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Introduction

To develop and host an n8n instance on Square Cloud, it’s essential to follow a structured sequence of configurations and prerequisites. This technical guide will cover the entire process, from initial setup to production deployment.

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Prerequisites

  • Square Cloud Account: Register through the signup page using your email.
  • Active plan: Ensures dedicated resources and optimized performance for your application. Check our available plans and choose the most suitable for your needs.
n8n runs with 3 GB of RAM (MEMORY=3072 below), so it needs a plan with at least 4 GB, such as Standard: smaller plans don’t have that much RAM. This guide runs on the Node.js runtime.

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Get the project

n8n runs on Node.js, so the project only needs a package.json that lists n8n in its dependencies and has a script to start it:
package.json
The n8n version is pinned on purpose: latest can jump to a new major version with breaking changes on any reinstall. n8n 2.x needs Node.js 24 or newer, which VERSION=recommended provides. To update later, check the newest version with npm view n8n version, read the n8n release notes, change the version in package.json and upload your project again.
We already have everything ready for deploy in our n8n-web releases. You just need to download the project.zip and upload it.

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Configure Square Cloud

Create a squarecloud.app file at the root of your project:
squarecloud.app
START=npm run start runs the start script of your package.json. When uploading from the dashboard, set the runtime manually to Node.js and use npm run start as the startup command. The MEMORY value follows the platform’s sizing rules: see why RAM minimums exist if you want to tune it.

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Environment variables

Set the variables below. You can put them in a .env file at the root of the project (n8n loads it when it starts) or set them as environment variables of the application, in the upload form’s Advanced configuration or in the dashboard. Replace my-n8n-subdomain with your SUBDOMAIN.
.env
  • N8N_PORT and N8N_LISTEN_ADDRESS make n8n listen on port 80 on all interfaces, where Square Cloud delivers your subdomain’s traffic. n8n doesn’t read the PORT variable Square Cloud sets, so N8N_PORT is required.
  • N8N_HOST, N8N_PROTOCOL and N8N_WEBHOOK_URL tell n8n its public address. Older guides call the last one WEBHOOK_URL, which n8n 2.x deprecates. See the n8n endpoint variables for more options.
Variables set in the dashboard take precedence over the .env file.

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What goes in the ZIP

  • package.json
  • squarecloud.app
  • .env, if you keep the variables above in it
Leave out node_modules/: Square Cloud installs n8n on the server.

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Deploy and verify

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Via dashboard

1

Access the Upload Page

Access the upload page and upload your project zip file.
2

Configure Your Environment

After uploading your zip, you will need to configure the name, main file or runtime environment and other settings for your project.
If you are uploading a web project, make sure to select “Web Publication” and set a subdomain to your project.
3

Deploy Your Project

Finally, click on the “Deploy” button to host your project on Square Cloud.
After deployment, you can monitor your project’s status and logs from the dashboard.
Uploading application to Square Cloud
4

Confirm Your App Is Live

Your first deploy usually takes less than a minute. In the dashboard, wait for your application status to show as running and check the logs for any startup errors.
If you deployed a website or API, open https://<your-subdomain>.squareweb.app in your browser: you should see your application responding. If you deployed a bot, send it a command to confirm it is online.
App not starting? See the Troubleshooting guide for the most common causes and fixes.

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Via CLI

To use this method, your project needs a configuration file named squarecloud.app at its root. It tells Square Cloud how to run your application.

Configuration file guide

Learn how to create the squarecloud.app configuration file that defines your application’s environment.
1

Install the CLI

Install the Square Cloud CLI. If you already have it, run the same command to update it:
2

Log In

Run the command below. It opens your browser: approve the login there and the CLI is ready. There is no API key to copy. For scripts and CI, see CLI authentication.
3

Upload Your Project

From your project folder, run the command below. The CLI zips the current folder, leaving out what squarecloud.ignore lists, and uploads it:
To upload a zip you created yourself, pass it with --file:
4

Confirm Your App Is Live

Your first deploy usually takes less than a minute. Check your application status and logs directly from the terminal:
If you deployed a website or API, open https://<your-subdomain>.squareweb.app in your browser: you should see your application responding. If you deployed a bot, send it a command to confirm it is online.
App not starting? See the Troubleshooting guide for the most common causes and fixes.

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First access

Right after the deploy, open https://my-n8n-subdomain.squareweb.app and create the owner account. Whoever opens the page first becomes the owner of the instance, so do it before sharing the URL with anyone.

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Common errors

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Custom domain

To use a custom domain (e.g., mysite.com) instead of the default URL mysite.squareweb.app, you need the Standard plan or higher. The default URL comes from the SUBDOMAIN field in the configuration file. To connect your domain, follow how to set up your own domain.

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Minimum RAM requirements

Minimum: 512MB RAM for websites and APIs, enough for a static build on the static runtime. For apps that render pages on a server (Next.js, Nuxt, Angular SSR and similar), we recommend at least 1GB RAM. For larger applications, allocate more RAM to prevent the application from running out of memory and crashing.

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Could not find this site.

Check if the subdomain/domain matches what’s configured in the SUBDOMAIN field or in the custom domain settings. If you just uploaded the site, wait up to 60 seconds for Square to enable first access.

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Site took too long to respond…

Your server must listen on port 80 and host 0.0.0.0. Square Cloud sets the PORT (80) and HOST (0.0.0.0) environment variables in your application: read them in your code instead of hardcoding other values. A server that listens only on localhost or 127.0.0.1 never receives requests.

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n8n doesn’t respond on your subdomain

n8n ignores the PORT and HOST variables. Check that N8N_PORT=80 and N8N_LISTEN_ADDRESS=0.0.0.0 are set, then restart the application.

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Webhook URLs point to the internal port

Without N8N_WEBHOOK_URL, the webhook URLs n8n shows in your workflows point to the internal port and external services can’t reach them. Set N8N_WEBHOOK_URL to your public address, for example https://my-n8n-subdomain.squareweb.app/, then restart the application.

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Next steps

Environment variables

Manage n8n’s settings and secrets from the dashboard or the CLI.

Custom domain

Serve n8n from your own domain, then update N8N_HOST and N8N_WEBHOOK_URL.

Uptime Kuma

Monitor n8n and your other services.
For more about n8n, see the official n8n documentation.

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Contact us

If you continue facing technical difficulties, our specialized support team is available to assist you. Contact us and we’ll be happy to help you resolve any issue: support quality is a big part of why developers rate Square Cloud 4.9/5 across 402 reviews on Google and Trustpilot.