Suggest an editImprove this articleRefine the answer for “What types of backups exist?”. Your changes go to moderation before they’re published.Approval requiredContentWhat you’re changing🇺🇸EN🇺🇦UAPreviewTitle (EN)Short answer (EN)There are **three main types of database backups** - they differ in **exactly what gets saved** with each copy: a `Full Backup` (a complete copy of the whole database), an `Incremental Backup` (only the changes since the last backup), and a `Differential Backup` (all changes since the last full backup). **Key point:** a full backup is simpler to restore but takes more space and time; an incremental backup is fast and space-efficient, but restoring it means assembling the whole chain of parts; a differential backup is simpler to restore (you only need the last full backup plus the last differential one), but its size grows with every day.Shown above the full answer for quick recall.Answer (EN)ImageThere are **three main types of database backups** - they differ in **exactly what gets saved** with each copy. ### 1. Full Backup A **complete copy of the entire database** gets created. - Pro: simple to restore, everything's in one file. - Con: takes a lot of space and time. Example: a nightly backup of an entire day's data. ### 2. Incremental Backup Only the **changes** since the last *any* backup (full or incremental) are saved. - Pro: fast, saves space. - Con: restoring requires assembling every part in the chain. ### 3. Differential Backup **All changes since the last full backup** are saved. - Pro: restoring is simpler, you only need the last full backup plus the last differential one. - Con: its size grows with every passing day. **Summary:** - **Full**, everything at once, - **Incremental**, only new changes, - **Differential**, every change since the last full backup.For the reviewerNote to the moderator (optional)Visible only to the moderator. Helps review go faster.