---
layout: commands
page_title: 'Commands: Snapshot'
description: |
  The `consul snapshot` command interacts with Consul's snapshot agent to support disaster recovery. It exposes top-level commands for saving, restoring, and inspecting the state of Consul servers.
---

# Consul Snapshot

Command: `consul snapshot`

The `snapshot` command has subcommands for saving, restoring, and inspecting the
state of the Consul servers for disaster recovery. These are atomic, point-in-time
snapshots which include key/value entries, service catalog, prepared queries,
sessions, and ACLs. This command is available in Consul 0.7.1 and later.

Snapshots are also accessible via the [HTTP API](/consul/api-docs/snapshot).

## Usage

Usage: `consul snapshot <subcommand>`

For the exact documentation for your Consul version, run `consul snapshot -h` to
view the complete list of subcommands.

```text
Usage: consul snapshot <subcommand> [options] [args]

  # ...

Subcommands:

    agent      Periodically saves snapshots of Consul server state
    inspect    Displays information about a Consul snapshot file
    restore    Restores snapshot of Consul server state
    save       Saves snapshot of Consul server state
```

For more information, examples, and usage about a subcommand, click on the name
of the subcommand in the sidebar or one of the links below:

- [agent](/consul/commands/snapshot/agent) <EnterpriseAlert inline />
- [inspect](/consul/commands/snapshot/inspect)
- [restore](/consul/commands/snapshot/restore)
- [save](/consul/commands/snapshot/save)

## Basic Examples

To create a snapshot and save it as a file called "backup.snap":

```shell-session
$ consul snapshot save backup.snap
Saved and verified snapshot to index 8419
```

To restore a snapshot from a file called "backup.snap":

```shell-session
$ consul snapshot restore backup.snap
Restored snapshot
```

To inspect a snapshot from the file "backup.snap":

```shell-session
$ consul snapshot inspect backup.snap
ID           2-5-1477944140022
Size         667
Index        5
Term         2
Version      1
```

To run a daemon process that periodically saves snapshots <EnterpriseAlert inline />

```shell-session
$ consul snapshot agent
```

For more examples, ask for subcommand help or view the subcommand documentation
by clicking on one of the links in the sidebar.