Regular website backups can help you recover lost data in the event of a problem. Incremental backups go a step further, backing up only changes since the last backup, which is a perfect combination of security and efficiency.

You may have heard people tell their data loss horror stories, and they can’t recover their data because they don’t have backups. Backup is no less important than website insurance. It's like you put a copy of your data in a secure safe box, which in an emergency can be retrieved and rebuild your website with it. The WordPress plugin is very helpful in this regard, and you can find many good options to easily create backups. When you create a backup, you want it to contain everything (files, databases, etc.) of the website at that moment.

Backup Protection WordPress Website

You can learn more about building custom WordPress themes through our comprehensive course. To get a quick look at WordPress themes, check out our course, Building Your First WordPress Theme, which you can preview below: Loading the player… WordPress security has been a long-discussed topic and you can find a lot of related content . Backup is a permanent solution that should be included in the library of tools you use to protect your website. However, WordPress backups can contain different types, such as:

• Manual backup: Here, all web files (such as plug-ins, themes, upload directories) and databases are manually downloaded through PhpMyAdmin, terminals, FTP, etc. If you change your WP website regularly, manual backup is not convenient. They require more time and more work. However, if you are determined to perform a manual backup, you can learn more on SitePoint Premium.
• Automatic backup: You will use the WordPress plugin or some services to perform backups automatically. Plugins can be configured for backup creation intervals (i.e., daily, weekly, monthly, hourly).
• Real-time backups: These backups will sync in real time when you change the content of the website.
• Site-wide backup: Here, the backup is performed on the entire website, not just an XML export of the database or content.
• Incremental Backup: This is a backup type that only copies files and data that have been changed since the last backup.

Incremental Backup

However, the main purpose of this article is not to emphasize the importance of backup. I believe most of you have realized the need for backup. Instead, I will discuss incremental backups specifically, which not only provides website security, but also saves web resources. But before we introduce it in more detail, let's first understand some basic knowledge of incremental backup.

For example, suppose that a full-site backup was performed on the first day. Incremental backups that are later made will save all files that have been changed since the first day of backup. However, the next Incremental backup will only backup files that have been changed since the most recent incremental backup, and so on. Repeat this process until another full-station backup is performed.

The main advantage of incremental backup is that fewer files are backed up every day, which shortens the backup window (backing up a full site can sometimes cause performance issues and require longer backup windows). This way you can preserve web resources, such as server memory and storage usage.

Hopefully, you have recognized the usefulness of incremental backups for your website so far. For this purpose, there are some commonly used backup plugins, but the WP Time Capsule plugin replaces the needs of nearly every other backup solution.

WP Time Capsule

WP Time Capsule provides one of the best implementations for incremental backups for WordPress websites in all backup plugins. After the plugin is installed, it will make a complete backup of your website, including the database and files. Later, it only updates the changes made. This is impressive because it tends to reduce the use of server bandwidth. A full site backup can be as high as hundreds of MB, but many tiny changes are usually small enough to be updated in a fraction of a second.

This plugin is designed to save you time when creating automatic backups. Additionally, the WP Time Capsule plug-in allows you to create, schedule, and automatically send backups directly to Google Drive, Dropbox, and AWS. After performing a backup, it uses the application's native version control system to detect future file changes. Because only modified files are backed up, WP Time Capsule reduces the storage and memory burden you may be keeping multiple large backups. Similarly, backups are retrieved very quickly. Once the plugin is set up, you just need to connect it to your WPTimeCapsule.com account.

If you don't have an account, you can sign up for one.

After entering your email ID, you will be directed to this registration form.

The basic version of this plugin is free to use, but you can also purchase a paid version for more advanced features. The monthly fee for each site is $5, which is quite reasonable. However, if you are looking for other paid solutions for incremental backups, especially incremental backups of multiple WordPress sites, you may be interested in ManageWP, which has been around for a long time.

ManageWP Backup

ManageWP is a traditional web application that you can use to do when you have to manage multiple WordPress websites. It provides one-click access to all websites from a single dashboard. This means you can monitor security and backups from one place. Recently, they have undergone a major service upgrade, which they call Orion. ManageWP Orion provides the ability to perform incremental cloud backup. You can breathe a sigh of relief and let Orion back up the site regularly. This is a great feature because the backups are stored on Amazon Web Services. However, with Orion, backups can only be scheduled monthly, which is where it lags behind the WP Time Capsule plugin. If for some reason ManageWP is not able to meet your needs for updating and backing up your multi-site management system, you can also check out this article about InfiniteWP, another possible solution.

Conclusion

Schedule manual backups regularly is a tedious process that you cannot repeat. It's a waste of time and is unreliable, depending on your busy schedule and your memory. With the available automatic incremental backup solution, this is a situation where you can forget after setting it up. Especially when keeping web resources at the same time! So it's time to move from traditional backup to incremental backup. What type of backup solution do you use? Is it an incremental backup? Share your experience and leave your feedback in the comment box below!

Frequently Asked Questions about Incremental Backup in WordPress

What are the benefits of using incremental backup of my WordPress website?

Incremental backup is a smart and efficient way to back up your WordPress website. Unlike traditional backups that store entire website data every time, incremental backups only save changes made since the last backup. This results in less storage space usage and faster backup times. It also reduces the load on the server, ensuring your website runs smoothly even during the backup process.

How often should I perform an incremental backup of my WordPress website?

The frequency of incremental backups depends on how often you update your website. If you make changes every day, it is recommended to make a daily backup. However, if you update your website less, a weekly or monthly backup is enough. Remember that the goal is to minimize potential data loss.

Is incremental backup safe?

Yes, incremental backups are safe. They use the same levels of encryption and security measures as full backups. However, it is crucial to use a reliable backup plugin and keep it updated to ensure maximum security.

Can I restore my WordPress website from incremental backup?

Absolutely. You can restore your WordPress website from incremental backups just like you would with a full backup. The recovery process may take longer because the system needs to compile all incremental backups to fully restore your website.

What happens if incremental backup fails?

If incremental backup fails, most backup plugins will try to retry the backup. If it continues to fail, the cause must be investigated, which can be a problem from the server problem to the plugin itself.

Will incremental backup affect my website performance?

Incremental backups are designed to have minimal impact on your website performance. They use fewer server resources than full backups, ensuring your website remains fast and responsive during the backup process.

Can I use incremental backups for large WordPress sites?

Yes, incremental backups are great for large WordPress sites. They save only changes, making them more efficient in storage space and backup time, especially for large websites.

How to set up incremental backups on my WordPress site?

Setting up incremental backup involves installing and configuring backup plugins that support this feature. After installation, you can set the backup frequency as needed.

Can I choose what to include in my incremental backup?

Yes, most backup plugins allow you to choose what to include in your backup. You can select the specific file, folder, or database table to include in the backup.

What should I pay attention to when selecting a backup plugin for incremental backup?

When selecting a backup plug-in for incremental backup, look for the following features: easy to set up, automatic backup, reliable recovery features, and good customer support. Also, make sure the plugin is updated regularly and has good reviews.

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