'
+		},
+
+		// If the executions of workflows which got started via the editor
+		// should be saved. By default they will not be saved as this runs
+		// are normally only for testing and debugging. This setting can
+		// also be overwritten on a per workflow basis in the workflow settings
+		// in the editor.
+		saveDataManualExecutions: {
+			doc: 'Save data of executions when started manually via editor',
+			default: false,
+			env: 'EXECUTIONS_DATA_SAVE_MANUAL_EXECUTIONS'
+		},
+	},
+
+	generic: {
+		// The timezone to use. Is important for nodes like "Cron" which start the
+		// workflow automatically at a specified time. This setting can also be
+		// overwritten on a per worfklow basis in the workflow settings in the
+		// editor.
+		timezone: {
+			doc: 'The timezone to use',
+			format: '*',
+			default: 'America/New_York',
+			env: 'GENERIC_TIMEZONE'
+		},
+	},
+
+	// How n8n can be reached (Editor & REST-API)
+	host: {
+		format: String,
+		default: 'localhost',
+		arg: 'host',
+		env: 'N8N_HOST',
+		doc: 'Host name n8n can be reached'
+	},
+	port: {
+		format: Number,
+		default: 5678,
+		arg: 'port',
+		env: 'N8N_PORT',
+		doc: 'HTTP port n8n can be reached'
+	},
+	protocol: {
+		format: ['http', 'https'],
+		default: 'http',
+		env: 'N8N_PROTOCOL',
+		doc: 'HTTP Protocol via which n8n can be reached'
+	},
+
+	endpoints: {
+		rest: {
+			format: String,
+			default: 'rest',
+			env: 'N8N_ENDPOINT_REST',
+			doc: 'Path for rest endpoint'
+		},
+		webhook: {
+			format: String,
+			default: 'webhook',
+			env: 'N8N_ENDPOINT_WEBHOOK',
+			doc: 'Path for webhook endpoint'
+		},
+		webhookTest: {
+			format: String,
+			default: 'webhook-test',
+			env: 'N8N_ENDPOINT_WEBHOOK_TEST',
+			doc: 'Path for test-webhook endpoint'
+		},
+	},
+
+	nodes: {
+		exclude: {
+			doc: 'Nodes not to load',
+			format: function check(rawValue) {
+				try {
+					const values = JSON.parse(rawValue);
+					if (!Array.isArray(values)) {
+						throw new Error();
+					}
+
+					for (const value of values) {
+						if (typeof value !== 'string') {
+							throw new Error();
+						}
+					}
+
+				} catch (error) {
+					throw new TypeError(`The Nodes to exclude is not a valid Array of strings.`);
+				}
+			},
+			default: '[]',
+			env: 'NODES_EXCLUDE'
+		},
+		errorTriggerType: {
+			doc: 'Node Type to use as Error Trigger',
+			format: String,
+			default: 'n8n-nodes-base.errorTrigger',
+			env: 'NODES_ERROR_TRIGGER_TYPE'
+		},
+	},
+
+});
+
+config.validate({
+	allowed: 'strict',
+});
+
+export = config;

packages/cli/package.json

@@ -39,8 +39,9 @@
         "dist"
     ],
     "devDependencies": {
-        "@types/config": "0.0.34",
         "@types/connect-history-api-fallback": "^1.3.1",
+        "@types/convict": "^4.2.1",
+        "@types/dotenv": "^6.1.1",
         "@types/express": "^4.16.1",
         "@types/jest": "^23.3.2",
         "@types/localtunnel": "^1.9.0",
@@ -58,8 +59,9 @@
     },
     "dependencies": {
         "body-parser": "^1.18.3",
-        "config": "^3.0.1",
         "connect-history-api-fallback": "^1.6.0",
+        "convict": "^5.0.0",
+        "dotenv": "^8.0.0",
         "express": "^4.16.4",
         "flatted": "^2.0.0",
         "glob-promise": "^3.4.0",

packages/cli/src/Db.ts

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
 	getRepository,
 } from "typeorm";
 
-import * as config from 'config';
+import * as config from './../config';
 
 
 import {
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export async function init(): Promise<IDatabaseCollections> {
 		entities = MongoDb;
 		connectionOptions = {
 			type: 'mongodb',
-			url: config.get('database.mongodbConfig.url') as string,
+			url: config.get('database.mongodb.connectionUrl') as string,
 			useNewUrlParser: true,
 		};
 	} else if (dbType === 'sqlite') {

packages/cli/src/GenericHelpers.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import * as config from 'config';
+import * as config from '../config';
 import * as express from 'express';
 
