Getting started with Cronopete for Linux backups

How to create and restore backups with this Time Machine-style tool for Linux systems.

There are many ways to back up a Linux system. Early on, I used the tar command, and later switched to rsync to protect a mail server running on RHEL 2.1. Linux has always offered a Swiss Army knife’s worth of backup tools. These days, I’m focused on personal backups, like my workstation or the laptop I use to write most of my articles.

For a while, I relied on DejaDup. But after a fellow blogger recommended Cronopete, I gave it a try. They described it as the closest thing to macOS Time Machine for Linux, and having used Time Machine in the past, I immediately felt at home with Cronopete’s interface and approach.

Cronopete is an underrated gem in the open source world. The current version (4.19.0) is available for both RPM and Debian-based systems from the Rastersoft website. You can also build it from source if needed. I downloaded the RPM package for Fedora, double-clicked it in my Downloads folder, and the installer handled the rest.

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Once installed, Cronopete adds a shortcut to your system tray.

According to the project:

“As a backup utility, it makes periodically a copy of all the user files in a separate hard disk, thus allowing to recover them in case of accidentally deleting a file, or if the main hard disk gets damaged. Each copy is stored separately (one copy per hour is kept for the last 24 hours, one daily copy for the last 15 days, and one weekly copy for the rest), which means that the user can choose which copy to restore. Files that do not change between backups are stored as hard links, and thus each new copy uses much less disk space than a true full copy. Internally, it uses RSync to do all the backup work.”

Configure and start your first Cronopete backup

Click the Cronopete icon from your system tray and select Configure the backups to get started. The configuration panel is clean and intuitive. You can set the backup destination (local folder or external drive), select which folders to back up, and toggle options like hidden files, extended attributes, and backup frequency.

By default, Cronopete backs up your /home/user directory, and it’s not intended to replace full-system tools like Timeshift. Be sure to enable backups with the toggle in the lower-left corner of the panel.

Select the folders you want to backup and the interval for those backups. There are advanced options which include backing up hidden files and folders and extended attributes.

Once you’ve finished configuring, click Back Up Now to begin. If it’s your first time, Cronopete may prompt you to format the drive. Otherwise, just select Mount and Open.

When the backup starts, the taskbar icon turns green and reverts to gray once the process is complete.

After the backup is complete, you’ll see a cronopete folder in your file manager, with subfolders named by date and time for each snapshot.

Restore files from a Cronopete backup

Restoring files is equally straightforward. Click the taskbar icon again and choose Restore files. A graphical interface displays your backup history. Use the blue arrows to navigate through snapshots, select the files or folders you need, and click Restore files to recover them.

Cronopete is licensed under the GPL v3.0 and is a great choice for users who want simple, reliable backups on Linux, especially if you’re looking for something familiar to Time Machine.

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This article is adapted from “Cronopete: A Time Machine like backup for Linux” by Don Watkins, and is republished with permission from the author.