Volume Backups

Volume backups are essential when your service doesn't fit the traditional database backup solutions. This is common when your application uses SQLite databases or doesn't have a database at all, making Dokploy's dedicated database backup features (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, etc.) unsuitable for your use case.

Volume backups allow you to backup Docker named volumes to S3 destinations, providing a comprehensive backup solution for any type of data stored in volumes.

Supported Services

Volume backups are available for:

Applications - Single container applications
Docker Compose - Multi-container applications

Setting Up Volume Mounts

For Applications

Navigate to your application
Go to Advanced → Mounts
Create a new mount and select Volume Mount option

For Docker Compose

Define volumes directly in your docker-compose.yml file:

services:
  app:
    image: dokploy/dokploy:latest
    volumes:
      - my-volume:/app/data
 
volumes:
  my-volume:

Practical Example: N8N Backup

Let's walk through a common scenario using N8N, which runs on SQLite and stores data in Docker volumes.

N8N Docker Compose Configuration

version: "3.8"
services:
  n8n:
    image: docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n:1.83.2
    restart: always
    environment:
      - N8N_HOST=${N8N_HOST}
      - N8N_PORT=${N8N_PORT}
      - N8N_PROTOCOL=http
      - NODE_ENV=production
      - WEBHOOK_URL=https://${N8N_HOST}/
      - GENERIC_TIMEZONE=${GENERIC_TIMEZONE}
      - N8N_SECURE_COOKIE=false
    volumes:
      - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n
 
volumes:
  n8n_data:

Since N8N uses SQLite (stored in the n8n_data volume), we can't use Dokploy's database backup features. Instead, we'll backup the entire volume.

Creating Volume Backups

Backup Configuration

Deploy your N8N template
Navigate to Volume Backups section
Create a new volume backup with these settings:

Setting	Value	Description
Name	`my-n8n-backup`	Unique identifier for your backup
Schedule	`0 0 * * *`	Daily backup at midnight (cron format)
Destination	Your S3 destination	Must be configured in your account
Service Name	`n8n`	Auto-complete will suggest available services
Volume Name	`n8n_data`	Auto-filled when service is selected
Backup Prefix	Optional	Additional prefix for backup files
Turn off Container	Optional	See safety considerations below
Enabled	✓	Enable the backup schedule

Safety Considerations

Turn off Container during backup option provides two approaches:

Container OFF (Recommended): Safer option that prevents data corruption during backup, this will stop the container during the backup, and then start it again after the backup is done.
Container ON: Faster but may cause inconsistencies if the service is actively writing to the volume

When backing up with the container running, there's a risk of data corruption if the application is actively writing to the volume during backup.

Restoring Volume Backups

Restore Process

Navigate to Volume Backups section
Select Restore Volume option
Choose your S3 destination where the backup is stored
Select the specific backup you want to restore
Enter the target volume name for restoration

Volume Naming for Docker Compose

For Docker Compose services, volume names follow a specific pattern: {appName}_{volumeName}

Example: If your app name is n8n-n8n-kqlble, the volume name would be: n8n-n8n-kqlble_n8n_data

Important Restore Considerations

Before restoring:

Ensure the target volume doesn't already exist
Stop any containers using the volume
Remove the existing volume if necessary

The restore will fail if the volume is in use or already exists.

Finding the Correct Volume Name

Check your Docker Compose file to understand the volume structure
Verify the app name in Dokploy (usually under the name of your service)
Use the pattern: {appName}_{volumeName} for Docker Compose services
For single applications: Volume names are typically simpler and match your mount configuration

This ensures your restored volume will be properly recognized and used by your Docker Compose services when they restart.

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