5 Command Line Backup Tools Every Linux User Should Use For Desktops And Servers

17 hours ago

I usage Linux for some desktop and server. My penchant for a server OS is 1 without a GUI, which intends I person to move to a batch of command-line tools. In immoderate cases, I for illustration to usage nan aforesaid command-line devices for some desktop and server, because it simplifies everything. After all, I don't want to person to study 2 different devices for nan aforesaid job. On apical of that, nan command-line devices I've included successful this database are very powerful and elastic capable to meet each of my needs.

With a command-line backup tool, I tin bask automated backups utilizing either built-in features aliases cron, which makes them moreover much flexible. Plus, command-line devices thin to usage less resources than their GUI counterparts.

Also: 8 things you tin do pinch Linux that you can't do pinch MacOS aliases Windows

With that said, what are nan champion command-line backup devices disposable to Linux?

Here are 5 of them for your consideration.

1. Rsync

The rsync command-line backup instrumentality is nan easiest to usage connected nan database and tin beryllium utilized to backmost up locally (to external-attached drives) aliases remotely. Rsync is besides 1 of nan much celebrated backup devices for Linux users. This backup instrumentality includes features for illustration incremental backups, full directory character and record strategy updates, record permission, links, and ownership preservation, and tin beryllium automated pinch nan thief of bash scripts and cron. Of course, rsync doesn't person to beryllium group up for automatic backups, arsenic you tin tally it manually whenever you need.

Also: I'm a command-line pro and this is nan champion terminal app I've ever used, acknowledgment to AI

The champion value astir rsync is that it's really easy to usage (as agelong arsenic you're okay pinch nan Command Line Interface). Not only that, but it's besides accelerated and tin moreover activity complete SSH, truthful it's much secure. Rsync comes preinstalled connected astir Linux distributions, truthful you tin commencement utilizing it correct retired of nan gate.

2. Tar

Tar is simply a command-line archiving instrumentality for Linux that tin besides beryllium utilized for backups. One of nan champion parts of utilizing tar for backups is that it's simple. Tar tin beryllium utilized successful conjunction pinch cron to create automated backups and pinch Gzip to create compressed backups. You tin moreover append a record to a tar backup and exclude files while creating your backup. Tar allows you to position nan contents of a backup and easy extract nan contents. Tar is preinstalled connected each Linux distributions, truthful there's thing to install, and it's free to use. You tin moreover usage tar to backmost up to a distant machine, pinch nan thief of SSH.

3. Bacula

Unlike rsync and tar, Bacula is hard to group up. Really hard. In fact, I would only recommend Bacula to those pinch plentifulness of Linux experience. Even so, Bacula is simply a powerhouse backup tool. With Bacula, you get information backup, recovery, and verification. This backup solution is besides enterprise-ready, truthful you cognize it tin do nan job. The logic why Bacula is truthful challenging is that it is comprised of respective parts: a directory, a console, a file, storage, a catalog, and a monitor.

One information is that nan free type of Bacula is simply a organization edition, but location is besides an endeavor edition, which includes support. Unless you are ace superior astir your backups, I wouldn't propose Bacula. If you are ace serious, Bacula is 1 of nan astir powerful backup solutions you'll find for Linux.

4. Backupninja

Backupninja fits location betwixt rsync and Bacula successful nan trouble category. Backupninja uses ini-style files for configuration, truthful you'll request to understand really those activity earlier you group up your first backup. Backupninja includes features for illustration scheduled backups, scripts to grip different types of backups, position study emails, backup action configurations (using nan ninjahelper wizard), elastic retention options, monitoring, alerts, MySQL database backups, encrypted distant backups, and moreover backups of Subversion repositories. Backupninja tin beryllium installed from nan modular repositories.

Also: Want to prevention your aging computer? Try these 5 Linux distributions

Something to support successful mind is that location is backupninja and Backup Ninja, and they are not nan aforesaid thing. Where backupninja is simply a free, open-source software, Backup Ninja is not.

5. Restic

Restic is a modern command-line backup instrumentality that tin backmost up locally aliases remotely (remote backups are handled via SFTP). Restic uses cryptography for each measurement of nan process, truthful your backups are safe, nary matter wherever you backmost them up. One important characteristic of Restic is that it follows Semantic Versioning, which intends your backups will ever beryllium compatible, nary matter what type of nan app you use. Restic is simply a azygous executable file, which makes it overmuch easier than nan likes of Bacula aliases backupninja. Restic is disposable successful nan Ubuntu modular repositories and nan EPEL repository for Fedora.

Although Restic is easier than nan 2 much challenging backup solutions connected nan list, it is much difficult than rsync aliases tar. With this tool, you person to initialize a repository. Restic features record exclusion, snapshot listing, information restoration, deduplication, compression, cloning, and pruning. Restic is open-source and free to use.

Get nan morning's apical stories successful your inbox each time pinch our Tech Today newsletter.