Documentation
Features
Backup & Recovery

Backup & Recovery

HeroJournal provides built-in backup and recovery features to protect your achievements and enable migration between devices.

Backup Types

Type Extension Security Use Case
Standard .herojournal.json None Quick backups, migration
Encrypted .herojournal.enc AES-256 Secure storage, sensitive data

Creating a Backup

Standard Backup

  1. Go to Settings > Backup tab
  2. Click Create Backup
  3. Choose a save location
  4. Click Save

The backup includes:

  • All achievements
  • User profile
  • Settings
  • Metadata (version, date, counts)

Encrypted Backup

  1. Go to Settings > Backup tab
  2. Enable Encrypt backup
  3. Enter a strong password
  4. Click Create Backup
  5. Choose a save location
Store your encryption password securely. Without it, encrypted backups cannot be recovered.

Restoring from Backup

Restore Options

When importing a backup, you have two options:

Option Behavior
Replace Deletes existing data and imports backup
Merge Keeps existing data and adds new achievements

Import Steps

  1. Go to Settings > Backup tab
  2. Click Import Backup
  3. Select your backup file
  4. If encrypted, enter the password
  5. Choose Replace or Merge
  6. Click Import

Replace Mode

  • All current achievements are deleted
  • All settings are reset
  • Backup data becomes your new data
  • Use when: Starting fresh or restoring a known-good state

Merge Mode

  • Existing achievements are kept
  • New achievements from backup are added
  • Duplicates are detected by ID
  • Use when: Combining data from multiple sources

Migration Between Devices

Moving to a New Computer

  1. On old computer:

    • Create a backup (encrypted recommended)
    • Save to cloud storage or USB drive

  2. On new computer:

    • Install HeroJournal
    • Go to Settings > Backup
    • Import the backup file
    • Choose Replace for exact copy

Syncing Two Devices

For ongoing synchronization, consider using Git Sync instead of manual backups.

Backup Contents

A backup file contains:

{
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "exportedAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
  "profile": {
    "name": "Your Name",
    "role": "Your Role",
    "reviewPeriod": {...}
  },
  "achievements": [...],
  "settings": {
    "theme": "system",
    "exportPath": ""
  },
  "metadata": {
    "achievementCount": 25,
    "dateRange": {...}
  }
}

Backup Schedule

Recommended Frequency

Event Backup?
Weekly Yes, standard backup
Before major edits Yes
Before OS upgrade Yes, encrypted
Before uninstalling Yes
After adding many achievements Yes

Backup Storage

Store backups in multiple locations:

  • Cloud storage (iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive)
  • External drive
  • Different computer
Use Git Sync for automatic, continuous backups. Manual backups are good for point-in-time snapshots.

Troubleshooting

“Invalid backup file”

  • File may be corrupted
  • Wrong file type selected
  • Try re-downloading from storage

“Wrong password”

  • Check caps lock
  • Try alternative passwords
  • Password recovery is not possible for encrypted backups

“Merge created duplicates”

  • This shouldn’t happen with proper ID handling
  • If it does, delete duplicates manually
  • Report as a bug

Backup file is very large

  • Large evidence links can increase size
  • Consider archiving old achievements
  • Check for accidentally large content

Best Practices

  1. Backup regularly - Weekly at minimum
  2. Test restores - Verify backups work before you need them
  3. Use encryption - For backups stored in cloud services
  4. Multiple locations - Don’t rely on a single backup location
  5. Document passwords - Store encryption passwords securely (password manager)
  6. Version your backups - Include date in filename (e.g., herojournal-2024-01-15.json)
Last updated on
Git Sync