The latest articles on DEV Community by mmrmagno (@mmrmagno). https://dev.to/mmrmagno https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3392884%2Fa7dd7693-9e20-4e95-99e3-d69115f38937.jpeg https://dev.to/mmrmagno en mmrmagno Mon, 28 Jul 2025 03:58:52 +0000 https://dev.to/mmrmagno/bonfire-backup-never-lose-your-dark-souls-iii-progress-again-1b1a https://dev.to/mmrmagno/bonfire-backup-never-lose-your-dark-souls-iii-progress-again-1b1a <p><em>Submitted for the Boot.dev Hackathon 2025</em> 🏆</p> <h2> The Problem </h2> <p>Every Dark Souls III player knows the fear: corrupted save files, accidental deletions, etc... Losing dozens of hours of carefully cultivated character builds and hard-earned progress is a nightmare that haunts the Undead.</p> <h2> The Solution: Bonfire Backup ⚔️ </h2> <p>I built <strong>Bonfire Backup</strong>, a Dark Souls III save file backup and synchronization tool that uses Git version control to keep your precious save files safe across the void (With the option to use a remote repository). Think of it as your personal Firekeeper for save data protection.</p> <p><a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fy8x6opvf5cpfl5zi2y5u.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fy8x6opvf5cpfl5zi2y5u.png" alt="Bonfire Backup Screenshot" width="800" height="533"></a></p> <h2> Key Features </h2> <p>🛡️ <strong>Automatic Save Detection</strong> - Finds your Dark Souls III saves automatically across Windows and Linux<br> ☁️ <strong>Git-Based Backup</strong> - Uses Git version control with remote repository sync<br> 🔄 <strong>Real-time Auto-Sync</strong> - File watching with automatic backups when saves change<br> 📁 <strong>Manual Control</strong> - Full backup and restore functionality when you need it</p> <h2> Technical Implementation </h2> <ul> <li> <strong>Electron + React + TypeScript</strong> - Cross-platform desktop application</li> <li> <strong>File System Watching</strong> - Real-time detection of save file changes using Chokidar</li> <li> <strong>Git Integration</strong> - Automated version control using simple-git library</li> <li> <strong>Auto-Detection</strong> - Smart save path discovery for </li> </ul> <h2> Why This Matters </h2> <p>Gaming save data is precious. Unlike other files, saves represent time, effort, and personal achievement that can't easily be recreated.</p> <h2> Installation </h2> <h3> Linux </h3> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight shell"><code>curl <span class="nt">-sSL</span> https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mmrmagno/bonfire-backup/main/install.sh | bash </code></pre> </div> <h3> Windows (PowerShell as Administrator) </h3> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight powershell"><code><span class="n">irm</span><span class="w"> </span><span class="nx">https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mmrmagno/bonfire-backup/main/install.ps1</span><span class="w"> </span><span class="o">|</span><span class="w"> </span><span class="n">iex</span><span class="w"> </span></code></pre> </div> <h2> Testing Without Dark Souls III </h2> <p>Don't own the game? No problem! Create a test save file:<br> </p> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight shell"><code><span class="nb">echo</span> <span class="s2">"test save data"</span> <span class="o">&gt;</span> DS30000.sl2 </code></pre> </div> <p>Then point the app to this file - it works exactly the same way!</p> <h2> What I Learned </h2> <p>Building this taught me about:</p> <ul> <li>Cross-platform file system differences</li> <li>Real-time file watching patterns</li> <li>Git automation in desktop apps</li> <li>Electron's security model with context isolation</li> </ul> <h2> Repository </h2> <p>⭐ Check out the code: <a href="https://github.com/mmrmagno/bonfire-backup" rel="noopener noreferrer">github.com/mmrmagno/bonfire-backup</a></p> <p><strong>Praise the Sun!</strong> ☀️</p> <p><em>Remember: A true Undead never loses hope... or their save files.</em></p> reactnative programming hackathon bootdotdev