Backups

Regular backups are essential for protecting your Chamilo data. This page covers what to back up and how.

What to Back Up

1. Database

The Chamilo database contains all platform data: users, courses, tracking, grades, messages, and settings. This is the most critical component to back up.

How to back up:

mysqldump -u username -p chamilo_database > chamilo_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql

2. Files

Chamilo stores uploaded files (documents, images, SCORM packages) in the filesystem. The key directories to back up:

• var/ — Uploaded files and resources

• public/plugin/ — Plugin files (only if you have added custom plugins)

If you use cloud storage (S3, Azure Blob), ensure your cloud provider's backup/versioning is enabled.

3. Configuration

• .env — Your environment configuration

• config/ — Any custom configuration files

Backup Schedule

Component	Recommended frequency
Database	Daily
Files	Daily or weekly (depending on upload activity)
Configuration	After any configuration change

Restoration

To restore from a backup:

1. Restore the database from the SQL dump

2. Restore the file directories

3. Restore the configuration files

4. Clear the Symfony cache: php bin/console cache:clear

Tips

• Automate backups — Use cron jobs to run backups automatically

• Store off-site — Keep backup copies on a separate server or cloud storage

• Test restoration — Periodically test that you can restore from a backup successfully

• Document your process — Keep written instructions for the restoration process so anyone on the team can perform it