Choose Between Full, Database-Only, and Files-Only Joomla Backups
QC Backup Manager supports three backup scopes: Full, Database Only, and Files Only. The right choice depends on what is changing and what you might need to restore if that change fails.
Smaller backup scope can save processing time and storage, but it is only useful when the scope still contains everything you may need for recovery. When you are unsure whether a change affects both files and database data, use a Full Backup.
Full Backup - Database and Files
A Full Backup protects both the Joomla database and the site filesystem. It is the broadest QCBM backup type and the normal choice when you want a complete recovery point.
Use a Full Backup before changes such as:
- Joomla core updates;
- major extension or template upgrades;
- PHP-version changes;
- hosting migrations or server moves;
- significant deployments;
- changes where you are not certain whether only files or only database data will be affected.
A Full Backup gives the Recovery Runner the data needed for complete-site recovery and can also support narrower recovery choices where the package and workflow allow them.
Database Only Backup
A Database Only Backup Set protects Joomla database objects without archiving the site files. It is usually smaller and faster than a Full Backup and is useful when the expected risk is primarily in stored data or configuration.
Typical reasons include:
- before content imports or large content changes;
- before user, membership, subscription, order, or configuration changes;
- before database maintenance;
- before administrative changes known to affect database records but not extension or template files;
- as a small first-run test to confirm QCBM storage and job processing.
A Database Only Backup does not protect template files, extension files, uploaded media, or other filesystem content. Do not choose it merely because it is faster if the upcoming work can also change files.
Files Only Backup
A Files Only Backup Set protects the Joomla filesystem without including the database.
It can be appropriate before changes focused on:
- template files and template overrides;
- extension files or custom code;
- media or other filesystem content;
- server-side file changes where the Joomla database is not being modified.
Files Only does not preserve database-backed content, users, configuration records, extension data, orders, subscriptions, or other information stored in MySQL/MariaDB.
How Backup Type Relates to Recovery
The Recovery Package is built from a specific Backup Set. The standalone Recovery Runner offers recovery modes that are compatible with the data present in that package.
- A Full Backup Set is the correct recovery point when you need the option to restore the complete Joomla site.
- A Database Only Backup Set is intended for database recovery.
- A Files Only Backup Set is intended for filesystem recovery.
Do not plan a complete disaster recovery around a narrower Backup Set that never contained the missing part of the site.
Quick Decision Guide
| Upcoming work | Recommended starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Joomla core update | Full | Core updates can affect files and database schema/state. |
| Major extension or template upgrade | Full | Extensions can change files and database records. |
| Content or database import | Database Only | The primary risk is database data, assuming files are not changing. |
| Template override or code-only change | Files Only | The primary risk is the filesystem, assuming no database migration runs. |
| Hosting, PHP, or migration work | Full | The safest recovery point contains both database and files. |
| You are unsure | Full | A wider recovery scope is safer than discovering later that required data was omitted. |
Do Not Confuse Backup Frequency with Backup Scope
You can use different backup types at different frequencies. For example, a site might take frequent Database Only backups and a less frequent Full Backup. That can be a sensible strategy when database content changes more often than site files.
The important point is to maintain a recent complete recovery path. A long sequence of Database Only backups is not a substitute for a Full Backup when the server's files are lost.
Use Profiles to Make the Choice Repeatable
QCBM's included Profiles correspond to the three backup types. For recurring work, select or create a Profile whose name clearly describes its purpose. Scheduled protection should be easy to understand later from Backup History without having to remember what an ambiguously named Profile contained.
Verify Every Important Recovery Point
Regardless of backup type, verify the completed Backup Set. A completed job says processing ended; verification checks that the stored package information still matches the recorded Backup Set.
For important production protection, download the Recovery Package and keep it somewhere independent of the Joomla server.
Examples
Before a Joomla update: create and verify a Full Backup, then download the Recovery Package before updating.
Before importing 5,000 content records: a Database Only Backup can provide a fast database rollback point if no site files are involved.
Before changing a custom template override: a Files Only Backup can protect the filesystem, but use Full instead if the same deployment also runs extension/database changes.
Community Discussion
Want to compare backup strategies for different Joomla workloads? Visit the QC Backup Manager Community. For private support, bug reports, or feature requests, use the QuantaCade support system.