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Foisal Islam
Foisal Islam

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I wanted backups on a VPS I rent, not another Dropbox subscription

#selfhosted #opensource #go #backup

Most people need a backup. The usual choices feel bad: a monthly fee to keep files on someone else's computers, "pro" backup software with schedules that are easy to set up wrong, or a USB drive you forget until the day you need it.

I wanted something in the middle — a small always-on computer I rent (a VPS), almost no setup, and defaults that back up the folders I'd miss. That's OpenBackup.

What you get

  • Automatic backups of Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music, Desktop (and folders you add)
  • Only changed pieces of files are uploaded, so daily runs stay light
  • History — restore yesterday's version, or last week's
  • A dashboard in the browser to see devices and download a file or folder as a ZIP
  • An optional desktop app if you prefer buttons over a terminal
  • Optional encryption, so even the server can't read the files (you keep a recovery code)
  • Agents for Windows, macOS and Linux

It does not try to clone your whole OS install. It backs up your files. System folders, trash, caches, node_modules, build output and huge VM images are skipped on purpose.

Android is not ready yet.

Install in four steps

1. Put the server on a VPS (Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 is easiest):

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/foisalislambd/openbackup/main/scripts/install-server.sh | sudo sh
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It prints a web address like http://YOUR_IP:18200 plus a sign-in email and password. Open that, sign in, change the password. Prefer reading the script first if you don't like piping to sh — it's in the repo at scripts/install-server.sh.

2. Create a connection code in the dashboard under Devices. It looks like ABCD-EFGH-JKLM, works once, expires in 24 hours.

3. Connect each computer

  • Windows: download the desktop installer from Releases
  • Mac / Linux: 
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/foisalislambd/openbackup/main/scripts/install-agent.sh | sh
openbackup connect --server http://YOUR_IP:18200 --code ABCD-EFGH-JKLM
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Use HTTPS for real use — the install-server docs cover that.

4. Check

openbackup status
openbackup doctor
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Then restore one file while nothing is broken, so you know how when you need it.

Everyday commands (optional)

The background service keeps working without you. Handy when you want control:

openbackup backup
openbackup folders
openbackup folders add ~/Projects
openbackup pause --for 2h
openbackup find "tax return"
openbackup restore --path Documents/report.docx --to .
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Encryption 

openbackup encrypt
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You'll get a recovery code. Write it down somewhere safe that is not only on that same computer. Lose the code and those encrypted backups can't be opened. There is no "reset password" on the server side — that's the point.

Status and license

Server, agent, dashboard and desktop app work end to end. Current release is v0.2.9. Until 1.0, treat minor versions as able to change the wire protocol — upgrade the server before the agents. MIT. Repo: github.com/foisalislambd/openbackup.

Disk on the VPS matters more than CPU. The README's tip is that many people run this on a roughly €4–6/month plan. prices change; pick a plan with enough disk for your photos and video.

If you try it, I'd like to hear where the defaults were wrong for your machine, and whether the connection-code flow felt clear. Issues and discussions are open on GitHub.

— foisal

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