a2a-serve backup

Snapshots hold a consistent copy of the database (conversations, pairings, contacts, schedules), config.yaml, the secrets, the agent home directory and the network identity, encrypted with --backup-key. A running agent takes one every --backup-interval and keeps them for --backup-retention, always keeping the latest. The workspace isn't included: it is usually in git.

Set them up with:

a2a-serve config set --backup gs://my-bucket/agents/coder --backup-key env:BACKUP_KEY --backup-interval 1h

Recreate the agent on another host with "a2a-serve backup restore".

a2a-serve backup <command>

Flags of every a2a-serve backup command

Flag	Default	Description
--deadline duration	10m0s	Time limit of the command, which writes to or lists the backup destination, a duration such as 30s or 15m
--dir string		Agent directory (default: the nearest directory with .a2a, walking up from the current one)

a2a-serve backup list

List the agent's snapshots, oldest first

a2a-serve backup list

Aliases: ls

a2a-serve backup now

Take a snapshot now

a2a-serve backup now

a2a-serve backup restore

Recreate an agent's .a2a directory from a snapshot taken by "a2a-serve backup now" or the running agent: its database, config, secrets and agent home directory. The latest snapshot is used unless --snapshot names one.

The network identity (the tailnet machine or the Agent Mesh node) is restored only with --take-over, so the old and the new host don't run as the same machine. Without it, the agent joins the network as a new machine on its first start. Stop the agent on the old host before taking over.

Secret values: env:VAR reads the value from the environment variable VAR; - reads it from a prompt without echo, or from stdin when it isn't a terminal (one flag per command); anything else is the value itself. In agent settings, secret:NAME reuses a value stored in .a2a/state/secrets.

a2a-serve backup restore <backup-destination> [flags]

Examples

a2a-serve backup restore gs://my-bucket/agents/coder --dir ~/src/app --backup-key env:BACKUP_KEY

Flags

Flag	Default	Description
--backup-key string		The backup key (secret value: env:VAR, -, or the value)
--dir string		Directory of the restored agent (default: the current directory)
--snapshot string		Snapshot to restore (default: the latest)
--take-over		Also restore the network identity; stop the agent on the old host first