Backup Instance

When you create your Appsmith instance backup, a backup is created that includes database, configuration, and Git data. This page explains how to back up your self-hosted Appsmith instance using the appsmithctl utility.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure the following:

• Your self-hosted Appsmith instance is running. If you haven’t already installed Appsmith, refer to the Installation guides. This guide assumes you are working with an existing installation.
• Ensure you have at least 2 GB of free storage available to perform backup tasks.
• Ensure you have the appropriate access to execute docker-compose or kubectl commands, depending on your deployment setup.

Create instance backup

You can create a backup archive of your Appsmith instance, including the database, docker.env, and Git data. Follow the steps below based on your deployment environment:

Docker

1. Navigate to the directory containing the docker-compose.yml file.

2. Create a backup archive with encryption by running:

   docker-compose exec -it appsmith appsmithctl backup
   • When prompted, enter a password for encryption and ensure you remember it. This password is required to restore the backup.
   • The backup file is saved in /appsmith-stacks/data/backup/ in the container. On your local machine, you can find it at ./stacks/data/backup/.

3. If you cannot access the backup file or have a different volume configuration, copy the archive file to your host disk:

   docker cp appsmith:/appsmith-stacks/data/backup/appsmith-backup-DATE_AND_TIMESTAMP.tar.gz.enc .

   Replace appsmith-backup-DATE_AND_TIMESTAMP.tar.gz.enc with the backup file name. After completing this step, the backup archive will be available in your current directory.

Kubernetes

1. Retrieve the name of the Appsmith pod (replace APPSMITH_NAMESPACE with your namespace):

   kubectl get pods -n APPSMITH_NAMESPACE

2. Create a backup archive with encryption by running:

   # Replace `ANY_APPSMITH_POD_NAME` with your Appsmith pod name
   kubectl exec -it ANY_APPSMITH_POD_NAME -- appsmithctl backup
   • When prompted, enter a password for encryption and ensure you remember it. This password is required to restore the backup.
   • The backup file is stored in /appsmith-stacks/data/backup/.

3. Copy the backup file to your local machine:

   kubectl cp ANY_APPSMITH_POD_NAME:/appsmith-stacks/data/backup/APPSMITH_BACKUP_FILENAME -n APPSMITH_NAMESPACE LOCAL_BACKUP_FILENAME

   Replace placeholders in capitals with appropriate values. After completing this step, the backup archive will be available in your current directory.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues during the restore process, consider the following:

• Verify that you have the required permissions to execute docker-compose or kubectl commands.

If you continue to face issues, contact support using the chat widget available in the bottom-right corner of this page.

See also

• Schedule automatic backups: You can configure Appsmith to create backups automatically by adding a cron expression to your environment configuration.