AutomationFlowsGeneral › Automated Backup to Google Drive

Automated Backup to Google Drive

Original n8n title: Backup

backup. Uses googleDrive, httpRequest. Scheduled trigger; 15 nodes.

Cron / scheduled trigger★★★★☆ complexity15 nodesGoogle DriveHTTP Request
General Trigger: Cron / scheduled Nodes: 15 Complexity: ★★★★☆ Added:

This workflow follows the Google Drive → HTTP Request recipe pattern — see all workflows that pair these two integrations.

The workflow JSON

Copy or download the full n8n JSON below. Paste it into a new n8n workflow, add your credentials, activate. Full import guide →

Download .json
{
  "active": false,
  "connections": {
    "On clicking 'execute'": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Globals",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "GitHub": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Merge",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          },
          {
            "node": "n8n1",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "same": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "OneAtATime",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "different": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "GitHub Edit",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "new": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "GitHub Create",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "GitHub Edit": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "OneAtATime",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "GitHub Create": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "OneAtATime",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "OneAtATime": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "GitHub",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          },
          {
            "node": "Merge",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 1
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Globals": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "n8n",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "n8n": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "OneAtATime",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "isDiffOrNew": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "check_github_status",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Merge": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "isDiffOrNew",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "check_github_status": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "same",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ],
        [
          {
            "node": "different",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ],
        [
          {
            "node": "new",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "backup every 10 minutes": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Globals",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    }
  },
  "createdAt": "2025-04-06T19:10:32.917Z",
  "id": "ZW9BeDRubuJqk1K3",
  "meta": {
    "templateCredsSetupCompleted": true
  },
  "name": "Backup",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "parameters": {},
      "id": "735b1055-bf66-459e-8485-55687f593c2b",
      "name": "On clicking 'execute'",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.manualTrigger",
      "position": [
        -1900,
        60
      ],
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "resource": "file",
        "operation": "get",
        "owner": {
          "__rl": true,
          "value": "solmorth",
          "mode": "name"
        },
        "repository": {
          "__rl": true,
          "value": "discord_ai_agent",
          "mode": "list",
          "cachedResultName": "discord_ai_agent",
          "cachedResultUrl": "https://github.com/solmorth/discord_ai_agent"
        },
        "filePath": "={{ $json.name }}",
        "additionalParameters": {}
      },
      "id": "1ad358d8-dd9d-45c0-9d88-5a11e08156ec",
      "name": "GitHub",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.github",
      "position": [
        -1060,
        20
      ],
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "alwaysOutputData": true,
      "credentials": {
        "githubApi": {
          "name": "<your credential>"
        }
      },
      "continueOnFail": true
    },
    {
      "parameters": {},
      "id": "5b3fa61e-563b-4787-9a72-249ef2a44d42",
      "name": "same",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.noOp",
      "position": [
        -180,
        -80
      ],
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "parameters": {},
      "id": "28c87efe-4b54-48c6-8e07-7f3ddcd3c9aa",
      "name": "different",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.noOp",
      "position": [
        -180,
        160
      ],
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "parameters": {},
      "id": "64dbd2e3-beba-448d-a7d3-d93279b1de8c",
      "name": "new",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.noOp",
      "position": [
        -180,
        340
      ],
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "resource": "file",
        "operation": "edit",
        "owner": {
          "__rl": true,
          "value": "anilrajrimal1",
          "mode": "name"
        },
        "repository": {
          "__rl": true,
          "value": "n8n-backups",
          "mode": "list",
          "cachedResultName": "n8n-backups",
          "cachedResultUrl": "https://github.com/anilrajrimal1/n8n-backups"
        },
        "filePath": "={{$node[\"Globals\"].json[\"repo\"][\"path\"]}}{{$node[\"OneAtATime\"].json[\"name\"]}}.json",
        "fileContent": "={{$node[\"isDiffOrNew\"].json[\"n8n_data_stringy\"]}}",
        "commitMessage": "=update: n8n backup {{$node[\"OneAtATime\"].json[\"name\"]}}.json ({{$json[\"github_status\"]}})"
      },
      "id": "16182991-7714-4b0e-91ad-554b00b6871f",
      "name": "GitHub Edit",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.github",
      "position": [
        0,
        160
      ],
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "credentials": {
        "githubApi": {
          "name": "<your credential>"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "resource": "file",
        "owner": {
          "__rl": true,
          "value": "anilrajrimal1",
          "mode": "name"
        },
        "repository": {
          "__rl": true,
          "value": "n8n-backups",
          "mode": "list",
          "cachedResultName": "n8n-backups",
          "cachedResultUrl": "https://github.com/anilrajrimal1/n8n-backups"
        },
        "filePath": "={{$node[\"Globals\"].json[\"repo\"][\"path\"]}}{{$node[\"OneAtATime\"].json[\"name\"]}}.json",
        "fileContent": "={{$node[\"isDiffOrNew\"].json[\"n8n_data_stringy\"]}}",
        "commitMessage": "=Add: n8n backup file named {{$node[\"OneAtATime\"].json[\"name\"]}}.json ({{$json[\"github_status\"]}})"
      },
