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rdiff-backup VS Restic

Compare rdiff-backup VS Restic and see what are their differences

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rdiff-backup logo rdiff-backup

rdiff-backup backs up one directory to another, possibly over a network.

Restic logo Restic

Easy: Doing backups should be a frictionless process, otherwise you are tempted to skip it.
  • rdiff-backup Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-11
  • Restic Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-22

rdiff-backup features and specs

  • Efficient Incremental Backups
    Rdiff-backup creates incremental backups by comparing files and storing only the differences, which reduces storage space and optimizes backup times.
  • Version History
    Allows you to restore files from any point in time since backups are maintained as a series of incremental changes.
  • Bandwidth Efficient
    By transferring only differences over the network, rdiff-backup is bandwidth efficient, making it suitable for remote backups.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Runs on multiple platforms including Linux, macOS, and Windows (via compatibility tools), providing flexibility across diverse environments.
  • Preserves File Metadata
    Ensures that file ownership, permissions, and other metadata are retained during the backup process.

Possible disadvantages of rdiff-backup

  • Complexity in Restoration
    Restoring files can be complicated for users unfamiliar with command-line tools as it requires precise commands to navigate and extract versions.
  • Limited Graphical Interface
    Primarily operated through command-line, limiting accessibility for users who prefer a graphical user interface (GUI).
  • Resource Intensive During Backup
    The process of generating diffs and maintaining a version history can be resource-intensive, potentially impacting system performance during backup operations.
  • Lack of Native Windows Support
    While it can run on Windows with compatibility tools, there is no native Windows version, which may lead to additional setup complexity.
  • Dependency on Python
    As rdiff-backup is written in Python, it requires Python to be installed, adding an extra layer of dependency that must be managed.

Restic features and specs

  • Deduplication
    Restic has built-in deduplication, which ensures that only unique data is stored, reducing backup size and saving storage space.
  • Encryption
    Restic provides top-notch encryption (AES-256 and RSA-4096 by default), ensuring data security during storage and transfer.
  • Cross-platform
    Restic is compatible with multiple operating systems, including Linux, macOS, and Windows, providing flexibility and ease of use across different environments.
  • Efficient Backups
    Restic performs incremental backups, ensuring that only changes made since the last backup are saved, which makes the process faster and conserves bandwidth.
  • Simplicity
    Restic is designed to be easy to use with a straightforward command-line interface, reducing the learning curve for new users.
  • Multiple Storage Backends
    Restic supports a variety of storage backends, including local disk, SFTP, Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, and Microsoft Azure, providing versatility and options for users.
  • Open Source
    Restic is open-source, allowing users to review the source code, contribute to the project, and avoid vendor lock-in.

Possible disadvantages of Restic

  • No Graphical User Interface (GUI)
    Restic primarily relies on a command-line interface. Users who prefer a GUI may find it less accessible or user-friendly.
  • No Granular Scheduling
    Restic does not have built-in scheduling capabilities, requiring users to set up their own cron jobs or use third-party scheduling tools for automated backups.
  • Learning Curve
    Users unfamiliar with command-line tools may find Restic's interface challenging to learn and use effectively.
  • Limited Restore Features
    While Restic is excellent at creating backups, it has fewer options for granular or flexible restore operations compared to some competitors.
  • Performance Issues on Large Repositories
    Although efficient, Restic can experience performance degradation when handling very large repositories, potentially slowing down backup and restore operations.

Analysis of Restic

Overall verdict

  • Restic is considered a good choice for individuals or organizations seeking secure and efficient backup solutions. Its performance, combined with strong encryption and cross-platform support, makes it a reliable option. However, like any tool, it depends on user needs and specific backup requirements. Some users may find that advanced configurations require more manual setup compared to more commercial solutions.

Why this product is good

  • Restic is a free and open-source backup software that is appreciated for its simplicity, security, and cross-platform capability. It's designed with a focus on being easy to use, while providing fast and secure backups. One of its key features is encryption, ensuring that all the data is encrypted at rest and in transit. Additionally, it supports deduplication, which helps in minimizing storage space usage efficiently. Restic also offers support for multiple storage backends, including local disks, SFTP servers, major cloud providers, and more.

Recommended for

  • Individuals looking for a simple and secure backup solution
  • Small to medium-sized businesses needing cross-platform backup options
  • IT professionals who prefer open-source software
  • Users who require data deduplication to save on storage costs
  • Developers and system administrators who prefer command-line tools

rdiff-backup videos

+ Add

Backup unter Linux mit rdiff-backup

Restic videos

+ Add

Making Backups From The Linux Command Line: Restic Review

More videos:

  • Review - Using Restic for backups - Quick and Easy

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to rdiff-backup and Restic)

rdiff-backup

Restic

Cloud Storage
20 20%
Cloud Storage
80% 80
Backup
0 0%
Backup
100% 100
Backup & Sync
100 100%
Backup & Sync
0% 0
File Sharing And Backup
10 10%
File Sharing And Backup
90% 90

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare rdiff-backup and Restic

rdiff-backup Reviews

We have no reviews of rdiff-backup yet.
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Restic Reviews

25 Outstanding Backup Utilities for Linux Systems in 2020
Restic is a free open source, efficient, easy-to-use, fast and secure command-line based backup program. It is designed to secure backup data against attackers, in any kind of storage environment.
Source: www.tecmint.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Restic seems to be a lot more popular than rdiff-backup. While we know about 187 links to Restic, we've tracked only 16 mentions of rdiff-backup. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

rdiff-backup mentions (16)

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Restic mentions (187)

  • Ask HN: What project do you donate to?
    It's mostly what I use daily or a lot (except one these are not recurring; I will try to make these recurring once I am financially there again): - https://objective-see.org/support.html - https://www.thunderbird.net/donate (I hope none of it goes to Mozilla or Firefox. I also hope https://thundermail.com brings something than I can instead pay for, if I can or will decide to afford, instead of intermittent... - Source: Hacker News / 12 days ago
  • Hold My Data
    Run restic to backup an entire filesystem or a subset of it, and upload to a remote S3-compatible storage. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Backblaze seemingly does not support files greater than 1 TB
    Restic is my personal favorite for straightforward file backups. It's simple and well-designed, integrates with rclone meaning it supports any cloud storage service you can imagine, and has a decently large community surrounding it. https://restic.net/ https://github.com/rubiojr/awesome-restic. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Simple backup service with rclone, restic and systemd on WebDAV (or another storage)
    Let me show you how I back up my computers with restic and rclone using simple systemd configuration. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Ask HN: What is your approach for managing personal digital assets?
    I religiously use Google contacts. It's the simplest way to keep people contacts up to date on Android. I archive all important documents in specific folders by subject and date. This is backed up to back blaze with restic. https://restic.net/ I use https://ente.io for pictures. I convinced my wife to use it, and she agreed to auto share her photos so I don't nag her for copies. It had simple import from Facebook... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing rdiff-backup and Restic, you can also consider the following products

Duplicati - Free backup software to store backups online with strong encryption. Works with FTP, SSH, WebDAV, OneDrive, Amazon S3, Google Drive and many others.

Online Vault Backup - Online Vault Backup is a cloud storage service that allows you backup your data while having unlimited storage.

UrBackup - UrBackup is a open source client/server backup system, that through a combination of image and file...

Rebel Backup - Rebel Backup lets you make encrypted backups of your important files to Dropbox or Google Drive.

Rclone - rsync for cloud storage.

WholesaleBackup - WholesaleBackup is an online data backup service provider that turns your system into a backup server, allowing you to host the backup data on your own Windows Server environment.

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