Often it is usefully to trigger backups automatically. For this we can specify a `cron` attribute to each location.
Often it is useful to trigger backups automatically. For this, we can specify a `cron` attribute to each location.
```yaml | .autorestic.yml
```yaml | .autorestic.yml
locations:
locations:
@ -10,15 +10,15 @@ locations:
cron: '0 3 * * 0' # Every Sunday at 3:00
cron: '0 3 * * 0' # Every Sunday at 3:00
```
```
Here is a awesome website with [some examples](https://crontab.guru/examples.html) and an [explorer](https://crontab.guru/)
Here is an awesome website with [some examples](https://crontab.guru/examples.html) and an [explorer](https://crontab.guru/).
## Installing the cron
## Installing the cron
**This has to be done only once, regardless of now many cron jobs you have in your config file.**
**This has to be done only once, regardless of how many cron jobs you have in your config file.**
To actually enable cron jobs you need something to call `autorestic cron` on a timed schedule.
To actually enable cron jobs you need something to call `autorestic cron` on a timed schedule.
Note that the schedule has nothing to do with the `cron` attribute in each location.
Note that the schedule has nothing to do with the `cron` attribute in each location.
My advise would be to trigger the command every 5min, but if you have a cronjob that runs only once a week, it's probably enough to schedule it once a day.
My advice would be to trigger the command every 5min, but if you have a cronjob that runs only once a week, it's probably enough to schedule it once a day.
### Crontab
### Crontab
@ -50,6 +50,6 @@ To debug a cron job you can use
Now you can add as many `cron` attributes as you wish in the config file ⏱
Now you can add as many `cron` attributes as you wish in the config file ⏱
> Also note that manually triggered backups with `autorestic backup` will not influence the cron timeline, they are willingly not linked.
> Also note that manually triggered backups with `autorestic backup` will not influence the cron timeline, they are intentionally not linked.