 
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ export function logOutput(message: string, level = 'log'): void {
  * @returns {string}
  */
 export function getBaseUrl(): string {
-	const protocol = config.get('urls.protocol') as string;
-	const host = config.get('urls.host') as string;
-	const port = config.get('urls.port') as number;
+	const protocol = config.get('protocol') as string;
+	const host = config.get('host') as string;
+	const port = config.get('port') as number;
 
 	if (protocol === 'http' && port === 80 || protocol === 'https' && port === 443) {
 		return `${protocol}://${host}/`;

packages/cli/src/Interfaces.ts

@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ export interface ICredentialsDecryptedResponse extends ICredentialsDecryptedDb {
 }
 
 export type DatabaseType = 'mongodb' | 'sqlite';
+export type SaveExecutionDataType = 'all' | 'none';
 
 export interface IExecutionBase {
 	id?: number | string | ObjectID;
@@ -171,18 +172,47 @@ export interface IExecutionDeleteFilter {
 
 export interface IN8nConfig {
 	database: IN8nConfigDatabase;
-	nodes?: IN8nConfigNodes;
+	endpoints: IN8nConfigEndpoints;
+	executions: IN8nConfigExecutions;
+	generic: IN8nConfigGeneric;
+	host: string;
+	nodes: IN8nConfigNodes;
+	port: number;
+	protocol: 'http' | 'https';
 }
 
 export interface IN8nConfigDatabase {
 	type: DatabaseType;
-	mongodbConfig?: {
-		url: string;
+	mongodb: {
+		connectionUrl: string;
 	};
 }
 
+export interface IN8nConfigEndpoints {
+	rest: string;
+	webhook: string;
+	webhookTest: string;
+}
+
+export interface IN8nConfigExecutions {
+	saveDataOnError: SaveExecutionDataType;
+	saveDataOnSuccess: SaveExecutionDataType;
+	saveDataManualExecutions: boolean;
+}
+
+export interface IN8nConfigExecutions {
+	saveDataOnError: SaveExecutionDataType;
+	saveDataOnSuccess: SaveExecutionDataType;
+	saveDataManualExecutions: boolean;
+}
+
+export interface IN8nConfigGeneric {
+	timezone: string;
+}
+
 export interface IN8nConfigNodes {
-	exclude?: string[];
+	errorTriggerType: string;
+	exclude: string[];
 }
 
 

packages/cli/src/LoadNodesAndCredentials.ts

@@ -6,11 +6,8 @@ import {
 	ICredentialType,
 	INodeType,
 } from 'n8n-workflow';
-import {
-	IN8nConfigNodes,
-} from './';
 
-import * as config from 'config';
+import * as config from '../config';
 import {
 	access as fsAccess,
 	readdir as fsReaddir,
@@ -66,10 +63,7 @@ class LoadNodesAndCredentialsClass {
 			throw new Error('Could not find "node_modules" folder!');
 		}
 
-		const nodeSettings = config.get('nodes') as IN8nConfigNodes | undefined;
-		if (nodeSettings !== undefined && nodeSettings.exclude !== undefined) {
-			this.excludeNodes = nodeSettings.exclude;
-		}
+		this.excludeNodes = config.get('nodes.exclude');
 
 		// Get all the installed packages which contain n8n nodes
 		const packages = await this.getN8nNodePackages();

packages/cli/src/Server.ts

@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ import {
 } from 'typeorm';
 
 import * as parseUrl from 'parseurl';
-import * as config from 'config';
+import * as config from '../config';
 // @ts-ignore
 import * as timezones from 'google-timezones-json';
 
@@ -83,12 +83,12 @@ class App {
 	constructor() {
 		this.app = express();
 