      "id": "9317bf86-8ea7-4f3f-a998-0ad3591bcdab",
      "name": "GitHub Create",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.github",
      "position": [
        0,
        340
      ],
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "credentials": {
        "githubApi": {
          "name": "<your credential>"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "batchSize": 1,
        "options": {}
      },
      "id": "9f91a33a-718e-4816-b086-94759311a611",
      "name": "OneAtATime",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.splitInBatches",
      "position": [
        -1280,
        180
      ],
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "values": {
          "string": [
            {
              "name": "repo.owner",
              "value": "n8n-io"
            },
            {
              "name": "repo.name",
              "value": "n8n-backups"
            },
            {
              "name": "repo.path",
              "value": "workflows/"
            }
          ]
        },
        "options": {}
      },
      "id": "b02c5c67-c8f4-4d54-8625-64e2870f25a3",
      "name": "Globals",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
      "position": [
        -1720,
        180
      ],
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "filters": {},
        "requestOptions": {}
      },
      "id": "2f5707cc-0b18-4298-86de-499772198f7a",
      "name": "n8n",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.n8n",
      "position": [
        -1480,
        180
      ],
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "credentials": {
        "n8nApi": {
          "name": "<your credential>"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "jsCode": "// File Returned with Content\nif (Object.keys($input.all()[0].json).includes(\"content\")) {\n  // Get JSON Objects\n  var origWorkflow = JSON.parse(Buffer.from($input.all()[0].json.content, 'base64'));\n  var n8nWorkflow = $input.all()[1].json;\n  \n  // Order JSON Objects\n  var orderedOriginal = {}\n  var orderedActual = {}\n  \n  Object.keys(origWorkflow).sort().forEach(function(key) {\n    orderedOriginal[key] = origWorkflow[key];\n  });\n  \n  Object.keys(n8nWorkflow).sort().forEach(function(key) {\n    orderedActual[key] = n8nWorkflow[key];\n  });\n\n  // Determine Difference\n  if ( JSON.stringify(orderedOriginal) === JSON.stringify(orderedActual) ) {\n    $input.all()[0].json.github_status = \"same\";\n    $input.all()[0].json.content_decoded = orderedOriginal;\n  } else {\n    $input.all()[0].json.github_status = \"different\";\n    $input.all()[0].json.content_decoded = orderedOriginal;\n    $input.all()[0].json.n8n_data_stringy = JSON.stringify(orderedActual, null, 2);\n  }\n// No File Returned / New Workflow\n} else {\n  // Order JSON Object\n  var n8nWorkflow = ($input.all()[1].json);\n  var orderedActual = {}\n  Object.keys(n8nWorkflow).sort().forEach(function(key) {\n    orderedActual[key] = n8nWorkflow[key];\n  });\n  \n  // Proper Formatting\n  $input.all()[0].json.github_status = \"new\";\n  $input.all()[0].json.n8n_data_stringy = JSON.stringify(orderedActual, null, 2);\n}\n\n// Return Items\nreturn $input.all();"
      },
      "id": "3da20718-5d7a-4195-98c0-bf7395249f64",
      "name": "isDiffOrNew",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
      "position": [
        -660,
        160
      ],
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "parameters": {},
      "id": "15d1f823-1879-4ba4-94d9-d8e37fb66961",
      "name": "Merge",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.merge",
      "position": [
        -840,
        160
      ],
      "typeVersion": 2
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "dataType": "string",
        "value1": "={{$json[\"github_status\"]}}",
        "rules": {
          "rules": [
            {
              "value2": "same"
            },
            {
              "value2": "different",
              "output": 1
            },
            {
              "value2": "new",
              "output": 2
            }
          ]
        }
      },
      "id": "e43c2020-5951-4881-8b9c-0ee82e00d73e",
      "name": "check_github_status",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.switch",
      "position": [
        -420,
        160
      ],
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "triggerTimes": {
          "item": [
            {
              "mode": "everyX",
              "value": 10,
              "unit": "minutes"
            }
          ]
        }
      },
      "id": "68e8e89a-7b1e-4efb-b4bb-fb7fa4c08faa",
      "name": "backup every 10 minutes",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.cron",
      "position": [
        -1900,
        320
      ],
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "filters": {},
        "requestOptions": {}
      },
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.n8n",
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "position": [
        -840,
        20
      ],
      "id": "d6b849a8-77c5-448b-9be6-a44c52bbd8cb",
      "name": "n8n1",
      "credentials": {
        "n8nApi": {
          "name": "<your credential>"
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  "settings": {
    "executionOrder": "v1"
  },
  "staticData": null,
  "tags": [],
  "triggerCount": 0,
  "updatedAt": "2025-04-06T19:15:09.988Z",
  "versionId": "01aada55-9477-4d1b-bd93-4154e9841bcc"
}

Credentials you'll need

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How this works

Secure your critical files effortlessly with this automated backup solution that safeguards data against loss or corruption, giving you peace of mind for business continuity. Ideal for small business owners, freelancers, or IT administrators managing sensitive documents, it triggers backups on a schedule to Google Drive, ensuring everything from project files to client records is duplicated reliably. The key step involves creating dedicated folders in Google Drive via its integration, followed by targeted file transfers using HTTP requests to pull data from various sources.

Use this workflow when you need consistent, hands-off backups for cloud-stored assets like website content or database exports, particularly if you're handling moderate data volumes without dedicated IT support. Avoid it for massive enterprise-scale storage demands, where specialised tools like AWS Backup might be more efficient, or if real-time syncing is required instead of periodic dumps. Common variations include adjusting the cron schedule for hourly runs or integrating additional HTTP endpoints for backing up from APIs like Slack or Trello.

About this workflow

backup. Uses googleDrive, httpRequest. Scheduled trigger; 15 nodes.

Source: https://github.com/evilasioferreira/n8n-projetos/blob/3b880dcabb148d6d32c4c77e85832c5eab23fde3/templates/gerenciamentoDeBackup/backup.json — original creator credit. Request a take-down →

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