Automating Operations with n8n Webhooks

When a client initiates a handshake via the Terminal on our Contact page, the payload isn't just sent to an email API. It's routed into a self-hosted n8n instance.

Why n8n?

n8n is a fair-code licensed workflow automation tool. By hosting it on our Coolify server, we bypass the execution limits of Zapier or Make.com.

The Next.js Server Action

We built a secure bridge between the React frontend and the n8n webhook using a Next.js Server Action. This hides the Webhook URL from the client browser and allows us to append secure server-side metadata (like timestamps and origin IPs).

'use server'
 
export async function submitContactMessage(payload: { name: string; email: string; message: string }) {
  const webhookUrl = process.env.N8N_WEBHOOK_URL;
  
  const response = await fetch(webhookUrl, {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      ...payload,
      source: 'luxima_portfolio_terminal',
      timestamp: new Date().toISOString()
    }),
  });
 
  return { success: response.ok };
}

The n8n Workflow

Once n8n receives the webhook, the workflow:

1. Parses the JSON payload.
2. Filters out spam using a basic regex node.
3. Routes the message to a dedicated Slack channel.
4. Automatically adds the lead to our self-hosted CRM database.

By keeping the automation engine on the same Coolify network, latency between the Next.js app and the webhook is practically zero.