This is another post explaining the philosophy of UpdraftPlus – what are we aiming for? What can you expect?
Backups ought to be simple. In theory, they are. A WordPress installation is ultimately just two things: 1) A collection of files and 2) A database. (Technically there’s also 3) – your webserver configuration. But that’s usually nothing non-standard, can’t be backed up from inside PHP, and is generally accepted as external data that people make other arrangements for).
In reality, a backup plugin that suits most peoples’ needs is going to be complex; because people want to…
- Back up separate entities separately
- Schedule automated backups
- Send them off to all kinds of complex, network-reachable, sometimes-down cloud services
- Have it work on a vast variety of exotic WordPress setups, from huge, highly-powered webservers down to bargain-basement rubbish. This includes the requirement to have backups that stall be able to resume later – at any stage, without overlapping.
- Restore their backups too
- Clone their sites and move them to different locations
- Have error conditions detected efficiently, and be warned of them
- Track records of existing backups, import new ones, and delete them – including to/from the cloud
- Encrypt and decrypt things, without needing a degree in encryption technologies
- Have a plethora of expert tools for debugging and tracing, for those able to use them
There are lots of other requirements at a more technical level – e.g. handling WordPress networks, and the array of different add-ons that a user might have installed.
When we first began looking for a backup plugin for our own use, and discovered the original (later abandonned) “Updraft” plugin, one reason we liked it was because everything was on one page. You just read down the page, ticked a few boxes, and you were ready to go.
That was a huge plus. Have you looked at any other backup plugins lately? We take a quick look from time to time. Usually, our heads then start to hurt. How many pages of configuration do I have to click through to set up a backup? Even we struggle to understand what some of the options we’re presented with are for, and why on earth we need to answer such technical questions.
We’re busy people. We’re sure you are too. Who wants to have to navigate multiple pages of options, and then find the right tab within the page, and the right sub-section underneath that tab? We don’t. With UpdraftPlus, you can 1) install/activate 2) press “Backup Now” and bingo – you have a backup. And to set up further features (e.g. cloud backup), you just read down one list of settings.
The feedback we’re getting indicates that we’re hitting a sweet spot – we are adding more and more features, but the reviews keep using words like “easy” and “smooth”. We want to keep it that way.
If you want a backup plugin whose authors are committed to keeping it easy whilst not compromising on features, then stick with UpdraftPlus. Get our Premium version to support development and get the best possible experience.
