;
};
## Getting Started
Make sure to first [set up your PlanetScale developer environment](/docs/cli/planetscale-environment-setup). 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`](/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.