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How to Integrate Nextcloud with n8n: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

In the modern digital landscape, effective file management and process automation are essential for businesses, teams, and individuals alike. Nextcloud is a robust, self-hosted file sharing and collaboration platform that allows users to securely store, share, and work on files while maintaining full control of their data. Unlike cloud services run by third parties, Nextcloud offers privacy, customization, and extensibility, making it an attractive option for organizations that prioritize data sovereignty.

On the automation front, n8n is a powerful, open-source workflow automation tool designed to connect various services and applications. With its user-friendly interface and extensibility, n8n enables anyone from developers to automation enthusiasts to automate repetitive tasks without writing complex code.

Integrating Nextcloud with n8n unlocks exciting possibilities. Imagine automatically uploading files from a form submission into your Nextcloud storage, synchronizing folders between systems, processing documents on the fly, or triggering notifications when files change. This integration can save hours of manual work, reduce human error, and accelerate collaboration.

Whether you’re a developer looking to streamline workflows, a system administrator managing file systems, or an automation hobbyist eager to experiment, this guide will take you through the process of integrating Nextcloud with n8n step-by-step.

Prerequisites

Before beginning, ensure you have the following in place to avoid unnecessary delays:

  • Access to a running Nextcloud instance: This could be hosted on your own server, on a VPS, or through a managed Nextcloud provider. You’ll need administrative access or at least user credentials with permission to upload and manage files.
  • Access to a running n8n instance: n8n can be run locally on your computer, on a dedicated server, or via cloud hosting providers. It supports Docker deployments, which simplify installation and upgrades.
  • Basic familiarity with both platforms: You should be comfortable navigating Nextcloud’s web interface and understand how n8n’s workflow editor works, including how to add nodes, set credentials, and trigger workflows.
  • Necessary credentials: Typically, Nextcloud uses WebDAV for file operations, so you’ll need your WebDAV URL, username, and password. In some cases, you might use API tokens or OAuth, depending on your setup.
  • Optional: Docker knowledge: If you want to containerize either service, having a basic understanding of Docker will help you deploy and manage them efficiently.

By preparing these elements beforehand, you’ll have a smoother integration process and avoid common pitfalls.

Understanding Integration Options

Nextcloud and n8n can connect in several ways, each with different capabilities and complexity levels. Understanding these options helps you pick the most appropriate method for your goals.

WebDAV: Accessing Files Over the Web

WebDAV (Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning) is a protocol built on top of HTTP that allows clients to read and write files on a remote web server. Nextcloud fully supports WebDAV, providing a standardized way for tools like n8n to interact with files — uploading, downloading, deleting, or listing them.

WebDAV is ideal for file-centric automations where you want to move, sync, or process files stored in Nextcloud without diving into complex APIs.

Nextcloud REST API: Going Beyond Files

Nextcloud offers a REST API that lets you interact with many aspects of your server beyond file operations. For example, you can manage users, groups, shares, and retrieve activity logs. This API is more feature-rich but requires understanding Nextcloud’s API endpoints and permissions.

If your automation needs extend to managing users, controlling access, or tracking events, integrating via the API using n8n’s HTTP Request node can give you deeper control.

Webhooks: Real-Time Event Triggers

Webhooks are a way for applications to notify other systems in real-time when specific events happen. Setting up Nextcloud to send webhook notifications to n8n can allow your workflows to trigger instantly when a file is uploaded, shared, or modified.

Currently, native webhook support in Nextcloud is limited, but using apps or custom scripts, you can create webhook integrations. This approach is efficient as it avoids constant polling and reduces server load.

Polling: Scheduled Folder Checks

When webhooks aren’t feasible, you can configure n8n to periodically check (poll) Nextcloud folders for changes. Polling is simple to set up but may introduce a delay between event occurrence and reaction. Polling intervals should balance responsiveness and server resource usage.

Choosing the Right Method

  • For straightforward file operations like upload and download, WebDAV is usually sufficient.
  • For more advanced needs, such as managing users or permissions, the Nextcloud API is preferable.
  • For instant reactions, Webhooks are ideal but might require extra setup.
  • When webhooks are unavailable, polling serves as a reliable fallback.

Setting Up the Integration

1. Accessing Nextcloud via WebDAV in n8n

The easiest integration point is WebDAV, which n8n can interact with using HTTP requests.

Finding Your WebDAV URL

  1. Log in to your Nextcloud web interface.
  2. Click on your user avatar or the settings gear icon in the top-right corner.
  3. Navigate to Settings > Sync clients (or similar section).
  4. Locate the WebDAV URL, which typically looks like:
Plaintext
https://your-nextcloud-domain/remote.php/dav/files/username/

Replace username with your actual Nextcloud username.

For example:

Plaintext
https://cloud.example.com/remote.php/dav/files/johndoe/

This URL is your entry point to interact with your files over WebDAV.

Setting Up WebDAV Credentials in n8n

  1. Open your n8n instance.
  2. Go to Credentials (usually found in the left sidebar).
  3. Click New Credential.
  4. Select HTTP Basic Auth or WebDAV (if available).
  5. Enter your Nextcloud username and password.
  6. Save the credential securely — n8n encrypts and manages these.

This credential will be used by your HTTP Request nodes to authenticate calls to Nextcloud.

Testing Access

It’s good practice to test WebDAV access outside of n8n first, for example using tools like Cyberduck or command-line curl:

Bash
curl -u username:password -X PROPFIND "https://your-nextcloud-domain/remote.php/dav/files/username/"

If you receive a directory listing or XML response, your credentials and URL are correct.

