COMPARE
ops.bd vs n8n
Self-hosted automation, upgraded with an operator brain.
n8n is the developer's choice for self-hostable, fair-code automation. It gives you a node editor and full control. ops.bd complements n8n's node graph with a natural-language compiler, a multi-agent layer, and typed decision audit — the pieces you'd otherwise build yourself.
Feature matrix
| Dimension | n8n | ops.bd |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Self-host or cloud (fair-code license) | Hosted control plane today; self-host on the roadmap |
| Workflow authoring | Manual node-by-node editor | NL compiler + node editor |
| AI decision nodes | Generic LLM node; you manage prompts | Typed AI decisions with schema, confidence, override loop |
| Agent layer | None — you build it in Function nodes | First-class multi-agent roster with role-based authority envelopes |
| Decision audit | Execution log with input/output payloads | Decision-intelligence store: prompt · model · confidence · replay |
| Incident model | Not a primitive | Incidents share the DAG runtime with workflows |
| Community | Very large open-source community, JS-heavy extensions | Newer; TypeScript SDK; connector marketplace on roadmap |
NL compiler
Skip node-graph clicking. Describe the automation; get a validated DAG identical to what you'd build by hand.
Agent envelopes
Every agent has a declared scope ("read stripe, write sheets, cannot send email"). Enforced at the connector boundary.
Decision replay
Any AI call can be re-run against a new model to compare outputs, cost, and latency side-by-side.
Choose n8n when
- You require self-hosting today for data-residency reasons.
- Your team is heavy on JS/TS developers who like writing Function nodes.
- You want to fork and modify the automation engine itself.
Choose ops.bd when
- You want ops people (not developers) to author workflows.
- You need reasoning + audit as first-class primitives, not custom nodes.
- You want incidents and workflows on the same graph runtime.
Migration path
- Describe each n8n workflow in one sentence and pass through the /workflows/new compiler.
- Map n8n Credentials to ops.bd Connectors (Firecrawl, Resend, Sheets ship out of the box).
- Run both engines in parallel; ops.bd's decision log makes A/B comparison trivial.
FAQ
Can ops.bd import n8n JSON?
Not yet. The compiler path is faster in practice for reasoning-heavy workflows; deterministic imports are on the roadmap.
Is ops.bd open source?
Not today. The connector SDK and DAG schema are open; the control plane is hosted.