-		this.endpointWebhook = config.get('urls.endpointWebhook') as string;
-		this.endpointWebhookTest = config.get('urls.endpointWebhookTest') as string;
-		this.saveDataErrorExecution = config.get('executions.saveDataErrorExecution') as string;
-		this.saveDataSuccessExecution = config.get('executions.saveDataSuccessExecution') as string;
-		this.saveManualExecutions = config.get('executions.saveManualExecutions') as boolean;
-		this.timezone = config.get('timezone') as string;
+		this.endpointWebhook = config.get('endpoints.webhook') as string;
+		this.endpointWebhookTest = config.get('endpoints.webhookTest') as string;
+		this.saveDataErrorExecution = config.get('executions.saveDataOnError') as string;
+		this.saveDataSuccessExecution = config.get('executions.saveDataOnSuccess') as string;
+		this.saveManualExecutions = config.get('executions.saveDataManualExecutions') as boolean;
+		this.timezone = config.get('generic.timezone') as string;
 
 		this.config();
 		this.activeWorkflowRunner = ActiveWorkflowRunner.getInstance();
@@ -1030,7 +1030,7 @@ class App {
 }
 
 export function start() {
-	const PORT = config.get('urls.port');
+	const PORT = config.get('port');
 
 	const app = new App().app;
 

packages/cli/src/WorkflowExecuteAdditionalData.ts

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import {
 	Workflow,
 } from 'n8n-workflow';
 
-import * as config from 'config';
+import * as config from '../config';
 
 const pushInstance = Push.getInstance();
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ const hooks = (mode: WorkflowExecuteMode, workflowData: IWorkflowBase, workflowI
 
 					const workflowSavePromise = WorkflowHelpers.saveStaticData(workflowInstance);
 
-					let saveManualExecutions = config.get('executions.saveManualExecutions') as boolean;
+					let saveManualExecutions = config.get('executions.saveDataManualExecutions') as boolean;
 					if (workflowInstance.settings !== undefined && workflowInstance.settings.saveManualExecutions !== undefined) {
 						// Apply to workflow override
 						saveManualExecutions = workflowInstance.settings.saveManualExecutions as boolean;
@@ -137,8 +137,8 @@ const hooks = (mode: WorkflowExecuteMode, workflowData: IWorkflowBase, workflowI
 					}
 
 					// Check config to know if execution should be saved or not
-					let saveDataErrorExecution = config.get('executions.saveDataErrorExecution') as string;
-					let saveDataSuccessExecution = config.get('executions.saveDataSuccessExecution') as string;
+					let saveDataErrorExecution = config.get('executions.saveDataOnError') as string;
+					let saveDataSuccessExecution = config.get('executions.saveDataOnSuccess') as string;
 					if (workflowInstance.settings !== undefined) {
 						saveDataErrorExecution = (workflowInstance.settings.saveDataErrorExecution as string) || saveDataErrorExecution;
 						saveDataSuccessExecution = (workflowInstance.settings.saveDataSuccessExecution as string) || saveDataSuccessExecution;
@@ -198,9 +198,9 @@ const hooks = (mode: WorkflowExecuteMode, workflowData: IWorkflowBase, workflowI
 export async function get(mode: WorkflowExecuteMode, workflowData: IWorkflowBase, workflowInstance: Workflow, sessionId?: string, retryOf?: string): Promise<IWorkflowExecuteAdditionalData> {
 	const urlBaseWebhook = WebhookHelpers.getWebhookBaseUrl();
 
-	const timezone = config.get('timezone') as string;
-	const webhookBaseUrl = urlBaseWebhook + config.get('urls.endpointWebhook') as string;
-	const webhookTestBaseUrl = urlBaseWebhook + config.get('urls.endpointWebhookTest') as string;
+	const timezone = config.get('generic.timezone') as string;
+	const webhookBaseUrl = urlBaseWebhook + config.get('endpoints.webhook') as string;
+	const webhookTestBaseUrl = urlBaseWebhook + config.get('endpoints.webhookTest') as string;
 
 	const encryptionKey = await UserSettings.getEncryptionKey();
 	if (encryptionKey === undefined) {

packages/cli/src/WorkflowHelpers.ts

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import {
 	Workflow,
 } from 'n8n-workflow';
 
-import * as config from 'config';
+import * as config from '../config';
 
 const ERROR_TRIGGER_TYPE = config.get('nodes.errorTriggerType') as string;
 

packages/cli/tsconfig.json

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 		// Have to deactivate for TypeORM
 		// "strict": true,
 		"preserveConstEnums": true,
+		"resolveJsonModule": true,
 		"declaration": true,
 		"outDir": "./dist/",
 		"target": "es2017",