@goose-plugins/backup

Deterministic data backup plugin for Goose — snapshots the Goose data directory on a schedule with automatic pruning, and reports real file system facts rather than LLM-generated summaries.

What it does

This plugin gives Goose one new tool:

| Tool | Description | |---|---| | backup_data | Create a dated snapshot of the Goose data directory, prune old snapshots, and return a plain-text summary of exactly what happened |

All facts in the summary (date, file list, snapshot count) are read directly from the file system after each operation — the LLM cannot fabricate them.

Usage

The intended use is a scheduled mission that calls the tool and posts the result verbatim. Add this to data/missions.json:

{
  "name": "data-backup",
  "cron": "0 2 * * *",
  "maxIterations": 2,
  "task": "Call backup_data. Your entire response must be exactly what the tool returns — copy it verbatim, no additions, no changes.",
  "contextId": "mission-data-backup",
  "slackChannel": "YOUR_CHANNEL_ID",
  "timezone": "Europe/London",
  "enabled": true
}

You can also ask Goose directly:

"Run the data backup"
"Create a snapshot of the data directory"

Example output

Backup complete: 2026-03-07
Snapshot: /Users/yourname/Documents/goose-backups/2026-03-07
Files saved:
  - facts.json
  - memory.json
  - missions.json
  - monitors.json
Pruned 1 old snapshot.
Snapshots remaining: 7

Installation

npm install @goose-plugins/backup

Restart Goose — it auto-discovers any @goose-plugins/* package in node_modules.

Want to build your own plugin? See the Goose plugin guide for the full plugin interface, local development workflow, and publishing instructions.

Configuration

| Env var | Default | Description | |---|---|---| | GOOSE_DATA_DIR | ~/Apps/goose/data | Source directory to snapshot | | GOOSE_BACKUP_DIR | ~/Documents/goose-backups | Root directory where dated snapshots are created | | GOOSE_BACKUP_KEEP | 7 | Number of snapshots to keep; older ones are pruned after each run |

How snapshots are stored

Each run creates a dated subdirectory under GOOSE_BACKUP_DIR:

~/Documents/goose-backups/
├── 2026-03-05/
│   └── data/
├── 2026-03-06/
│   └── data/
└── 2026-03-07/        ← today's snapshot
    └── data/

After copying, any snapshots beyond the GOOSE_BACKUP_KEEP limit are deleted oldest-first.

Why a plugin instead of a prompt mission?

A prompt-based backup mission asks the LLM to call several shell commands in sequence, then write a summary. In practice the LLM can skip steps, miscount snapshots, or report success when commands silently failed.

This plugin runs the entire operation in a single deterministic Node.js function and returns real file system data. The LLM just posts what the tool returns — there is nothing to hallucinate.

Part of the Goose ecosystem

This plugin follows the standard Goose plugin interface. See that guide for details on how plugins are loaded, how to configure persistence paths, and how to publish your own.