Why client automations run on self-hosted n8n
Where the data lives and what it costs to run.
Journal of software tool reviews
What LanceTek builds with, what each tool costs to run and when to pick something else. There are 6 entries so far.
From the n8n entry
New email
Draft reply
File invoice
New emailDraft replyFile invoice
Running cost
One small server
No charge per task, so a busy month costs the same as a quiet one.
Suits
Workflows of four or more steps that change often
What every Journal entry answers
Every entry is written for the business, not for developers. It ends with who the tool suits, what it costs to run each month and what would make LanceTek stop using it.
Draft Journal entries on client tools
Proxmox for a small office server
File share, apps and backups on one machine.
Hosted or local AI models for email drafts
One inbox, two models, and which suits whom.
Tailscale for remote access to an office server
Office apps from home, with no ports opened.
Why most client software starts on PostgreSQL
One database any developer can pick up.
Caddy or Traefik for HTTPS on a small server
Certificates that renew by themselves.