n8n Queue Mode Setup: Redis, Postgres, Workers, and Encryption Key Checklist

docker compose logs worker --tail=100

Secrets note

Redact payloads, credential names, and private hosts before sharing.

Verification

Worker logs show queue connection, execution pickup, or a specific Redis/database error.

docker compose exec worker node -e "const net = require('node:net'); const host = process.env.QUEUE_BULL_REDIS_HOST || 'redis'; const port = Number(process.env.QUEUE_BULL_REDIS_PORT || 6379); const socket = net.createConnection({ host, port }, () => { console.log('redis tcp reachable from worker'); socket.end(); }); socket.setTimeout(5000, () => { console.error('redis tcp timeout from worker'); socket.destroy(); process.exit(1); }); socket.on('error', (error) => { console.error(error.code || error.message); process.exit(1); });"

Secrets note

This checks TCP reachability without printing Redis credentials. If Redis requires auth, run an authenticated redis-cli check privately and redact the auth value from notes.

Verification

The worker can open a TCP connection to the configured Redis host and worker logs stop reconnecting.

docker compose exec n8n printenv EXECUTIONS_MODE OFFLOAD_MANUAL_EXECUTIONS_TO_WORKERS QUEUE_BULL_REDIS_HOST DB_TYPE N8N_DEFAULT_BINARY_DATA_MODE N8N_RUNNERS_ENABLED N8N_RUNNERS_MODE
docker compose exec worker printenv EXECUTIONS_MODE OFFLOAD_MANUAL_EXECUTIONS_TO_WORKERS QUEUE_BULL_REDIS_HOST DB_TYPE N8N_DEFAULT_BINARY_DATA_MODE N8N_RUNNERS_ENABLED N8N_RUNNERS_MODE

Secrets note

Do not print raw N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY or N8N_RUNNERS_AUTH_TOKEN. Compare whether each is set using a private shell, then record only match/mismatch.

Verification

Main and worker use the same queue mode, Redis host, DB type, binary data mode, runner mode, and encryption key status.

docker compose exec worker printenv QUEUE_HEALTH_CHECK_ACTIVE QUEUE_HEALTH_CHECK_PORT
docker compose exec worker node -e "fetch('http://127.0.0.1:' + (process.env.QUEUE_HEALTH_CHECK_PORT || 5678) + '/healthz/readiness').then(r => { console.log(r.status); process.exit(r.ok ? 0 : 1); })"

Secrets note

The readiness URL should not expose credentials, but keep internal hostnames out of shared incident notes.

Verification

The readiness endpoint returns success and worker logs show Redis and database connectivity.

docker compose ps --services | grep -E '^(n8n|worker|webhook)' || true
docker compose exec worker printenv EXECUTIONS_MODE DB_TYPE QUEUE_BULL_REDIS_HOST
docker compose logs worker --tail=50

Secrets note

Do not print database passwords, Redis passwords, encryption keys, or runner auth tokens. Keep the output to service names, safe variable names, and non-secret logs.

Verification

You know how many n8n processes can open database connections, the worker is in queue mode, and the logs show whether jobs are being picked up or failing on database access.

for service in n8n worker webhook; do
  docker compose ps --services | grep -qx "$service" || continue
  echo "[$service]"
  docker compose exec "$service" printenv N8N_EVENTBUS_LOGWRITER_LOGFULLPATH N8N_EVENTBUS_LOGWRITER_MAXTOTALMESSAGESPERFILE
 done

Secrets note

Only share sanitized paths and process names. Do not include event log contents, payloads, credentials, or customer data.

Verification

Each process either uses safe defaults without a shared explicit path, or has its own unique absolute .log path.