Add: documentation

ShellScripts/rsync-incremental-backups.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Script for performing incremental backups using rsync.
+
+# Set the script to exit if any command returns a non-zero status.
+set -o errexit
+# Set the script to treat unset variables as errors.
+set -o nounset
+# Set the script to exit if a pipeline returns a non-zero status.
+set -o pipefail
+
+# Define the source directory you want to back up.
+readonly SOURCE_DIR="<input folder>"
+
+# Define the directory where the backups will be stored.
+readonly BACKUP_DIR="<output folder>"
+
+# Get the current date and time in the format 'YYYY-MM-DD_HH:MM:SS'.
+readonly DATETIME="$(date '+%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M:%S')"
+
+# Create a path for the current backup using the datetime.
+readonly BACKUP_PATH="${BACKUP_DIR}/${DATETIME}"
+
+# Create a symbolic link called 'latest' that points to the most recent backup.
+readonly LATEST_LINK="${BACKUP_DIR}/latest"
+
+# Ensure that the backup directory exists.
+mkdir -p "${BACKUP_DIR}"
+
+# Use rsync to perform the backup:
+# - 'ahv' preserves permissions, owner, group, and provides verbose output.
+# - '--progress' shows progress during transfer.
+# - '--stats' shows statistics at the end of the backup.
+# - '--delete' removes files from the backup that are no longer present in the source.
+# - '--log-file' specifies a log file for recording backup details.
+# - '--exclude' excludes the '.cache' directory from being backed up.
+# - '--link-dest' specifies a directory with previous backups, enabling hard-linking of unchanged files.
+# - "${SOURCE_DIR}/" is the source directory to be backed up.
+# - "${BACKUP_PATH}" is the destination directory for the current backup.
+rsync -ahv --progress --stats --delete \
+  --log-file="${BACKUP_DIR}/${DATETIME}.log" \
+  --exclude=".cache" \
+  --link-dest "${LATEST_LINK}" \
+  "${SOURCE_DIR}/" \
+  "${BACKUP_PATH}"
+
+# Remove the symbolic link 'latest' to the old backup.
+rm -rfv "${LATEST_LINK}"
+
+# Create a new symbolic link 'latest' pointing to the most recent backup.
+ln -s "${BACKUP_PATH}" "${LATEST_LINK}"