Minecraft Backup
- Android app
- Not listed
- Free plan
- Yes
- Runs on
- Linux, self-hosted
Summary
Minecraft Backup is a free script for backing up world folders from Minecraft servers running on Linux. It can create tar backups or use the restic backend, and it supports servers managed with screen or tmux, RCON, or Docker RCON. It works with vanilla servers without plugins and can post backup status messages in Minecraft chat. Scheduling is possible with cron, and the README includes an hourly example. For old backups, users can choose no deletion, sequential deletion of the oldest backup, or a thinning policy. Thin retention keeps the latest 24 hourly and 30 daily backups, then uses remaining space for weekly backups. Installation requires tar and a compression program, with gzip as the default; RCON use also requires xxd. The project recommends RCON as the safest connection because it waits for the server to confirm saving is complete. One consistency risk is that player data can get out of sync with world data during a backup, potentially duplicating or losing items. The README also warns that a Minecraft bug can make a backup fail.
Who it is for
It suits people running Linux Minecraft servers who want scheduled backups of world folders and control over older backup retention. Users who can use RCON may prefer that connection method for the save-completion check.
What is good
- Free script for Linux Minecraft servers.
- Supports tar files and the restic backend.
- Works with vanilla servers without plugins.
- Supports cron scheduling and custom retention choices.
- Can display backup status in Minecraft chat.
What to know first
- Requires tar and a compression program.
- RCON use also requires xxd.
- Player and world data can become inconsistent during backups.
- A Minecraft bug can cause backups to fail.
Verdict
Minecraft Backup provides configurable world-folder backups for Linux servers, including cron scheduling and several retention choices. Keep the consistency caveat in mind, and consider the project's RCON recommendation for safer backups.
Minecraft Backup plans and pricing
All plansCompared on Minecraft backup software
- Free plan
- Yesgithub.com
- Scheduled backups
- Yesgithub.com
- Backup scope
- worlds_onlygithub.com
- Storage destination
- localgithub.com
- Restore granularity
- full_backupgithub.com
- Retention policy
- customgithub.com
Facts
- Purpose
- Minecraft Backup is a backup script for Minecraft servers running on Linux.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- Backup formats
- It supports tar files and the restic backup backend.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- Server connections
- It supports servers managed with screen or tmux, as well as RCON and Docker RCON.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- World backups
- The script creates backups of Minecraft world folders.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- Old backup deletion
- Its deletion options include thin retention, sequential deletion, or no deletion; thin keeps the last 24 hourly and 30 daily backups, then uses remaining space for weekly backups.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- Vanilla servers
- The script works with vanilla Minecraft servers and requires no plugins.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- Chat status
- It can print backup status messages in Minecraft chat.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- Scheduling
- The README gives a cron example for running hourly backups.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- Dependencies
- The system needs tar and the chosen compression tool; RCON usage also requires xxd.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- Consistency caveat
- Player data can become out of sync with world data during backups, which may duplicate or lose items.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- RCON recommendation
- The README recommends RCON for the safest backups because it waits for the server to confirm save completion.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- Restore guidance
- Tar backups can be decompressed and extracted with tar, while restic backups can be restored with restic restore.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- License
- The repository identifies its license as MIT.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- Download
- The README instructs users to download backup.sh from the latest GitHub release.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- Maker
- The GitHub profile identifies the repository owner as Nicolas Chan and lists San Francisco.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
- Server access
- It supports Minecraft servers running in screen or tmux, or with RCON enabled.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Retention
- It can thin old backups by keeping the last 24 hourly and 30 daily backups, then using remaining space for weekly backups, or delete the oldest backup sequentially.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Docker
- The README documents running the backup script in Docker and using it with the itzg/docker-minecraft-server container and RCON CLI.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Requirements
- Installation requires tar and the chosen compression program, with gzip as the default; RCON use also requires xxd.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Consistency limitation
- Player data can become out of sync with world data during backups, potentially duplicating or losing items; the README recommends RCON as the safest connection method.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Minecraft limitation
- The README warns that Minecraft bug MC-217729 can cause the server to save the world after save-off and potentially make a backup fail.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Maintainer
- The GitHub profile names the maintainer Nicolas Chan and lists San Francisco.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
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Sources
- github.com/nicolaschan/minecraft-backup· checked 2 Oct 2026
- github.com/nicolaschan· checked 2 Oct 2026