> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.usertour.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Backups

> Database and environment backup strategies for self-hosted UserTour instances

## Database Backups

It is **strongly recommended** to implement automated daily backups of your PostgreSQL database with a minimum retention period of 30 days for optimal data protection. Always perform a full database backup or server snapshot before upgrading between releases, as each release includes automatic database migrations that may introduce breaking changes.

### Backup Strategies

* **Automated daily backups** with point-in-time recovery capabilities
* **Pre-upgrade snapshots** before any version migration
* **Cross-region replication** for disaster recovery scenarios
* **Encrypted backup storage** to ensure data security

The specific implementation details for PostgreSQL backups depend on your hosting infrastructure and deployment architecture. Refer to the [official PostgreSQL backup documentation](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/backup.html) for comprehensive backup strategies.

### Basic Backup and Restore Commands

**Create a database backup:**

```bash theme={null}
pg_dump -h <host> -p <port> -U <username> -W <database_name> > backup.sql
```

**Restore from backup:**

```bash theme={null}
psql -h <host> -p <port> -U <username> -W <database_name> < backup.sql
```

Replace `<host>`, `<port>`, `<username>`, and `<database_name>` with your actual database connection details.

## Environment Configuration

If your deployment environment lacks secure secret management capabilities and relies on `.env` files for configuration, ensure these files are backed up after every modification. Store backups in encrypted repositories or password managers with proper access controls.

### Critical Environment Variables

Backup the following configuration files:

* Database connection strings
* API keys and authentication tokens
* SMTP configuration for email notifications
* Redis connection parameters (if applicable)