> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://planetscale.com/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # PlanetScale CLI commands: backup Vitess, Neki, and Postgres ## Getting Started Make sure to first [set up your PlanetScale developer environment](https://planetscale.com/docs/cli/planetscale-environment-setup.md). Once you've installed the `pscale` CLI, you can interact with PlanetScale and manage your databases straight from the command line. ## The `backup` command This command allows you to create, list, show, update, restore, and delete branch backups for Vitess, Neki, and Postgres databases, and manage scheduled backup policies. **Usage:** ```bash theme={null} pscale backup ``` ### Available sub-commands | **Sub-command** | **Sub-command flags** | **Description** | **Product** | | :- | :- | :- | :- | | `create ` | `--name` | Backup a branch's data and schema | Postgres, Vitess, Neki | | `delete ` | `--force` | Delete a branch backup | Postgres, Vitess, Neki | | `list ` | | List all backups of a branch | Postgres, Vitess, Neki | | `policy list ` | | List backup policies for a database | Postgres, Vitess, Neki | | `policy show ` | | Show a backup policy | Postgres, Vitess, Neki | | `policy create ` | `--target`\*, `--retention-value`\*, `--retention-unit`\*, `--frequency-value`\*, `--frequency-unit`\*, `--schedule-time`\*, `--name`, `--schedule-day`, `--schedule-week` | Create a backup policy | Postgres, Vitess, Neki | | `policy update ` | `--name`, `--target`, `--retention-value`, `--retention-unit`, `--frequency-value`, `--frequency-unit`, `--schedule-time`, `--schedule-day`, `--schedule-week` | Update a backup policy | Postgres, Vitess, Neki | | `policy delete ` | `--force` | Delete a backup policy | Postgres, Vitess, Neki | | `restore ` | `--cluster-size`, `--replicas`, `--config-profile`, `--router` | Restore a backup to a new branch | Postgres, Vitess, Neki | | `restore show ` | | Preview the Neki configuration-profile and router sizes a restore will use if you do not override them | Neki | | `show ` | | Show a specific backup of a branch | Postgres, Vitess, Neki | | `update ` | `--protected`\* | Update a backup's protected status | Postgres, Vitess, Neki | > \* *Flag is required* #### Sub-command flag descriptions | **Sub-command flag** | **Description** | **Applicable sub-commands** | | :- | :- | :- | | `--name` | Optional name for an on-demand backup or backup policy. | `create`, `policy create`, `policy update` | | `--cluster-size` | Cluster size for the restored branch. Optional for Neki; omit it to keep the source default configuration-profile size. | `restore` | | `--replicas` | Number of additional replicas for a Postgres or Neki restore. `0` creates a single-node Postgres branch; Neki requires a highly available configuration. Omit to use the target cluster size default. Not used for Vitess. | `restore` | | `--config-profile` | Neki restore override: `name=[,cluster-size=][,replicas=]`. Repeatable. Omitted profiles inherit the source. | `restore` | | `--router` | Neki restore override: `name=[,size=][,replicas-per-cell=]`. Repeatable. Omitted routers inherit the source. | `restore` | | `--target` | Branch target: `production` or `development`. | `policy create`, `policy update` | | `--retention-value` | Retention period value. | `policy create`, `policy update` | | `--retention-unit` | Retention unit: `hour`, `day`, `week`, `month`, or `year`. | `policy create`, `policy update` | | `--frequency-value` | Frequency value. | `policy create`, `policy update` | | `--frequency-unit` | Frequency unit: `hour`, `day`, `week`, or `month`. | `policy create`, `policy update` | | `--schedule-time` | Schedule time of day in `HH:MM` format. | `policy create`, `policy update` | | `--schedule-day` | Day of week (`0`=Sunday … `6`=Saturday); used for weekly/monthly schedules. | `policy create`, `policy update` | | `--schedule-week` | Week of month (`0`=first … `3`=fourth); used for monthly schedules. | `policy create`, `policy update` | | `--force` | Delete a backup or backup policy without confirmation. | `delete`, `policy delete` | | `--protected` | Protect the backup from deletion (`--protected=false` to disable). Required on `update`. | `update` | ### Available flags | **Flag** | **Description** | | :- | :- | | `-h`, `--help` | View help for `backup` command | | `--org ` | The organization for the current user | ### Global flags | **Command** | **Description** | | :- | :- | | `--api-token ` | The API token to use for authenticating against the PlanetScale API. | | `--api-url ` | The base URL for the PlanetScale API. Default is `https://api.planetscale.com/`. | | `--config ` | Config file. Default is `$HOME/.config/planetscale/pscale.yml`. | | `--debug` | Enable debug mode. | | `-f`, `--format ` | Show output in a specific format. Possible values: `human` (default), `json`, `csv`. | | `--no-color` | Disable color output. | | `--service-token ` | The service token for authenticating. | | `--service-token-id ` | The service token ID for authenticating. | ## Examples ### The `list` sub-command with `--org` flag **Command:** ```bash theme={null} pscale backup list --org ``` **Output:** ```bash theme={null} ID NAME STATE SIZE CREATED AT UPDATED AT STARTED AT EXPIRES AT COMPLETED AT -------------- --------------------- --------- ------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------------- -------------- xxxxxxxx 2022.02.11 16:01:03 success 24.1M 3 hours ago 3 hours ago 3 hours ago 1 day from now 3 hours ago xxxxxxxx 2022.02.10 16:01:03 success 23.2M 1 day ago 1 day ago 1 day ago 20 hours from now 1 day ago ``` ### The `show` sub-command **Command:** ```bash theme={null} pscale backup show ``` You can find the `` by running the `pscale backup list ` command. **Output:** ```bash theme={null} ID NAME STATE SIZE CREATED AT UPDATED AT STARTED AT EXPIRES AT COMPLETED AT -------------- --------------------- --------- ------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------------- -------------- xxxxxxxx 2022.02.11 16:01:03 success 24.1M 3 hours ago 3 hours ago 3 hours ago 1 day from now 3 hours ago ``` ### Manage backup policies Backup policies define automatic backup frequency, schedule, and retention for production or development branches. This is separate from one-off backups created with `pscale backup create`. ```bash theme={null} pscale backup policy list pscale backup policy create \ --target production \ --retention-value 7 \ --retention-unit day \ --frequency-value 1 \ --frequency-unit day \ --schedule-time 02:00 pscale backup policy update --retention-value 14 pscale backup policy delete ``` ### Restore a backup to a new branch `` is the branch to create. It must not already exist. Identify the backup by ID; the source branch is not a restore argument. ```bash theme={null} pscale backup restore ``` For Neki, omitted configuration-profile and router sizes inherit the live source branch. Preview those defaults first: ```bash theme={null} pscale backup restore show ``` Override individual Neki configuration profiles or routers. `name` is required; size and replica count are optional per entry. ```bash theme={null} pscale backup restore \ --config-profile name=default,cluster-size=PS_40,replicas=2 \ --config-profile name=analytics,replicas=2 \ --router name=default,size=NKR-20,replicas-per-cell=1 ``` `--config-profile` and `--router` are Neki-only. Sidecar, admin, and parameter settings are not restored. You can also restore with [`pscale branch create --restore`](https://planetscale.com/docs/cli/branch). ### Protect a backup from deletion `--protected` is required. Use `--protected=false` to turn protection off. ```bash theme={null} pscale backup update --protected pscale backup update --protected=false ``` ## Need help? Get help from [the PlanetScale Support team](https://planetscale.com/contact?initial=support), or join our [Discord community](https://pscale.link/community) to see how others are using PlanetScale. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.