Custom Backup Overview
The Custom Backup tool helps protect your development work by creating backups of your source folders.
Features
- Smart backup mode - attempts to copy only changed files
- Full backup mode - complete copy of source
- Incremental backup mode - stores changes over time
- Optional checksum verification
- Progress tracking during backup
Backup Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Source | The folder to backup (your dev root or a project folder) |
| Destination | Where to save the backup |
| Mode | Smart, Full, or Incremental backup mode |
| Verify Checksums | Verify file integrity after copying |
Source Selection
You can backup:
- Your entire Development Root
- A specific project folder
- Any folder you select
Destination
Recommended destinations:
- External drive (USB, SSD)
- Network location
- Cloud-synced folder (OneDrive, Dropbox)
- A different drive from your source
Don't backup to the same drive! If your drive fails, you'll lose both the original and the backup.
Backup Modes
Smart Mode
Copies only files that have changed since the last backup.
- Pros: Fast, space-efficient
- Cons: Requires previous backup metadata
- Best for: Regular daily/weekly backups
Full Mode
Copies all files from source to destination.
- Pros: Complete copy, no dependencies
- Cons: Slower, uses more space
- Best for: First-time backups, major milestones
Incremental Mode
Stores changes over time, allowing you to restore to any point.
- Pros: Version history, space-efficient
- Cons: More complex restoration
- Best for: Projects with frequent changes
| Mode | Speed | Space | Restore Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart | Fast | Low | Simple |
| Full | Slow | High | Simple |
| Incremental | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Using Backups
Creating a Backup
- Go to Custom Backup in the left panel
- Set the Source folder (or leave as dev root)
- Set the Destination folder
- Choose a backup Mode
- Click Backup
- Wait for the backup to complete
Restoring from Backup
To restore files from a backup:
- Navigate to your backup destination folder
- Copy the files/folders you need back to your source location
- For incremental backups, restore in chronological order
Backup Location: Project backups default to
%DEVROOT%/backups/{project_name}.
Best Practices
Recommended backup strategy:
- Run Full backup monthly or after major changes
- Run Smart backup weekly during active development
- Enable Verify Checksums for important backups
- Store backups on a different physical drive
- Keep at least 3 backup copies
3-2-1 Backup Rule
- 3 copies of your data
- 2 different storage types (SSD + external drive)
- 1 offsite backup (cloud or different location)
What to Backup
- Always: Source code (
src/,include/) - Always: Build configuration (
xmake.lua) - Recommended: Project metadata (
.git/) - Optional: Build artifacts (can be regenerated)
What Not to Backup
- Skip: Downloaded tools (can be reinstalled)
- Skip: Build cache (
.xmake/,build/) - Skip: Large binary dependencies
Troubleshooting
Backup Fails
- Check you have write access to the destination
- Ensure enough disk space is available
- Close any programs using files in the source folder
Backup Is Slow
- Use Smart mode instead of Full mode
- Exclude large unnecessary folders
- Check your destination drive speed
Verification Fails
- File may have been modified during backup
- Try running the backup again
- Check for disk errors on source or destination
Can't Restore Files
- Verify the backup completed successfully
- Check file permissions on the backup
- For incremental backups, ensure you have all parts