Last Updated: August 04, 2025

Backup Postgres DB and uploads directory and store it on Google Drive

Here is my Thor task that backups a database and public/uploads directory for one of my projects. These backups are then gzipped and uploaded to Google Drive. Also it cleans up old backups.

# lib/tasks/server_db.thor

class ServerDb < MightyThor
 include Memery

 desc 'backup_to_drive', 'Backup DB and upload to google drive'
 def backup_to_drive
 system(dump_database_cmd, exception: true)
 system(gzip_db_cmd, exception: true)
 system(remove_sql_file, exception: true)
 system(gzip_uploads_cmd, exception: true)
 keep_last_x_db_backups(5)
 keep_last_x_uploads_backups(3)
 upload_gzip_db_to_drive
 upload_gzip_uploads_to_drive

 msg = 'Success!'
 logger.info(msg)
 say_with_time(msg)
 rescue Exception => e # rubocop:disable Lint/RescueException
 logger.error(e)
 raise
 end

 private

 def dump_database_cmd = "pg_dump --no-privileges --no-owner -U #{username} #{database} > #{sql_path}"
 def gzip_db_cmd = "tar --create --gzip --directory #{backup_dir} --file #{gzip_db_file_path} #{sql_file_name}"
 def gzip_uploads_cmd = "tar --create --gzip --directory #{public_dir} --file #{gzip_uploads_file_path} uploads"
 def gzip_db_file_name = "db-#{Date.current}.tar.gz"
 def gzip_db_file_path = File.join(backup_dir, gzip_db_file_name)
 def gzip_uploads_file_name = "uploads-#{Date.current}.tar.gz"
 def gzip_uploads_file_path = File.join(backup_dir, gzip_uploads_file_name)
 def remove_sql_file = "rm #{sql_path}"

 def backup_dir = ENV.fetch('DB_BACKUP_DIR_PATH')
 def public_dir = ENV.fetch('PUBLIC_DIR_PATH')
 def sql_file_name = 'db.sql'
 def sql_path = File.join(backup_dir, sql_file_name)

 memoize def config = YAML.load_file('config/database.yml')['production'].symbolize_keys
 def database = config[:database]
 def username = config[:username]
 # def password = config[:password]

 def upload_gzip_db_to_drive
 upload_gzip_to_drive(gzip_db_file_path, Credentials[:db_backup_drive_dir_id])
 end

 def upload_gzip_uploads_to_drive
 upload_gzip_to_drive(gzip_uploads_file_path, Credentials[:db_backup_drive_dir_id])
 end

 def upload_gzip_to_drive(gzip_file_path, parent_dir_id)
 drive_file = Google::Apis::DriveV3::File.new(
 name: File.basename(gzip_file_path),
 parents: [parent_dir_id]
 )
 drive.create_file(drive_file, upload_source: gzip_file_path, content_type: 'application/gzip')
 end

 def keep_last_x_db_backups(leave_count)
 keep_last_x_backups(leave_count, backup_dir, 'db-')
 end

 def keep_last_x_uploads_backups(leave_count)
 keep_last_x_backups(leave_count, backup_dir, 'uploads-')
 end

 def keep_last_x_backups(leave_count, target_dir, file_prefix)
 Dir["#{target_dir}/#{file_prefix}*.tar.gz"].reverse[leave_count..]&.then { FileUtils.rm(_1) }

 res = drive.list_files
 sorted_files = res.files.
 filter_map { |file| [file.name[/\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}/].to_date, file] if file.name.start_with?(file_prefix) }.
 sort_by(&:first).map(&:second).reverse
 sorted_files[leave_count..]&.each do |file|
 drive.delete_file(file.id)
 end
 end

 memoize def drive =
 Google::Apis::DriveV3::DriveService.new.tap do |s|
 s.authorization = Google::Auth::ServiceAccountCredentials.make_creds(
 json_key_io: File.open('config/google-drive-service-secret.json'),
 scope: Google::Apis::DriveV3::AUTH_DRIVE_FILE
 )
 end

 memoize def logger = MyLogger.new('log/db_backup.log', 5, 2.megabytes)

end

# Gemfile
gem 'google-apis-drive_v3', require: false
gem 'memery'

# Thorfile
require 'google/apis/drive_v3'
require_relative 'lib/mighty_thor'
# ...

# lib/tasks/mighty_thor.rb
require 'thor'

class MightyThor < Thor
 private

 def say_with_time(message)
 puts "#{Time.current.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z')}: #{message}"
 end

end