A simple Linux backup routine can make recovery possible after a computer fails or a local copy disappears—but only if it protects the right files, keeps a copy away from the computer, and has been tested by restoring data. This guide lays out a practical routine and shows where tools such as Restic, Borg, and Ubuntu’s Déjà Dup fit.
What a useful Linux backup plan needs
A backup is more than a copy command. Ubuntu recommends deciding what to protect, how often to back it up, where the copies will live, and how you will restore them; it also recommends redundancy. Ubuntu’s backup guidance was marked last updated January 20, 2026.
- Scope: Start with irreplaceable personal files—such as documents, photos, and project folders—and decide whether you need file recovery or a whole-system image. A file backup is not a complete operating-system recovery plan.
- Frequency: Choose an interval that limits how much recent work you could lose. Configure the backup tool to run on that schedule; installing it alone does not create a schedule.
- Destinations: Keep a copy separate from the computer. An external hard drive is convenient, but it should not be your only copy or the only copy in the same location as the computer.
- Restore plan: Know how to select a snapshot or archive and restore files to a safe destination. Test that process before an emergency.
Ubuntu advises keeping important backup media off-site in case of disaster. A removable drive that stays beside the computer can be lost in the same event; for better resilience, keep another copy elsewhere or on a remote service. Ubuntu’s guidance discusses removable media that can be moved off-site and copying to a server in another location.
Choose a tool that you can actually restore from
Restic and Borg both store versioned backups, so you can select an earlier saved state rather than relying only on the latest copy. Ubuntu’s Jammy documentation describes Déjà Dup as a simple desktop backup tool using duplicity. These options have different interfaces and workflows; the documentation cited here does not establish a speed or ease-of-use winner.
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| Tool | What the cited documentation establishes | Practical consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Restic | Supports Linux and several storage types, creates snapshots, and supports verification and file restoration. Restic’s stable documentation identifies version 0.19.1. | It does not schedule backups internally. You must arrange regular runs and avoid overlapping jobs. |
| Borg | Stores backup files in archives, supports remote SSH repositories, and documents restoration and retention workflows. Borg’s quick start covers creating and testing backups. | Changing files such as databases or virtual-machine images may need a consistent snapshot, a database dump, or a brief service stop. |
| Déjà Dup | Ubuntu’s Jammy man page describes it as a simple backup tool using duplicity. The package reference in that documentation is specific to Ubuntu Jammy, version 42.9-1ubuntu3. Ubuntu’s Jammy man page. | Confirm the package and available destinations for your Ubuntu release; this version-specific reference does not establish behavior on other distributions. |
When comparing tools for your own use, check the destination types they support, how scheduling and notifications work, how encryption credentials are recovered, how retention and repository maintenance are handled, whether individual files are easy to browse and restore, and what consistency steps are needed for databases, virtual machines, or containers. No comparative benchmark is established here.
Set up a routine with Restic
Restic’s documentation illustrates a backup of a work directory to a repository with restic -r /srv/restic-repo backup ~/work. Its restore example sends the latest snapshot to a separate temporary directory: restic -r /srv/restic-repo restore latest --target /tmp/restore. These are documentation examples, not a complete setup or a whole-system image procedure. Adapt the repository location and selected directories to your machine, and follow the current manual for repository initialization, password handling, storage configuration, and retention.
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- Select what to back up. List the personal directories you cannot afford to lose. Check whether application data needs a special export or consistency step instead of copying live files.
- Choose repository locations. Put one repository on removable storage and arrange a second copy off-site or on a remote destination if you need protection from a location-wide disaster. Keep encryption credentials somewhere recoverable that is separate from both the computer and repository.
- Run a first backup and inspect the result. Confirm that the intended directories were included and that the tool reports a completed run. A successful command is not evidence that the files you care about were selected.
- Configure unattended runs. Restic must be invoked by a scheduler; its documentation names systemd and cron as common choices. Set an interval suited to your work, and ensure a new job cannot start while a previous one is still running.
- Set retention and check available space. Choose how many restore points to keep and verify that the destination has room for the repository and its ongoing maintenance. Retention is a policy choice, not a substitute for a separate copy.
- Verify and test recovery. Run
restic checkregularly, then restore selected files to a temporary directory and open them. Restic documents restoring chosen snapshots or files; Borg’s quick start likewise recommends testing backups and retention behavior. Restic documentation and Borg’s quick start describe these workflows.
Handle application data that changes while backing up
A directory copy can capture inconsistent data if an application changes files during the backup. Borg specifically warns about databases, virtual machines, and containers. Depending on the application, use a suitable filesystem or application snapshot, create a database dump, or stop the service while its files are copied. Do not assume that a backup of a live application directory can be restored cleanly without checking the application’s requirements.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Prove the backup works before you need it
Restore a few important files to a temporary directory and verify that they open as expected. Keep the encryption password or key recoverable independently: if the only copy is on the computer that fails, an encrypted repository may be unusable. Repeat the restore test periodically and after meaningful changes to the backup schedule, destination, or tool configuration.
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