{"slug": "show-hn-an-n8n-alternative-where-coding-agents-build-the-workflows-not-humans", "title": "Show HN: An n8n alternative where coding agents build the workflows, not humans", "summary": "Velane launches an open-source n8n alternative that lets AI agents build, test, and deploy workflows autonomously via MCP, eliminating manual coding of integrations. The platform supports 800+ tools, sandboxed execution, and environment promotion, targeting solo developers and teams using AI coding assistants.", "body_md": "# Don't write workflows.\n\nLet your agent do it.\n\nConnect Velane to Cursor or Claude via MCP. Your agent creates workflows, pulls integration docs, tests against dev, and promotes to production — without leaving the chat.\n\nIntegrations\n\n## 800+ tools. Zero tokens in your code.\n\nYour agent discovers connected accounts and calls any API through Velane — no OAuth flows, no credentials, no glue code.\n\nWho it's for\n\n## Built for developers who ship with AI\n\nWhether you're a solo developer or part of a larger team, Velane fits the way you already work.\n\n### Solo developers\n\nYou're building an AI agent and don't want to maintain a backend just to call Stripe or Slack. Velane handles the runtime, OAuth, and deployment pipeline so you can stay in your editor.\n\n- Ship integrations in one agent conversation\n- No OAuth plumbing or credential management\n- Open source — self-host or use the hosted version\n- Sandboxed execution, no infra to manage\n\n### Teams\n\nYour agents need shared credentials, audit trails, and controlled rollouts. Velane gives every team member's agent the same integrations without anyone touching a secret.\n\n- Shared credential store — one OAuth connection per provider\n- Environment promotion: dev → staging → prod\n- Invocation logs and audit trail per tenant\n- Role-based access: invoke, manage, admin scopes\n\nHow it works\n\n## Your IDE is now your deployment pipeline.\n\nOne MCP connection. Your agent handles the rest — writing, testing, and shipping production workflows autonomously.\n\n### Create & Connect\n\nYour agent calls `list_connections`\n\nto discover your OAuth accounts, fetches live API docs for any provider, then writes Bun or Python code and saves it as a versioned workflow.\n\n### Run & Debug\n\nThe agent invokes the workflow on dev, reads execution logs with `get_logs`\n\n, and autonomously fixes errors — all without leaving the chat window. Each run is isolated in an ephemeral sandbox.\n\n### Promote\n\nOnce tests pass, the agent calls `publish_snippet`\n\nwith `env: \"prod\"`\n\n. Your workflow goes live at a stable HTTP endpoint — versioned, audited, and rollback-ready.\n\nSetup\n\n## Two lines to connect. One handler to ship.\n\nAdd Velane to your MCP config, then your agent writes real Bun or Python code. No credentials in code — the proxy injects auth automatically.\n\n```\n{\n  \"mcpServers\": {\n    \"velane\": {\n      \"url\": \"https://mcp.velane.sh/mcp\",\n      \"headers\": {\n        \"Authorization\": \"Bearer vl_xxxx\"\n      }\n    }\n  }\n}\njs\n// No credentials — proxy injects auth\nconst PROXY = process.env.VELANE_PROXY_URL;\nconst TENANT = process.env.VELANE_TENANT_ID;\n\nexport default async function handler({ customerId }) {\n  const customer = await fetch(\n    `${PROXY}/v1/proxy/stripe/v1/customers/${customerId}`,\n    { headers: { 'X-Velane-Tenant': TENANT } }\n  ).then(r => r.json());\n\n  await fetch(`${PROXY}/v1/proxy/hubspot/crm/v3/objects/contacts`,\n    { method: 'POST', body: JSON.stringify({\n        properties: { email: customer.email },\n    }) });\n\n  return { synced: true };\n}\n```\n\nComparison\n\n## Why not just use...\n\nLambda handles execution. Pipedream handles workflows. Neither was designed for AI agents that write, test, and ship code autonomously.\n\n| Feature | DIY / Lambda | Pipedream | Velane |\n|---|---|---|---|\n| Agent-native via MCP | |||\n| Zero OAuth setup | Partial | ||\n| Isolated sandbox per invocation | |||\n| Execution logs in your agent | |||\n| Environment promotion (dev → prod) | |||\n| Write code in your editor | |||\n| Self-hostable |\n\nPricing\n\n## Simple, predictable pricing\n\nStart free on cloud or self-host under AGPL. Upgrade when you need more.\n\nCloud\n\n### Free\n\nFor personal projects and exploration.\n\n[Get started free](https://app.velane.sh)\n\n- 500 invocations / month\n- Up to 5 workflows\n- Shared runtime\n- All 800+ integrations\n- Community support\n\n### Hobby\n\nFor active builders and indie developers.\n\n[Start building](https://app.velane.sh)\n\n- 10,000 invocations / month\n- Unlimited workflows\n- Shared runtime\n- All 800+ integrations\n- Email support\n- 30-day execution log history\n\n### Dedicated\n\nFor production workloads that need isolation and guarantees.\n\n[Get started](https://app.velane.sh)\n\n- Unlimited invocations\n- Unlimited workflows\n- Dedicated cluster\n- All 800+ integrations\n- Priority support\n- Uptime SLA\n- Custom domain\n\nSelf-host\n\n### Personal / Small Startup\n\nSelf-host the full stack under AGPL-3.0. Free forever for personal projects and startups building open-source products.\n\n[View on GitHub](https://github.com/abskrj/velane)\n\n- Full source code access\n- Deploy on your own infra\n- OpenTofu configs for EKS included\n- Community support via GitHub Issues\n- AGPL-3.0 — changes must stay open source\n\n### Commercial\n\nSelf-host Velane in a proprietary product without the AGPL-3.0 copyleft requirement. Includes a commercial license for your entire organisation.\n\n[Contact for a license](mailto:abhi@velane.sh?subject=Velane%20Commercial%20License)\n\n- Commercial license — no copyleft obligations\n- Self-host on your own infra\n- Full source code access\n- Priority email support\n- License covers your entire organisation\n\nFAQ\n\n## Common questions\n\n## Your agent is waiting for a runtime.\n\nAdd two lines to your MCP config and let your agent ship its first workflow in minutes.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-an-n8n-alternative-where-coding-agents-build-the-workflows-not-humans", "canonical_source": "https://velane.sh/", "published_at": "2026-06-20 18:44:59+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-06-20 19:07:17.818968+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-agents", "developer-tools", "ai-infrastructure", "ai-tools", "ai-startups"], "entities": ["Velane", "Cursor", "Claude", "Stripe", "Slack", "HubSpot", "MCP", "AGPL"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-an-n8n-alternative-where-coding-agents-build-the-workflows-not-humans", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-an-n8n-alternative-where-coding-agents-build-the-workflows-not-humans.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-an-n8n-alternative-where-coding-agents-build-the-workflows-not-humans.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-an-n8n-alternative-where-coding-agents-build-the-workflows-not-humans.jsonld"}}