Website backup PHP component

Context

I needed for a while to package a PHP component which will allow me to quickly and safely backup websites I do. Goals below :

• Command line execution (automation approach)
• Highly configurable (websites addition, backup medias…)
• Composer-based approach (PHAR, auto-update).

So I developed websites-backup. Details are below.

Component usage

Using a YAML configuration file, you can setup :

• Several sites to backup (physically on the server and accessible to command system user) : each site is composed with a couple database/files (only MySQL so far)
• Several backup medias : So far, only FTP is developed. Eventually I would like to setup an Amazon and Dropbox gateway. Main goal here is clearly allowing simultaneous and synchronised muliple backup storages.

Note : from a security point of view, I recommand to create a system user per site, with read-only rights.

Symfony components based…

I used this project as a training to use only few Symfony components. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a very good way to really handle them and focus on their perimeters & limitations. Quick check on composer.json gives the components list:

• Console component : it gives the command line approach & tools. Arguments, options, console styling…
• Config component : it provides the configuration ability, with powerful chained methods to allow you to check and decides what to do with configuration values transmitted to your application.
• YAML component : the YAML parser, useful to read the quoted above configuration file.

…But not only

In order to strenghten the application on usage and maintenance point of views, I alwo use packages :

• The excellent Box : allows you to make configurable PHAR in no-time.
• Phar update (old but still working) : with a manifest system, provide necessary logic to check newer versions and update if necessary. Below is the process I follow :

1. Make the updates (code, README…) which will be future release
2. Git updates and coherent tag creation (i.e : 1.0.13)
3. Application packaging with Box
4. Archive and up-to-date manifest publication on GitHub pages (gh-pages branch)

Then, next time application runs, it decides using the manifest if a newer version is available (version numeric comparison, that’s why coherent and consecutive tagging does the trick). self-update command will actually update the application.

Also

Considering the fact that multiple commands are available using websites-backup, I chose Pimple to have a simple but powerful dependency injection container system. I can instanciate dependencies on main application entry point :

$container = new Container();
$container['tools'] = new BackupTools();

And then pass container to all commands :

$application->add(new Command\BackupCommand('backup', $container));
$application->add(new Command\RetrieveBackupCommand('retrieve', $container));

Roadmap

OK, things work, but there are numerous features and improvements I wish to add. If you find the project interesting and would like to give an hand, fell free to contact me !