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:

1. Applications - Single container applications
2. Docker Compose - Multi-container applications

Setting Up Volume Mounts

Volume Backups require Docker named volumes. If you're using bind mounts (like ../files), you'll need to switch to named volumes to use this feature.

For Applications

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

For Docker Compose

Define named volumes directly in your docker-compose.yml file. Note: Bind mounts (e.g., ../files/my-data:/app/data) cannot be backed up using Volume Backups—you must use named volumes:

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

volumes:
  my-volume:

For more information on choosing between bind mounts and named volumes, see the Docker Compose volumes section.

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

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

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

Restoring Volume Backups

Restore Process

1. Navigate to Volume Backups section
2. Select Restore Volume option
3. Choose your S3 destination where the backup is stored
4. Select the specific backup you want to restore
5. 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

Finding the Correct Volume Name

1. Check your Docker Compose file to understand the volume structure
2. Verify the app name in Dokploy (usually under the name of your service)
3. Use the pattern: {appName}_{volumeName} for Docker Compose services
4. 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.