n8n 2.0 is Here (What You Need to Know)

Nate Herk | AI Automation

27,734 views • 2 days ago

Video Summary

NN version 2.0 has been released, bringing a refined user interface with subtle but significant improvements like new animations for node processing and a more minimalistic design. Key changes include a more accessible settings menu, updated workflow status terminology (publish/unpublish), and a faster save functionality, hinting at the upcoming autosave feature. The update heavily emphasizes security, reliability, and performance, with most changes occurring in the backend to support future scalability. A major behavioral shift allows subworkflows to return data to the main workflow, enabling true human-in-the-loop interactions and dynamic decision-making previously not possible.

An interesting fact is that while version 2.0 beta was released on December 8th, the stable version is slated for release on December 15th.

Short Highlights

NN version 2.0 introduces a new, more futuristic visual design with animations for processing nodes and a minimalistic look.
Settings are now more accessible, and workflow statuses have changed from "inactive/active" to "publish/unpublish."
Version 2.0 focuses on security, reliability, and performance, with backend changes for scalability.
A significant behavioral change allows subworkflows to return data to the main workflow, enabling human-in-the-loop approvals and dynamic responses.
A migration tool is available to help users transition their existing workflows to version 2.0, with a "migration report" in settings indicating compatibility.

Key Details

NN v2.0 Interface and Visuals [00:00]

The new version 2.0 of NN is visually similar to version 1.0, maintaining a good user experience by not drastically altering the look.
New animations include a red outline circle around nodes when they are processing or thinking, and a green outline when execution is complete.
Nodes appear more embedded in the workflow with a less pronounced 3D effect, contributing to a modern and minimalistic aesthetic.
Connections between nodes have subtle visual cues, such as popping out and having white outlines with diamond or circle markers on hover, differentiating them from the older version's orange highlighting.

"And so in today's video I'm going to be walking through the things that you actually need to know as well as going over the breaking changes."

Sidebar and Settings Accessibility [02:16]

The sidebar in version 2.0 is more functional, allowing users to expand and pull it out, unlike the static sidebar in version 1.0.
Accessing settings is streamlined; in v2.0, clicking "settings" directly displays all options, whereas v1.0 required navigating through a profile menu.
The background dots on the canvas are less prominent in version 2.0, improving visual clarity.

Workflow Status and Save Functionality [02:53]

Workflow statuses have been updated from "inactive/active" in version 1.0 to "publish/unpublish" in version 2.0, with the functionality remaining largely the same.
Saving workflows in version 2.0 is nearly instantaneous, a noticeable improvement over the brief delay in version 1.0, anticipating the upcoming autosave feature.

"But in version two, it's pretty much like instantaneous. And that was like a very small feature, but I think it's because the autosave feature, which is a super highly requested feature, is going to be coming."

Version 2.0 Focus: Security, Reliability, and Performance [03:56]

The primary focus of version 2.0 is on enhancing security, reliability, and performance, with significant backend modifications to support future scalability.
The beta version was released on December 8th, with the stable release of 2.0 expected approximately a week later, on December 15th.
While there are a few breaking changes, the core foundation of how NN operates remains consistent with version 1.0.

Behavioral Change: Subworkflow Data Return [04:38]

A significant behavioral change allows subworkflows to return data to the main workflow, especially crucial when a subworkflow involves waiting for human approval or feedback.
In version 1.0, when a subworkflow waited for approval via Slack, the main agent did not receive the actual approval status (true/false), only metadata like session ID and tool call ID.
In version 2.0, the subworkflow's response, including the approval status, is successfully passed back to the main workflow, enabling the AI agent to react to the outcome.
A prerequisite for using subworkflows in version 2.0 is that they must be published, unlike in version 1.0 where they could be called while inactive.

"And this is what you actually want the AI agent in this flow to see, but it doesn't."

Productivity Features: Focus Panel and Node Navigation [08:30]

The "focus panel" allows users to edit node parameters, such as an AI agent's system message, in a sidebar without leaving the main canvas view, facilitating iterative development.
Users can efficiently switch between different nodes and configurations (e.g., agent, chat model, tools like Slack or Perplexity) directly within the sidebar, saving time compared to repeatedly opening and closing node menus.

Migration Tool and Compatibility [09:57]

A dedicated NN v2.0 migration tool is available, along with comprehensive documentation, to assist users in transitioning their existing workflows.
Users can access a "migration report" within their settings, which details the compatibility of their workflows with version 2.0, highlighting issues and their urgency.
This migration support will be available for both cloud and self-hosted community editions of NN.

"And all of these pretty much should have documentation. So if these are confusing, you can go ahead and read about them and make sure that all of these are fixed."