Files
Charon/docs/features/backup-restore.md
GitHub Actions 1426c6f885 docs: complete feature documentation rewrite
Comprehensive documentation overhaul for Charon features:

Rewrite features.md as marketing overview (87% reduction)
Create comprehensive dns-challenge.md for new DNS feature
Expand 18 feature stub pages into complete documentation:
SSL certificates, CrowdSec, WAF, ACLs, rate limiting
Security headers, proxy headers, web UI, Docker integration
Caddyfile import, logs, WebSocket, backup/restore
Live reload, localization, API, UI themes, supply chain security
Update README.md with DNS Challenge in Top Features
Total: ~2,000+ lines of new user-facing documentation

Refs: #21, #461
2026-01-15 02:50:06 +00:00

2.7 KiB

title, description
title description
Backup & Restore Easy configuration backup and restoration

Backup & Restore

Your configuration is valuable. Charon makes it easy to backup your entire setup and restore it when needed—whether you're migrating to new hardware or recovering from a problem.

Overview

Charon provides automatic configuration backups and one-click restore functionality. Your proxy hosts, SSL certificates, access lists, and settings are all preserved, ensuring you can recover quickly from any situation.

Backups are stored within the Charon data directory and can be downloaded for off-site storage.

Why Use This

  • Disaster Recovery: Restore your entire configuration in seconds
  • Migration Made Easy: Move to new hardware without reconfiguring
  • Change Confidence: Make changes knowing you can roll back
  • Audit Trail: Keep historical snapshots of your configuration

What Gets Backed Up

Component Included
Database All proxy hosts, redirects, streams, and 404 hosts
SSL Certificates Let's Encrypt certificates and custom certificates
Access Lists All access control configurations
Users User accounts and permissions
Settings Application preferences and configurations
CrowdSec Config Security settings and custom rules

Creating Backups

Automatic Backups

Charon creates automatic backups:

  • Before major configuration changes
  • On a configurable schedule (default: daily)
  • Before version upgrades

Manual Backups

To create a manual backup:

  1. Navigate to SettingsBackup
  2. Click Create Backup
  3. Optionally download the backup file for off-site storage

Restoring from Backup

To restore a previous configuration:

  1. Navigate to SettingsBackup
  2. Select the backup to restore from the list
  3. Click Restore
  4. Confirm the restoration

Note

: Restoring a backup will overwrite current settings. Consider creating a backup of your current state first.

Backup Retention

Charon manages backup storage automatically:

  • Automatic backups: Retained for 30 days
  • Manual backups: Retained indefinitely until deleted
  • Pre-upgrade backups: Retained for 90 days

Configure retention settings in SettingsBackupRetention Policy.

Best Practices

  1. Download backups regularly for off-site storage
  2. Test restores periodically to ensure backups are valid
  3. Backup before changes when modifying critical configurations
  4. Label manual backups with descriptive names