Deployed n8n, a workflow automation platform, in a rootless Podman container on an Orange Pi single-board computer. Configured n8n to use an external PostgreSQL database running on a separate homelab server instead of its default SQLite store, splitting compute from persistent data across two machines. Exposed the instance publicly through a Cloudflare-managed subdomain using Cloudflare Tunnel, avoiding any inbound port forwarding on the home network.
Getting a rootless Podman container on the Orange Pi to reliably reach a PostgreSQL instance on a separate machine across the LAN, reconfiguring n8n away from its default SQLite storage to a networked Postgres backend, and safely exposing a self-hosted service to the public internet without opening inbound ports on the router.
Set container networking and environment variables so n8n connected to the remote Postgres host and database instead of local SQLite, then used Cloudflare Tunnel (cloudflared) to publish the service on a custom subdomain, routing public traffic through Cloudflare's edge rather than forwarding ports on the home network.
A stable, publicly reachable n8n instance running on low-power ARM hardware, with workflow data persisted in a proper Postgres database on the main homelab server, and zero exposed ports on the home router.
- Containerized n8n deployment via Podman
- External PostgreSQL backend (replacing default SQLite)
- Public access via Cloudflare Tunnel subdomain
- No inbound port forwarding required
- Compute (Orange Pi) separated from data (homelab server)
