# convex-backup

Sets up Convex snapshot exports and runs a restore drill into a throwaway preview, so you find out whether recovery actually works.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 35900 installs · ★ 68
- Author: convex
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/convex/agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/convex-backup/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-13
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/convex-backup

## What it does

The skill covers both halves of a backup story: taking the snapshot and proving you can get it back. It exports with `npx convex export --path backup-<date>.zip`, adding `--include-file-storage` when the app stores files. Then it suggests a cadence matched to your RPO — how much data loss you can tolerate — for example a daily export through CI or cron into storage you control, with a retention window.

The restore drill is the part most setups skip. Recovery goes into a throwaway preview built from the current code: `npx convex deploy --preview-create restore-drill-<date>`, then `npx convex import backup-<date>.zip --deployment restore-drill-<date> --replace`. After the import the skill reads the data back and compares critical-table row counts plus a sample of real records against the source. A restore that reports success but lands 0 rows is a failed drill.

The drill needs a Preview Deploy Key in `CONVEX_DEPLOY_KEY`, which is a paid-tier feature. Without it, the skill falls back to a fresh personal dev deployment. Snapshots are real data, so local copies get deleted afterwards and the backup file must never be committed. The runbook for restoring to prod (`npx convex import backup.zip --replace --prod`) is gated by deploy-guard and states the post-snapshot write-loss caveat.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add convex/agent-skills --skill convex-backup -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/convex-backup/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/convex-backup/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add convex/agent-skills --skill convex-backup -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/convex-backup/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add convex/agent-skills --skill convex-backup -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/convex-backup/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install convex/agent-skills convex-backup
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/convex-backup/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add convex/agent-skills --skill convex-backup -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/convex/agent-skills --path skills/convex-backup
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/convex-backup/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add convex/agent-skills --skill convex-backup -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/convex/agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/convex-backup/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- export a Convex database snapshot to a zip file
- schedule exports around a tolerable data-loss window
- verify recovery in a throwaway preview instead of prod
- compare critical-table row counts after an import
- write a prod restore runbook gated by deploy-guard

## Example prompts
- back up my Convex database and run a restore drill
- set up a daily Convex export to my own storage
- restore the snapshot into a preview and check the data came back

## Source text · SKILL.md · Apache-2.0

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 93db61c0ecdb4030.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 93db61c0ecdb4030
```text
---
name: convex-backup
description: "Set up Convex backups and run a restore DRILL that proves recovery — snapshot, restore into a throwaway preview, assert the data came back — plus a schedule matched to your RPO and a gated recovery runbook."
---

<!-- GENERATED from convex-agents content/capabilities/convex-backup.json — do not edit by hand. -->

# Back up — and prove the restore works

Every backup story has two halves and most people only do the first: taking the backup, and proving you can get it back. This capability does both — it sets up regular snapshot exports and then runs a RESTORE DRILL that actually recovers the data into a disposable preview and asserts it's intact. The drill reuses migrate-rehearse's exact primitives (snapshot export → preview deploy → snapshot import) pointed at recovery instead of a forward change, so the safety net is tested, not assumed.

## Workflow

1. GUARD: deploy-guard — classify + announce the deployment being backed up (reading/exporting is safe; the drill's restore target is a throwaway preview, never prod).
2. TAKE the snapshot: `npx convex export --path backup-<date>.zip` (add `--include-file-storage` if the app stores files). This is the backup artifact; treat it as sensitive real data.
3. SCHEDULE it (the ongoing half): recommend a cadence matched to how fast the data changes and how much loss is tolerable (RPO) — e.g. a daily `npx convex export` via CI/cron to durable storage the user controls, with a retention window. Convex's own platform backups exist; this adds a user-owned, portable copy.
4. RESTORE DRILL (the half almost nobody does — this is the point):
   (a) PRECONDITION: a Preview Deploy Key as `CONVEX_DEPLOY_KEY` (same requirement as migrate-rehearse; a paid-tier feature). If unavailable, drill against a fresh personal dev deployment instead and say so.
   (b) create a throwaway preview from the CURRENT code: `npx convex deploy --preview-create restore-drill-<date>`.
   (c) restore the snapshot into it: `npx convex import backup-<date>.zip --deployment restore-drill-<date> --replace` (import targets a deployment by NAME with `--deployment`; there is no `--preview-name` on import).
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 93db61c0ecdb4030

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the 93db61c0ecdb4030 tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

First 2200 of 4172 bytes. © convex · Apache-2.0 · https://github.com/convex/agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/convex-backup/SKILL.md

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