2. Using the n8n HTTP Request Node

The HTTP Request node lets you send custom requests to Nextcloud’s WebDAV endpoints.

Uploading a File Example

  • Add a Trigger node (e.g., Manual Trigger or Cron to schedule).
  • Add an HTTP Request node configured as:
    • HTTP Method: PUT
    • URL: https://your-nextcloud-domain
      /remote.php/dav
      /files/username
      /path/to/filename
      .txt
    • Authentication: Use the WebDAV credential you created.
    • Body Content Type: Binary
    • Binary Property: The file content from previous nodes or an external source.

Handling Responses and Errors

  • Use an IF node to check if the response status is 201 (Created) or 204 (No Content), indicating success.
  • For failure codes, add error handling steps like retries, alerts, or logging.

Downloading Files Example

  • Use HTTP GET method on the file URL.
  • Save or process the response data within n8n.

This flexible approach lets you craft many different workflows around file management.

Example Workflows

Example 1: Upload a File to Nextcloud When a Form is Submitted

Suppose your organization collects documents or media files via a Typeform or Google Forms survey, and you want these files automatically stored in Nextcloud.

Workflow Steps

  1. Trigger: Use a webhook node or polling node to detect form submissions.
  2. Fetch File: The form response includes a URL to the submitted file. Use an HTTP Request node to download the file data.
  3. Upload File: Use HTTP Request with WebDAV PUT method to save the file to your Nextcloud folder.
  4. Notify: Optionally, send a notification (email, Slack, or Teams) confirming the upload.

Benefits

  • Reduces manual file transfers.
  • Centralizes document storage securely.
  • Speeds up processing and follow-ups.

Example 2: Monitor Nextcloud Folder for New Files

If you want to react whenever files arrive in a particular Nextcloud folder (for example, to process incoming invoices or images), use a polling workflow.

Workflow Steps

  1. Trigger: Cron or time-based trigger, e.g., every 5 minutes.
  2. List Folder Files: Use HTTP PROPFIND request to list current files in the folder.
  3. Compare File List: Store a snapshot of previously seen files (e.g., in n8n’s internal database or external storage) and detect new files.
  4. Process New Files: Download the new files and take actions such as:
    • Running OCR to extract text.
    • Backing up files to another system.
    • Sending alerts to team members.

Considerations

  • Keep polling interval reasonable to balance responsiveness and server load.
  • Implement error handling and retries.
  • Clean up processed files or move them to archive folders to avoid reprocessing.

Tips, Troubleshooting, and Best Practices

Secure Your WebDAV Credentials

  • Never hard-code usernames or passwords in workflow nodes.
  • Use n8n’s credential management to store secrets securely.
  • Rotate credentials regularly and follow your organization’s security policies.

Handling Large Files and Timeouts

  • Uploading or downloading large files can take time and may hit timeouts.
  • Consider splitting large files if possible.
  • Increase HTTP timeout settings in n8n or your server if needed.
  • Monitor your network bandwidth to avoid congestion.

Using Environment Variables for Credentials

  • For easier deployment and maintenance, store credentials in environment variables or secret managers.
  • Reference these variables in n8n to avoid exposing sensitive data in workflows.

Logging and Monitoring Workflows

  • Enable detailed logging to trace workflow execution and diagnose errors.
  • Use n8n’s execution data and history to analyze past runs.
  • Set up alerts for workflow failures or unexpected behaviors.

Debugging HTTP Requests

  • Use tools like Postman or curl to test your WebDAV requests independently.
  • Check HTTP status codes and response messages for clues.
  • Ensure your Nextcloud server supports the requested methods and that your user has appropriate permissions.

Watch for Rate Limits and Quotas

  • Depending on your hosting environment, Nextcloud might impose limits on requests or data transfer.
  • Design your workflows to be efficient, avoid excessive polling, and batch operations when possible.

Advanced Options

Using Nextcloud Apps

Nextcloud’s rich ecosystem includes apps like Flow for workflow automation inside Nextcloud itself or External Scripts apps that can trigger external services. Combining these with n8n creates hybrid workflows that span inside and outside Nextcloud.

Triggering Workflows with Nextcloud Webhooks

Though Nextcloud doesn’t natively support all webhook types, installing apps or using server-side scripts can send HTTP POST requests to n8n on file events. This enables event-driven workflows with minimal delay.

Combining with AI, OCR, and Databases

Once files are in Nextcloud, you can:

  • Use OCR tools to extract text from scanned PDFs or images.
  • Connect to AI services to analyze documents or images automatically.
  • Store metadata in databases for reporting, audit, or compliance.
  • Trigger email campaigns or team notifications based on file content.

By chaining these tools within n8n, you transform Nextcloud into a smart, automated document and data hub.

Conclusion

Integrating Nextcloud with n8n empowers you to take control of your data and workflows, saving time and reducing errors. Whether automating file uploads from forms, monitoring folders for new documents, or creating sophisticated multi-step processes involving AI and notifications, this integration offers flexibility and power.

With the right approach—choosing between WebDAV, API, webhooks, or polling—you can tailor the integration to your needs. Secure your credentials, handle errors gracefully, and monitor your workflows to ensure reliability.

Now that you have the tools and knowledge, start experimenting with your own automation ideas. Harness the synergy between Nextcloud and n8n to boost your productivity and transform how you manage files and processes.