Minecraft Backup

Backup script for Linux servers running a Minecraft server in a GNU Screen

Still in development, so use at your own risk!

Features

• Create backups of your world folders
• Manage deletion of old backups
  • "thin" - keep last 24 hourly, last 30 daily, and use remaining space for monthly backups
  • "sequential" - delete oldest backup
• Choose your own compression algorithm (tested with: gzip, xz, zstd)
• Able to print backup status and info to the Minecraft chat
• Can back up as many worlds as you like

Requirements

• Linux computer (tested on Ubuntu)
• GNU Screen (running your Minecraft server)
• Minecraft server (tested with Vanilla 1.10.2 only)

Installation

1. Download the script: $ wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nicolaschan/minecraft-backup/master/backup.sh
2. Mark as executable: $ chmod +x backup.sh
3. Configure the variables (in the top of the script) or use the commandline options (see ./backup.sh -h for help)

SCREEN_NAME="PrivateSurvival" # Name of the GNU Screen your Minecraft server is running in
SERVER_WORLDS=() # Array for input paths (paths of the worlds to back up)
SERVER_WORLDS[0]="/home/server/MinecraftServers/PrivateSurvival/world" # World you want to back up
BACKUP_DIRECTORYS=() # Array for directory to save backups in (invoke in same order as input directorys with -i)
BACKUP_DIRECTORY[0]="/media/server/ExternalStorage/Backups/PrivateSurvivalBackups" # Directory to save backups in
NUMBER_OF_BACKUPS_TO_KEEP=128 # -1 indicates unlimited
DELETE_METHOD="thin" # Choices: thin, sequential, none; sequential: delete oldest; thin: keep last 24 hourly, last 30 daily, and monthly (use with 1 hr cron interval)
COMPRESSION_ALGORITHM="zstd" # Leave empty for no compression
COMPRESSION_FILE_EXTENSION=".zst" # Leave empty for no compression; Precede with a . (for example: ".gz")
COMPRESSION_LEVEL=3 # Passed to the compression algorithm
ENABLE_CHAT_MESSAGES=true # Tell players in Minecraft chat about backup status
ENABLE_JOINED_BACKUP_MESSAGE=false # Print a combined Backup info messsage after all Backups are finished - if multiple Backups were performed
PREFIX="Backup" # Shows in the chat message
DEBUG=true # Enable debug messages

4. Create a cron job to automatically backup

a. Edit the crontab: $ crontab -e

b. Example for hourly backups: 00 * * * * /path/to/backup.sh

Help

• Make sure the compression algorithm you specify is installed on your system. (zstd is not installed by default)
• Make sure your compression algorithm is in the crontab's PATH
• Make sure cron has permissions for all the files involved and access to the Minecraft server's GNU Screen
• It's surprising how much space backups can take--make sure you have enough empty space
• Do not put trailing / in the SERVER_WORLDS or BACKUP_DIRECTORYs
• If "thin" delete method is behaving weirdly, try emptying your backup directory or switch to "sequential"
• you can back up multiple worlds into seperate folders or all into one
• the backup for first specified world folder goes into the first specified backup folder and so on...