# Backups and restore — community wiki

Zdroj: https://hermes-ai.cz/en/wiki/features/backups-and-restore/
Ověřeno proti oficiální dokumentaci: 17. 10. 2026
Oficiální stránka: https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/reference/cli-commands
Language: English. AI version — paste the whole text into your agent.

## What to back up
Everything lives in ~/.hermes/: config.yaml, .env, auth.json · state.db (+ -wal, -shm) = conversations ·
skills/, memories/ · cron/ · SOUL.md and profiles. Several profiles = several state.db files.

## hermes backup
hermes backup [-o path] [--quick] [--label name] [-k N] · default ~/hermes-backup-<timestamp>.zip.
--quick = critical state only (config.yaml, state.db, .env, auth, cron). -k keeps the newest N full backups
(default 3; 0 = all). Uses SQLite backup() -> consistent while running (WAL safe).
Exit codes: 0 complete, 1 some files skipped (zip kept, --keep skipped), 2 another backup running.
Excluded: agent code, models/runtimes/node, caches, checkpoints/, older backups and state-snapshots/, SQLite sidecars.

## Restore
hermes gateway stop · hermes import <zip> (-f skips the prompt; CRC-checked before writing; damaged archive
writes nothing; partial restore = exit 1). hermes backup restore --state pre-update rolls back the pre-update
snapshot. state-snapshots/ holds quick snapshots.

## backup vs profile export
hermes backup = whole machine incl. .env and auth.json -> never share it.
hermes profile export = single profile, tar.gz, credentials stripped -> safe to share.

## Broken sessions
"Old copy of the write-ahead log" means the agent stopped writing (data is safe).
1) hermes gateway stop (+ Desktop, dashboard, cron) · 2) hermes doctor lists holders (PID) · 3) start again.
NEVER: delete state.db-wal/-shm · cp state.db alone · doctor --fix while running · sessions optimize
under a live gateway. Diagnose: hermes sessions recover --inspect-only | --output · sessions repair --check-only | repair.

## Our practice
--quick before every update; daily full backup off the machine; restores tested into a scratch profile;
sites have their own backup (git, DB replication). In cron use the full path to hermes (which hermes).