borg/docs/usage.rst

.. include:: global.rst.inc
.. _detailed_usage:

Usage
=====

|project_name| consists of a number of commands. Each command accepts
a number of arguments and options. The following sections will describe each
command in detail.

Quiet by default
----------------

Like most UNIX commands |project_name| is quiet by default but the ``-v`` or
``--verbose`` option can be used to get the program to output more status
messages as it is processing.

Return codes
------------

|project_name| can exit with the following return codes (rc):

::

    0      no error, normal termination
    1      some error occurred (this can be a complete or a partial failure)
    128+N  killed by signal N (e.g. 137 == kill -9)


Note: we are aware that more distinct return codes might be useful, but it is
not clear yet which return codes should be used for which precise conditions.

See issue #61 for a discussion about that. Depending on the outcome of the
discussion there, return codes may change in future (the only thing rather sure
is that 0 will always mean some sort of success and "not 0" will always mean
some sort of warning / error / failure - but the definition of success might
change).

Environment Variables
---------------------

|project_name| uses some environment variables for automation:

::

    Specifying a passphrase:
        BORG_PASSPHRASE : When set, use the value to answer the passphrase question for encrypted repositories.

    Some "yes" sayers (if set, they automatically confirm that you really want to do X even if there is that warning):
        BORG_UNKNOWN_UNENCRYPTED_REPO_ACCESS_IS_OK : For "Warning: Attempting to access a previously unknown unencrypted repository"
        BORG_RELOCATED_REPO_ACCESS_IS_OK : For "Warning: The repository at location ... was previously located at ..."
        BORG_CHECK_I_KNOW_WHAT_I_AM_DOING : For "Warning: 'check --repair' is an experimental feature that might result in data loss."

    Directories:
        BORG_KEYS_DIR : Default to '~/.borg/keys'. This directory contains keys for encrypted repositories.
        BORG_CACHE_DIR : Default to '~/.cache/borg'. This directory contains the local cache.

    Building:
        BORG_OPENSSL_PREFIX : Adds given OpenSSL header file directory to the default locations (setup.py).


Please note:

- be very careful when using the "yes" sayers, the warnings with prompt exist for your / your data's security/safety
- also be very careful when putting your passphrase into a script, make sure it has appropriate file permissions
  (e.g. mode 600, root:root).


.. include:: usage/init.rst.inc

Examples
~~~~~~~~
::

    # Local repository
    $ borg init /mnt/backup

    # Remote repository (accesses a remote borg via ssh)
    $ borg init user@hostname:backup

    # Encrypted remote repository
    $ borg init --encryption=passphrase user@hostname:backup


.. include:: usage/create.rst.inc

Examples
~~~~~~~~
::

    # Backup ~/Documents into an archive named "my-documents"
    $ borg create /mnt/backup::my-documents ~/Documents

    # Backup ~/Documents and ~/src but exclude pyc files
    $ borg create /mnt/backup::my-files   \
        ~/Documents                       \
        ~/src                             \
        --exclude '*.pyc'

    # Backup the root filesystem into an archive named "root-YYYY-MM-DD"
    NAME="root-`date +%Y-%m-%d`"
    $ borg create /mnt/backup::$NAME / --do-not-cross-mountpoints

    # Backup huge files with little chunk management overhead
    $ borg create --chunker-params 19,23,21,4095 /mnt/backup::VMs /srv/VMs


.. include:: usage/extract.rst.inc

Examples
~~~~~~~~
::

    # Extract entire archive
    $ borg extract /mnt/backup::my-files

    # Extract entire archive and list files while processing
    $ borg extract -v /mnt/backup::my-files

    # Extract the "src" directory
    $ borg extract /mnt/backup::my-files home/USERNAME/src

    # Extract the "src" directory but exclude object files
    $ borg extract /mnt/backup::my-files home/USERNAME/src --exclude '*.o'

.. include:: usage/check.rst.inc

.. include:: usage/delete.rst.inc

.. include:: usage/list.rst.inc

Examples
~~~~~~~~
::

    $ borg list /mnt/backup
    my-files            Thu Aug  1 23:33:22 2013
    my-documents        Thu Aug  1 23:35:43 2013
    root-2013-08-01     Thu Aug  1 23:43:55 2013
    root-2013-08-02     Fri Aug  2 15:18:17 2013
    ...

    $ borg list /mnt/backup::root-2013-08-02
    drwxr-xr-x root   root          0 Jun 05 12:06 .
    lrwxrwxrwx root   root          0 May 31 20:40 bin -> usr/bin
    drwxr-xr-x root   root          0 Aug 01 22:08 etc
    drwxr-xr-x root   root          0 Jul 15 22:07 etc/ImageMagick-6
    -rw-r--r-- root   root       1383 May 22 22:25 etc/ImageMagick-6/colors.xml
    ...


.. include:: usage/prune.rst.inc

Examples
~~~~~~~~
::

    # Keep 7 end of day and 4 additional end of week archives:
    $ borg prune /mnt/backup --keep-daily=7 --keep-weekly=4

    # Same as above but only apply to archive names starting with "foo":
    $ borg prune /mnt/backup --keep-daily=7 --keep-weekly=4 --prefix=foo

    # Keep 7 end of day, 4 additional end of week archives,
    # and an end of month archive for every month:
    $ borg prune /mnt/backup --keep-daily=7 --keep-weekly=4 --keep-monthly=-1

    # Keep all backups in the last 10 days, 4 additional end of week archives,
    # and an end of month archive for every month:
    $ borg prune /mnt/backup --keep-within=10d --keep-weekly=4 --keep-monthly=-1


.. include:: usage/info.rst.inc

Examples
~~~~~~~~
::

    $ borg info /mnt/backup::root-2013-08-02
    Name: root-2013-08-02
    Fingerprint: bc3902e2c79b6d25f5d769b335c5c49331e6537f324d8d3badcb9a0917536dbb
    Hostname: myhostname
    Username: root
    Time: Fri Aug  2 15:18:17 2013
    Command line: /usr/bin/borg create --stats /mnt/backup::root-2013-08-02 / --do-not-cross-mountpoints
    Number of files: 147429
    Original size: 5344169493 (4.98 GB)
    Compressed size: 1748189642 (1.63 GB)
    Unique data: 64805454 (61.80 MB)


.. include:: usage/mount.rst.inc

Examples
~~~~~~~~
::

    $ borg mount /mnt/backup::root-2013-08-02 /tmp/mymountpoint
    $ ls /tmp/mymountpoint
    bin  boot  etc  lib  lib64  mnt  opt  root  sbin  srv  usr  var
    $ fusermount -u /tmp/mymountpoint


.. include:: usage/change-passphrase.rst.inc

Examples
~~~~~~~~
::

    # Create a key file protected repository
    $ borg init --encryption=keyfile /mnt/backup
    Initializing repository at "/mnt/backup"
    Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):
    Enter same passphrase again: 
    Key file "/home/USER/.borg/keys/mnt_backup" created.
    Keep this file safe. Your data will be inaccessible without it.

    # Change key file passphrase
    $ borg change-passphrase /mnt/backup
    Enter passphrase for key file /home/USER/.borg/keys/mnt_backup:
    New passphrase: 
    Enter same passphrase again: 
    Key file "/home/USER/.borg/keys/mnt_backup" updated


.. include:: usage/serve.rst.inc

Examples
~~~~~~~~
::

    # Allow an SSH keypair to only run |project_name|, and only have access to /mnt/backup.
    # This will help to secure an automated remote backup system.
    $ cat ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
    command="borg serve --restrict-to-path /mnt/backup" ssh-rsa AAAAB3[...]