Install
This is the repository archive. It installs, but the folder name will carry the branch suffix and updates will not flow.
Install straight from GitHub with WP-CLI:
wp plugin install https://github.com/azanumer/wp-db-backup-cron/archive/refs/heads/main.zipNo built-in updater. New versions won't appear under Dashboard → Updates. Install new releases yourself, or let Git Updater track the repository.
Scheduled database backups for WordPress, run by WP-Cron — no shell access required.
Why
Most backup plugins are bloated, upsell you, or phone home. This one does a single job well: a daily or weekly .sql.gz of your entire database, stored locally with rotation, plus an email only when something breaks.
How it works
- Fast path — if
mysqldumpis installed,exec()is allowed, and MySQL runs locally, it dumps with--single-transaction --quick(password viaMYSQL_PWDenv var, never on the command line). - Portable fallback — otherwise it dumps through
$wpdb(SHOW CREATE TABLE+ chunkedINSERTs), which works on any shared host. - The dump is gzipped, stored in
wp-content/uploads/wpdbc-backups/(filename includes a random token; the folder hasindex.php+.htaccessdeny), old backups are pruned to your retention count, and the admin gets an email on failure.
Usage
Install, activate, go to Tools → DB Backups:
- Pick Daily / Weekly / Disabled, set how many newest backups to keep
- Backup Now button for on-demand runs
- Download or delete any stored backup from the table (capability + nonce protected)
Uninstalling removes the settings and the cron job but keeps your backup files — deleting someone's only data copy on uninstall would be a crime.
License
MIT — see LICENSE.