# Schedule Postgres backup using cron

**URL:** <https://forums.docker.com/t/schedule-postgres-backup-using-cron/34895>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [July 12, 2017, 2:02pm UTC](https://forums.docker.com/t/schedule-postgres-backup-using-cron/34895 "2017-07-12T14:02:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![acasini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@acasini](https://forums.docker.com/u/acasini)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 2:02pm UTC](https://forums.docker.com/t/schedule-postgres-backup-using-cron/34895/1 "2017-07-12T14:02:25Z")

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I would like to periodically backup a Postgres database. I am using Docker Compose, here is the snippet of the postgres container:

```
  postgres:
    build: ./compose/postgres
    volumes:
      - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
      - postgres_backup:/backups

```

And the Postgres dockerfile:

```
FROM postgres:9.6

# add backup scripts
ADD backup.sh /usr/local/bin/backup
ADD restore.sh /usr/local/bin/restore
ADD list-backups.sh /usr/local/bin/list-backups

# make them executable
RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/restore
RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/list-backups
RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/backup

```

I would like to add a cron task (say `backup-cron`) that runs `backup.sh` every day at midnight. I have read this [tutorial](https://www.ekito.fr/people/run-a-cron-job-with-docker/) but I do not know how to properly integrate it. Any help?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mrspock1974](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@mrspock1974](https://forums.docker.com/u/mrspock1974)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2020, 8:13am UTC](https://forums.docker.com/t/schedule-postgres-backup-using-cron/34895/2 "2020-05-06T08:13:18Z")

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I see no reason for backing up any valuable Postgres database with a script and _cron_ combo. Instead, I rely to some dedicated backup tool with an internal scheduler, such as [Handy Backup](https://www.handybackup.net/postgresql-backup.shtml), to make such copy.