Actions107
- Node Actions
- Network Actions
- Container Actions
- Container List
- Container Create
- Container Inspect
- Container Top
- Container Logs
- Container Changes
- Container Export
- Container Stats
- Container Resize
- Container Start
- Container Stop
- Container Restart
- Container Kill
- Container Update
- Container Rename
- Container Pause
- Container Unpause
- Container Attach
- Container Attach Websocket
- Container Wait
- Container Delete
- Container Archive Info
- Container Archive
- Put Container Archive
- Container Prune
- Image Actions
- Volume Actions
- Swarm Actions
- Secret Actions
- System Actions
- Exec Actions
- Service Actions
- Task Actions
- Config Actions
- Plugin Actions
- Distribution Actions
- Session Actions
Overview
This node allows you to start a Docker container by interacting with the Portainer API. It is useful in automation workflows where you need to programmatically control container lifecycle, such as starting containers on demand after deployment or during scaling operations.
Practical examples include:
- Automatically starting a specific container after a successful build or deployment.
- Integrating container management into CI/CD pipelines.
- Starting containers based on external triggers or schedules within n8n workflows.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| EndpointID Name or ID | The identifier of the Portainer endpoint to use for accessing the Docker API. You can select from a list of available endpoints or specify an ID via expression. |
| Id | The ID or name of the Docker container you want to start. |
| Additional Fields | Optional additional parameters: - Detach Keys: Override the key sequence used to detach from the container. This can be a single character [a-z] or a control sequence like ctrl-a, ctrl-@, etc. |
Output
The node outputs JSON data representing the response from the Portainer API when starting the container. This typically includes status information about the container start operation.
No binary data output is involved.
Dependencies
- Requires access to a Portainer instance with its API enabled.
- Requires an API authentication token configured in n8n credentials to authenticate requests to the Portainer API.
- The node uses the Portainer API endpoint
/api/endpoints/{endpointId}/docker/containers/{id}/startto start containers.
Troubleshooting
Common issues:
- Invalid or missing Endpoint ID: Ensure the selected endpoint exists and is accessible.
- Incorrect container ID or name: Verify the container identifier is correct and the container exists on the specified endpoint.
- Authentication errors: Confirm that the API key or token credential is valid and has sufficient permissions.
- Network connectivity problems between n8n and the Portainer server.
Error messages:
- Unauthorized or 401 errors indicate invalid credentials.
- 404 errors may mean the container or endpoint was not found.
- 500 or other server errors suggest issues on the Portainer side or malformed requests.
Resolving these usually involves verifying credentials, endpoint availability, and container existence.