# Database Backup Restore

> Implement backup and restore strategies for disaster recovery. Use when creating backup plans, testing restore procedures, or setting up automated backups.

- Skill: `aj-geddes-useful-ai-prompts/database-backup-restore` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 9 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add aj-geddes-useful-ai-prompts/database-backup-restore`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/aj-geddes-useful-ai-prompts/database-backup-restore/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: aj-geddes (https://skillmd.com/u/aj-geddes-useful-ai-prompts)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/aj-geddes-useful-ai-prompts/database-backup-restore

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# Database Backup & Restore

## Table of Contents

- [Overview](#overview)
- [When to Use](#when-to-use)
- [Quick Start](#quick-start)
- [Reference Guides](#reference-guides)
- [Best Practices](#best-practices)

## Overview

Implement comprehensive backup and disaster recovery strategies. Covers backup types, retention policies, restore testing, and recovery time objectives (RTO/RPO).

## When to Use

- Backup automation setup
- Disaster recovery planning
- Recovery testing procedures
- Backup retention policies
- Point-in-time recovery (PITR)
- Cross-region backup replication
- Compliance and audit requirements

## Quick Start

**pg_dump - Text Format:**

```bash
# Simple full backup
pg_dump -h localhost -U postgres -F p database_name > backup.sql

# With compression
pg_dump -h localhost -U postgres -F p database_name | gzip > backup.sql.gz

# Backup with verbose output
pg_dump -h localhost -U postgres -F p -v database_name > backup.sql 2>&1

# Exclude specific tables
pg_dump -h localhost -U postgres database_name \
  --exclude-table=temp_* --exclude-table=logs > backup.sql
```

## Reference Guides

Detailed implementations in the `references/` directory:

| Guide | Contents |
|---|---|
| [Full Database Backup](references/full-database-backup.md) | Full Database Backup |
| [Incremental & Differential Backups](references/incremental-differential-backups.md) | Incremental & Differential Backups |
| [Full Database Backup](references/full-database-backup-2.md) | Full Database Backup |
| [Binary Log Backups](references/binary-log-backups.md) | Binary Log Backups |
| [PostgreSQL Restore](references/postgresql-restore.md) | PostgreSQL Restore |
| [MySQL Restore](references/mysql-restore.md) | MySQL Restore |

## Best Practices

### ✅ DO

- Follow established patterns and conventions
- Write clean, maintainable code
- Add appropriate documentation
- Test thoroughly before deploying

### ❌ DON'T

- Skip testing or validation
- Ignore error handling
- Hard-code configuration values