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PlakarKorp

PlakarKorp/plakar

Open-source backup engine that creates encrypted, deduplicated, verifiable snapshots you can browse and restore from the CLI or web UI.

Open-source alternative to:Acronis Cyber ProtectVeeam Backup

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What is it?

Plakar is a backup tool built on Kloset, an immutable data store, and the ptar archive format. It takes snapshots of files and directories, stores them encrypted and deduplicated, and lets you list, inspect, diff, verify and restore them later. A single file can be restored without touching the rest of a snapshot.

Integrations extend Plakar to sources such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, etcd, Kubernetes and S3-compatible object stores, installed through its package manager with plakar pkg add. Kloset stores can be synchronized across locations to support 3-2-1 backup layouts. Plakar does not run as a daemon; scheduled backups are typically driven by cron or a systemd timer.

Encryption covers both data and metadata, and each snapshot can be verified without a full restore. Prebuilt binaries, Homebrew and an apt repository are available, and building from source requires Go 1.23.3 or later.

Key features

  • 01Encrypted and deduplicated snapshot storage covering data and metadata.
  • 02Snapshots can be browsed, diffed, and verified without restoring them.
  • 03Restore a single file or directory from a snapshot.
  • 04Export snapshots as self-contained .ptar archives.
  • 05Integrations for databases, Kubernetes, etcd and S3-compatible object stores.
  • 06Sync Kloset stores across locations.

Use cases

  • Backing up server configuration directories and application data on Linux or macOS.
  • Protecting PostgreSQL or MySQL databases alongside regular files.
  • Maintaining a 3-2-1 backup strategy by syncing repositories to remote object storage.
  • Archiving snapshots as portable encrypted files for long-term storage.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install Plakar with Homebrew (macOS, Linux)

    brew install plakar
  2. 2

    Create a local repository

    plakar at /var/backups create
  3. 3

    Back up a directory

    plakar at /var/backups backup /etc
  4. 4

    List snapshots

    plakar at /var/backups ls

Things to know

  • Plakar does not run as a daemon, so scheduled backups need cron or a systemd timer.
  • Builds from source on the main branch do not include the web UI; use a release build for it.
  • Some integrations (databases, Kubernetes, object stores) must be added separately through the package manager.

In collections

Privacy & local-first tools

Topics

#backup#encryption#deduplication#snapshots#go#object-storage#kubernetes#backups#deduption

FAQ

What is plakar?
Open-source backup engine that creates encrypted, deduplicated, verifiable snapshots you can browse and restore from the CLI or web UI. Plakar is a backup tool built on Kloset, an immutable data store, and the ptar archive format. It takes snapshots of files and directories, stores them encrypted and deduplicated, and lets you list, inspect, diff, verify and restore them later. A single file can be restored without touching the rest of a snapshot.
Is plakar free to use? What license does it have?
plakar is open source under the ISC license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is plakar still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to plakar was on Nov 6, 2026.
What can I use plakar for?
Backing up server configuration directories and application data on Linux or macOS. Protecting PostgreSQL or MySQL databases alongside regular files. Maintaining a 3-2-1 backup strategy by syncing repositories to remote object storage. Archiving snapshots as portable encrypted files for long-term storage.
How do I install plakar?
Install Plakar with Homebrew (macOS, Linux): brew install plakar Create a local repository: plakar at /var/backups create Back up a directory: plakar at /var/backups backup /etc List snapshots: plakar at /var/backups ls
Where can I get plakar?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/PlakarKorp/plakar

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