How To Install External Module (Library) for Code Node (NodeJS) Without Touching Dockerfile?

[afunworm]

Information on your n8n setup

• n8n version: 1.104.1
• Database (default: SQLite): Postgres
• n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main): Default
• Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app): Docker
• Operating system: 22.04

Hello.

I’m trying to load up the library pdf-lib for my Code node. What I did:

1. Change the Docker environment: NODE_FUNCTION_ALLOW_EXTERNAL=pdf-lib
2. SSH into the n8n container: docker exec -it n8n sh
3. Install the library: cd ~/.n8n/nodes && npm install pdf-lib - This does not work. Still library not found.
4. Install the library in a different location: cd /usr/local/lib && npm install pdf-lib - I run into permission problems.

So, how exactly do I add the library to node_modules so it’s available for my code node?

[jabbson]

CLI:

$ docker exec -it --user root n8n /bin/sh
/home/node # cd .n8n/
/home/node/.n8n # npm install -g hello-world-npm

added 1 packages in 620ms
/home/node/.n8n # exit

environment:

- NODE_FUNCTION_ALLOW_EXTERNAL=hello-world-npm

then in the code node:

var hw = require('hello-world-npm');

return [
  {
    text: hw()
  }
]

results in

[afunworm]

This works! I didn’t think about exec as root and installing the package globally.

Thank you!