Backup
Short definition
Backup is the practice of copying a website's files and database at regular intervals and storing them separately.
Backup means copying a site's files and database at regular intervals, daily or weekly, and keeping them somewhere separate from the main server. It is the only way to restore a site after an error, an attack, or an accidental deletion.
A solid backup strategy keeps more than one copy, in more than one location, a single backup stored alongside the server disappears if the server itself fails completely.
Having backups matters as much as having a tested restore process, a backup that has never been restored once might not work when it is actually needed.
The most common mistake is assuming the hosting provider automatically takes complete backups without ever checking the plan's details. Many basic packages offer no backup at all, or only a limited, paid schedule, and that assumption only comes to light once real data has been lost and no usable copy actually exists anywhere.
Why it matters
Losing an order, a customer record, or a year's worth of content beyond recovery almost always happens because backups were neglected. Regular, tested backups mean that even in the worst case, the business is back up within hours.
Illustrative example
A flooring manufacturer's site broke during an update, a daily backup had it restored to its previous state the same day.
