# Install backupninja with Homebrew, apt, dnf, zypper

Backup automation tool. Version 1.2.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:backupninja
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install backupninja
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

### Linux

- Debian apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install backupninja
```

  Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: backupninja from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

- dnf (92%):

```sh
sudo dnf install backupninja
```

  Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: backupninja from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

- zypper (92%):

```sh
sudo zypper install backupninja
```

  Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: backupninja from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:backupninja
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Package manager page:** <https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/backupninja>
- **Version:** 1.2.2
- **Source summary:** Backup automation tool
- **Homepage:** <https://0xacab.org/liberate/backupninja>
- **Repository:** <https://0xacab.org/liberate/backupninja>
- **Upstream docs:** <https://0xacab.org/liberate/backupninja/-/blob/master/INSTALL.md>
- **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later
- **Source archive:** <https://0xacab.org/liberate/backupninja/-/archive/backupninja_upstream/1.2.2/backupninja-backupninja_upstream-1.2.2.tar.gz>
- **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T14:02:51-07:00
- **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00

## Executables

- backupninja (cli)
- ninjahelper (cli)
- backupninja (alias)
- ninjahelper (alias)

## Dependencies

- bash
- dialog

## Install behavior

- Post-install hook: not defined
- Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-07-08
- Package-manager version: 1.2.2
- Package-manager updated: 2026-06-22
- Local data: ok
- Upstream repository: https://0xacab.org/liberate/backupninja
- info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.
## Project history and usage

backupninja is a long-running Unix backup coordinator that turns system backups into ordered, scheduled configuration files under /etc/backup.d. Its value is orchestration: it wraps tools such as rdiff-backup, duplicity, borg, restic, database dumpers, and custom scripts behind one simple configuration style.

### Project history

The official changelog records an initial release on 2004-10-08. By late 2004 it had moved to ini-style configuration, root-run handler scripts, a /usr/share/backupninja library directory, scheduled actions, system-report handlers, test mode, and /etc/backup.d permissions.

The 2005 releases added much of the shape administrators still recognize: hourly scheduling, numeric ordering fixes, duplicity and maildir handlers, subversion hotbackup, LDAP support, vserver support, mysql configuration improvements, and safer duplicity options.

Later releases modernized the handler ecosystem rather than replacing the core idea. The 2018 1.1.0 release added initial borgbackup support; the 2021 1.2.0 release introduced restic support, tests, a --version flag, and a Keep a Changelog project format; the 2023 1.2.2 release added Prometheus metrics for backup status.

### Adoption history

backupninja has classic distribution-style adoption. The supplied package-manager facts list Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, and openSUSE packages, while the changelog references Debian bug numbers across many releases. Its audience is administrators who prefer auditable files and cron-like scheduling over a single monolithic backup product.

### How it is used

Users configure global behavior in /etc/backupninja.conf and drop per-action files into /etc/backup.d. backupninja processes suffix-based handlers in alphabetical order, supports scheduled when clauses, can test runs without performing backups, and provides ninjahelper as a curses-based wizard for creating action configuration files.

### Why package nerds care

backupninja is package-nerd history in miniature: a small Debian-era shell tool that survived by being boring, extensible, and distribution-friendly. It is useful precisely because it delegates storage mechanics to packaged backup programs while standardizing scheduling, reporting, handler discovery, and config layout.

### Timeline

- 2004: Initial release recorded in the official changelog.
- 2004: 0.3 rewrote scripts in bash and switched to ini-style configuration.
- 2005: 0.4.4 added duplicity, maildir, subversion hotbackup, and --run support.
- 2005: 0.6 added LDAP and vserver support plus expanded duplicity options.
- 2018: 1.1.0 added initial borgbackup support.
- 2021: 1.2.0 introduced restic support, tests, --version, and Keep a Changelog format.
- 2023: 1.2.2 added Prometheus metrics for backup status.

### Related projects

- The README lists rdiff-backup, duplicity, borgbackup, restic, mysqlhotcopy, mysqldump, PostgreSQL backup handling, Subversion backup support, and arbitrary shell scripts as backup action families. Its design is also adjacent to cron, sysvinit-style ordering, and distribution packaging.

### Sources

- <https://0xacab.org/api/v4/projects/liberate%2Fbackupninja>
- <https://0xacab.org/liberate/backupninja/-/blob/master/README.md>
- <https://0xacab.org/liberate/backupninja/-/raw/master/CHANGELOG.md>
- source_facts.package-manager


## Security Notes

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.

- **Geiger risk:** blue / medium
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal


## Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.


## Configuration files

- Unix: /etc/backupninja.conf, /etc/backup.d/
## Source Database Details

- **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API
- **Tap:** homebrew/core
- **Full Name:** backupninja
- **Version Scheme:** 0
- **Revision:** 0
- **Bottle Stable Root URL:** <https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core>
- **Deprecated:** no
- **Disabled:** no
- **Keg Only:** no
- **URL Keys:** stable

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Debian apt - backupninja - 1.2.2-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: backupninja from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | lightweight, extensible meta-backup system | https://0xacab.org/liberate/backupninja
- Ubuntu apt - backupninja - 1.2.2-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: backupninja from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | lightweight, extensible meta-backup system | https://0xacab.org/liberate/backupninja
- dnf - backupninja - 1.2.2-10.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: backupninja from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Lightweight, extensible backup system | https://0xacab.org/liberate/backupninja
- zypper - backupninja - 1.2.2-3.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: backupninja from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Lightweight, extensible meta-backup system | https://0xacab.org/liberate/backupninja


## Related links

- [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals.
- [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata.
- [Archive and compression packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/archive-compression-tools/) - Matched archive or compression metadata.
- [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata.
- [bash](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bash/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [dialog](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dialog/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [borgmatic](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/borgmatic/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, backup, cli, system.
- [resticprofile](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/resticprofile/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, backup, cli, system.
- [afio](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/afio/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system.
- [asimov](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/asimov/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system.
- [autorestic](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/autorestic/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system.
- [bacula-fd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bacula-fd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system.
- [bareos-client](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bareos-client/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system.
- [borgbackup](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/borgbackup/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system.
- [bashish](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bashish/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: bash, cli, dialog, system.

## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/backupninja.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/backupninja.yml)


## Sources

- Nucleus package database
- Geiger risk classifier
- package-page enrichment
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- package version freshness
- av.db category and tag curation
- package relationship graph
- external package-manager database matches
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
