Guides
Find where your software keeps the real data
Ordinary files, an encrypted database file, a database with attachments, and server data need different backup plans.
Scope: a concise editorial field note, not a universal recommendation, security audit, or guarantee.
Name the storage model
Ordinary files, a local encrypted file, a database with attachments, and server records are different models. Do not use the same backup plan for all four.
KeePassXC uses an encrypted database file. Zotero and Joplin document a database or profile with resources, so a visible folder may be incomplete.
Follow the documented path
Use the application’s documented data-directory or profile path where possible. Copy every component named by its recovery instructions.
Files alone are incomplete when a database carries metadata, links, settings, or state. If the boundary is undocumented, record that gap and test a restore.
Do not mistake sync for backup
A synchronized copy can omit attachments not downloaded yet. Zotero documents on-demand downloads and says data sync is not a full backup.
Sync also propagates changes and deletions. Without tested version history, call it a synchronized copy, not a versioned backup.
Practical checklist
- Find the documented data path.
- List databases, files, attachments, and settings.
- Download on-demand attachments.
- Restore in a separate location.
Sources checked
These first-party or authoritative sources ground the note. Checked 2026-08-14.