Why does automating with n8n becomes slow when my workflow gets bigger
Describe the problem/error/question
What is the error message (if any)?
Please share your workflow
(Select the nodes on your canvas and use the keyboard shortcuts CMD+C/CTRL+C and CMD+V/CTRL+V to copy and paste the workflow.)
Share the output returned by the last node
Information on your n8n setup
- n8n version:
- Database (default: SQLite):
- n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main):
- Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app):
- Operating system:
@Amidu_Louis is it the canvas/editor that gets slow (drag, scroll, opening node settings), or the actual execution time getting longer when the workflow runs? completely different causes.
This is a common issue tho, though. Small workflows usually run smoothly cause of very low workload, but as the workflow becomes bigger and more complex, we notice slow execution at times
You should ensure that your execution history is cleaned and simplify your branching logic when creating a workflow
Hi Amidu Luis,
I’m hearing two different issues from you:
If the editor/canvas is slow, it’s mainly a browser rendering problem. Workflows with 50+ nodes strain the canvas. The best solution for that is to split the workflow into sub-workflows.
If execution itself is slow, which is usually caused by large data payloads between nodes. Each node keeps its output in memory. The solution is to add a Set or Filter node early in the workflow and remove unnecessary fields.
What exactly are you experiencing?
I also read this as 2 different issues indeed.
Great answer on how to improve speed on both accounts
Welcome to the n8n community @Amidu_Louis
Here’s a table and documents that can help you:
Overview | n8n Docs
