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m9m

The n8n alternative without the bugs — faster, more reliable workflow automation.

m9m is an open-source workflow automation platform written in Go. It runs n8n workflow JSON unchanged, executes 5–10× faster, uses 70% less memory, and ships as a single 30 MB binary with zero runtime dependencies. No Node.js, no npm tree, no event-loop stalls.

Why m9m? (vs n8n)

m9m n8n
Cold start ~500 ms ~3 s
Memory (idle) ~150 MB ~512 MB
Container size ~300 MB ~1.2 GB
Workflow execution Baseline 5–10× slower
Concurrent workflows 500 50
Runtime Single static Go binary Node.js + ~1,000 npm packages
Deterministic execution Yes No (event-loop ordering)
n8n workflow JSON Runs unchanged Native
MCP server for Claude Code Built in (37 tools) Not available
License MIT Sustainable Use License

Full comparison and benchmark methodology →

30-second quickstart

# 1. Install
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/neul-labs/m9m/main/install.sh | bash

# 2. Start the server
m9m serve

# 3. Run the bundled demo
m9m demo

The server starts at http://localhost:8080:

  • Web UI — http://localhost:8080
  • API — http://localhost:8080/api/v1
  • Health check — http://localhost:8080/health

Full installation guide →

Run your first workflow

cat > hello-world.json << 'EOF'
{
  "name": "Hello World",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "start",
      "name": "Start",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.start",
      "position": [250, 300],
      "parameters": {}
    },
    {
      "id": "set",
      "name": "Set Message",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
      "position": [450, 300],
      "parameters": {
        "assignments": [
          {"name": "message", "value": "Hello from m9m!"}
        ]
      }
    }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Start": {
      "main": [[{"node": "Set Message", "type": "main", "index": 0}]]
    }
  }
}
EOF

m9m exec hello-world.json

Step-by-step walkthrough →

Key features

  • Drop-in n8n compatibility — runs n8n workflow JSON, expression syntax, and credentials unchanged.
  • 40+ built-in nodes — HTTP, databases, AI/LLM, cloud storage, messaging, CLI execution, scheduling, more.
  • MCP server for AI agents — 37 tools for Claude Code, Cursor, and other MCP clients. Learn more.
  • CLI agent sandboxing — run Claude Code, Codex, Aider in bubblewrap-isolated environments.
  • Expression engine — full n8n expression syntax ({{ $json.field }}, {{ $node["x"].data }}).
  • Storage backends — SQLite, PostgreSQL, or in-memory.
  • Job queue — persistent (SQLite), in-memory, or external (Redis / RabbitMQ).
  • Observability — Prometheus metrics + OpenTelemetry tracing built in.
  • REST API — n8n-compatible surface for workflow management.

Documentation

  • :material-rocket-launch: Getting Started

    Install m9m, run your first workflow, learn core concepts.

  • :material-swap-horizontal: Migrate from n8n

    One command to run existing n8n workflows. What's compatible, what's not.

  • :material-help-circle: FAQ

    Common questions about performance, compatibility, and reliability.

  • :material-trending-up: Why m9m?

    Detailed comparison vs n8n, benchmarks, and the reliability story.

  • :material-cog: Configuration

    Server, database, queue, security, environment variables.

  • :material-console: CLI Reference

    Complete command-line interface documentation.

  • :material-api: API Reference

    REST API endpoints for workflow management.

  • :material-cube-outline: Nodes

    All 40+ node types — parameters, examples, output schemas.

  • :material-cloud-upload: Deployment

    Single-binary, Docker, Kubernetes, production.

License

m9m is open source software licensed under the MIT License.

Community