Creating a Backup and Restore Feature in Your Plugin

Posted on 20th June 2023

Creating a Backup and Restore Feature in Your Plugin

As a WordPress plugin developer, it’s important to consider adding a backup and restore feature to your plugin. This will allow users to easily save and restore their settings and data in the event that they need to switch to a new version of the plugin or migrate their site to a new host.

There are a few different ways you can go about adding this feature to your plugin. In this article, we’ll cover two of the most popular methods: using the WordPress Database Backup API and using the WordPress Plugin Backup/Restore API.

Using the WordPress Database Backup API

The WordPress Database Backup API is a simple way to add a backup and restore feature to your plugin. It provides a set of functions that you can use to create and store backups of your plugin’s data in the WordPress database.

To use the WordPress Database Backup API, first you need to include the wp-admin/includes/upgrade.php file in your plugin. This file contains the necessary functions for working with the WordPress database.

Next, you need to add a backup function to your plugin. This function should use the WordPress Database Backup API to create a backup of your plugin’s data. Here’s an example function that you can use:

function my_plugin_backup() {

global $wpdb;

$plugin_name = ‘my-plugin’;

$plugin_version = ‘1.0.0’;

$backup_name = $plugin_name . ‘-‘ . $plugin_version . ‘-backup’;

$table_name = $wpdb->prefix . $plugin_name;

$rows = $wpdb->get_results( “SELECT * FROM $table_name”, ARRAY_A );

$backup = array(

‘name’ => $backup_name,

‘version’ => $plugin_version,

‘data’ => $rows,

);

$backup = serialize( $backup );

$backup = base64_encode( $backup );

update_option( $backup_name, $backup );

}

This function first creates a backup name and table name variables. It then uses the WordPress Database Backup API to get an array of all the data from your plugin’s database table.

Next, the function serializes the data array and encodes it using base64. This is necessary because the WordPress Database Backup API only supports strings. Finally, the function uses the update_option() function to save the backup to the WordPress database.

Now that you have a backup function, you need a way to restore your plugin’s data from a backup. To do this, you can use the following function:

function my_plugin_restore( $backup_name ) {

global $wpdb;

$plugin_name = ‘my-plugin’;

$table_name = $wpdb->prefix . $plugin_name;

$backup = get_option( $backup_name );

$backup = base64_decode( $backup );

$backup = unserialize( $backup );

$data = $backup[‘data’];

foreach ( $data as $row ) {

$wpdb->insert(

$table_name,

$row

);

}

}

This function first gets the backup from the WordPress database using the get_option() function. It then decodes and unserializes the backup data.

Finally, the function loop through the data array and uses the WordPress Database Backup API’s insert function to restore each row of data to your plugin’s database table.

Using the WordPress Plugin Backup/Restore API

Another way to add a backup and restore feature to your plugin is to use the WordPress Plugin Backup/Restore API. This API provides a set of functions for creating and storing backups of your plugin’s data in the WordPress filesystem.

To use the WordPress Plugin Backup/Restore API, first you need to include the wp-admin/includes/export.php file in your plugin. This file contains the necessary functions for working with the WordPress filesystem.

Next, you need to add a backup function to your plugin. This function should use the WordPress Plugin Backup/Restore API to create a backup of your plugin’s data. Here’s an example function that you can use:

function my_plugin_backup() {

global $wp_filesystem;

$plugin_name = ‘my-plugin’;

$plugin_version = ‘1.0.0’;

$backup_name = $plugin_name . ‘-‘ . $plugin_version . ‘-backup’;

$backup_path = WP_CONTENT_DIR . ‘/’ . $plugin_name . ‘/backups/’ . $backup_name;

$table_name = $wpdb->prefix . $plugin_name;

$rows = $wpdb->get_results( “SELECT * FROM $table_name”, ARRAY_A );

$backup = array(

‘name’ => $backup_name,

‘version’ => $plugin_version,

‘data’ => $rows,

);

$backup = serialize( $backup );

$backup = base64_encode( $backup );

$wp_filesystem->mkdir( $backup_path );

$wp_filesystem->put_contents( $backup_path . ‘/backup.txt’, $backup, FS_CHMOD_FILE );

}

This function first creates a backup name, backup path, and table name variables. It then uses the WordPress Plugin Backup/Restore API to get an array of all the data from your plugin’s database table.

Next, the function serializes the data array and encodes it using base64. This is necessary because the WordPress Plugin Backup/Restore API only supports strings.

Finally, the function uses the WordPress Plugin Backup/Restore API’s mkdir and put_contents functions to create a backup directory and save the backup data to a file in that directory.

Now that you have a backup function, you need a way to restore your plugin’s data from a backup. To do this, you can use the following function:

function my_plugin_restore( $backup_name ) {

global $wp_filesystem;

$plugin_name = ‘my-plugin’;

$backup_path = WP_CONTENT_DIR . ‘/’ . $plugin_name . ‘/backups/’ . $backup_name;

$backup = $wp_filesystem->get_contents( $backup_path . ‘/backup.txt’ );

$backup = base64_decode( $backup );

$backup = unserialize( $backup );

$data = $backup[‘data’];

foreach ( $data as $row ) {

$wpdb->insert(

$table_name,

$row

);

}

}

This function first gets the backup path and backup data from the WordPress filesystem using the get_contents function. It then decodes and unserializes the backup data.

Finally, the function loop through the data array and uses the WordPress Plugin Backup/Restore API’s insert function to restore each row of data to your plugin’s database table.

Which Method Should You Use?

Both the WordPress Database Backup API and the WordPress Plugin Backup/Restore API are valid ways to add a backup and restore feature to your plugin. Which one you use depends on your needs and preferences.

If you want a simple way to add a backup and restore feature to your plugin, then the WordPress Database Backup API is a good choice. It’s easy to use and doesn’t require any extra files or directories in your plugin.

On the other hand, if you want more control over where your backups are stored, then the WordPress Plugin Backup/Restore API is a better choice. It gives you the ability to store your backups in any directory on your server.

Which method you use is up to you. Both methods have their pros and cons, so choose the one that’s best for your plugin.