# Automatic Roam Backups | RoamStack [Readwise URL](https://readwise.io/bookreview/6592166) | [Source URL](https://www.roamstack.com/automatic-backups/) ---  --- > Process summary > The backup process will be using Matthieu Bizien's roam-to-git code, which is hosted on GitHub. > Your backups will be saved in a Github repository. > You need to configure this repository to allow it to log in to your Roam database and take backups. > You then set up a workflow that will take regular backups of your Roam database. > You can then access these backups to look at or download. > Action steps > Set up a GitHub account or login to your existing one. > Create a new repository. > Add in the details of your Roam database and your login information. > Create a GitHub Action with the roam-to-git code to run the backup process. > Check that the process is working. > Step 1: Creating a new account/logging in > 1a. If you don't have a GitHub account, create one at GitHub.com. > \ > \ > On the next screen, you'll be asked to fill in details about yourself: your type of work, your programming experience and your use for GitHub. Then, click on 'Complete set up'. > \ > You will then receive a verification email. When you click the link in it, you return to GitHub. > \ > On the initial screen, click on 'Create a repository' button. > \ > \ > 1b. If you already have a GitHub account, log in. > \ > To create a new repository, click on the green 'New' button in the Repositories areas. > \ > \ > Step 2: Setting up a new repository > Whether you have just set up a GitHub account or you have logged into an existing account, you will then arrive at the 'Create a new repository' page. > \ > a) Add in the name for your repository -- 'notes' would be fine or 'backups'. > b) Click on 'Private'. It is critical you do this. Otherwise your backups become public. > C) Click on 'Create repository' to set it up. > \ > You should leave the 'Initialize this repository with a README' checkbox empty. > \ > \ > Step 3: Adding in your Roam login information > a) If you've logged out and are coming back to this process, log back in and click on the relevant repository. > \ > \ > Then click on 'Settings'. If you're carrying on from Step 2, also click on 'Settings'. > \ > \ > b) Click on 'Secrets' in the left menu. > \ > \ > c) You now need to add in your Roam account email, your Roam account password and your Roam database name by creating three 'New Secrets'. > \ > So, before you continue, please ensure you have all these details to hand. > \ > You can find the names of all your Roam databases (or graphs) in the top corner of the left-hand sidebar of your Roam database. > \ > \ > If the left-hand sidebar is not showing, click on the three lines icon to expand it. > \ > \ > i) Click on 'New Secret'. > \ > \ > Then the following window will open: > \ > \ > In 'Name', enter ROAMRESEARCH_DATABASE > In 'Value', fill in your database's name > Click on 'Add secret'. > ii) Click on 'New Secret' again (see above). > \ > \ > In 'Name', enter ROAMRESEARCH_USER > In 'Value', enter your Roam account email address > Click on 'Add secret'. > iii) Click on 'New Secret' again (see above) > \ > \ > In 'Name', enter ROAMRESEARCH_PASSWORD > In 'Value', fill in your Roam account password > Click on 'Add secret'. > When you've finished this is what your Secrets page should look like. > \ > \ > Step 4: Creating a GitHub Action to run the backup process > Now you need to set up an Action so that the backup process runs. > \ > a) In the top navigation bar of your repository, click on 'Actions'. > \ > \ > b) in the window that opens, click on the 'set up a workflow yourself' link. > \ > \ > c) You will then see code for main.yml. Select all the existing code and delete it. > \ > \ > d) In a new browser tab or window, go to this page and copy the code. > \ > \ > e) Go back to your GitHub repository and paste the code in the main.yml window. > \ > \ > f) Click on 'Start Commit' and then 'Commit new file'. > \ > \ > g) Your screen should now look like this: > \ > \ > h) Your Roam database backup should now run hourly. You can change the time periods by altering the following code cron: "0 * * * *". Please do a search for information about the cron function if you would like to do this. > \ > Step 5: Verification of process > If you go back to the Actions tab a few hours after you have set the workflow up, you will see that the Roam Research backup process has been actioned: > \ > \ > Occasionally, you may get emails from GitHub saying that a backup run has failed. There is nothing to worry about unless you are getting these continually. In that case, you should investigate further. ^117272567 **References:** https://instapaper.com/read/1367598011/14795505 ---