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Automating File Backup in Shell Scripts

   January 18, 2024
Shell Scripting @ Freshers.in

Creating backups of important files is crucial to safeguard your data. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the world of file backup in shell scripting. Our goal is to automate the process of creating a backup of a file named ‘config.txt’ by copying it to ‘config_backup.txt’. We’ll provide step-by-step examples and output illustrations to help you master this essential skill.

Introduction to File Backups in Shell Scripts

File backups involve duplicating critical files to ensure data preservation. In shell scripting, automating this process can save time and effort, especially when dealing with frequent updates or critical configurations.

Creating a File Backup Script

Let’s begin by crafting a simple shell script to create a backup of ‘config.txt’ by copying it to ‘config_backup.txt’:

#!/bin/bash
# Specify the source file and backup file names
source_file="config.txt"
backup_file="config_backup.txt"
# Perform the file backup
cp "$source_file" "$backup_file"
# Check if the backup was successful
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
  echo "Backup of '$source_file' created as '$backup_file'."
else
  echo "Backup failed. Please check the source file '$source_file'."
fi

In this script:

  • We declare variables source_file and backup_file to specify the names of the source file (‘config.txt’) and the backup file (‘config_backup.txt’).
  • We use the cp command to copy the content of the source file to the backup file.
  • We check the exit status of the cp command using $?. If the exit status is 0, the copy operation was successful, and we display a success message. Otherwise, we show an error message.

Running the File Backup Script

To create a backup of ‘config.txt’, you simply run the script:

./backup_script.sh

Upon successful execution, the script will produce the following output:

Backup of 'config.txt' created as 'config_backup.txt'.

Verifying the Backup

You can verify the backup by inspecting the ‘config_backup.txt’ file:

cat config_backup.txt

The content of ‘config.txt’ should be identical to ‘config_backup.txt’, indicating a successful backup.

Customizing the Backup Process

You can further customize the backup script to accommodate various scenarios, such as specifying different source and backup file names or including timestamped backups.

Advanced Backup Strategies

For more complex backup strategies, consider using tools like rsync or incorporating compression techniques to save storage space and time.

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