SysReplicate(DistroHopper) - Linux System Backup and Restore Tool

Features

Core Functionality

• Unified System Backup: Complete system backup including keys, dotfiles, packages, and automation files
• System Restore: Full system restoration from backup tarballs
• Individual Component Backup: Separate backup options for keys, dotfiles, or packages only
• Package Replication: Generate installation scripts for package managers
• Encryption: AES-256-GCM encryption for sensitive data (SSH/GPG keys)

Supported Components

• SSH Keys: Automatic detection and encryption of SSH keys from standard locations
• GPG Keys: Backup and encryption of GPG keyrings
• Dotfiles: Configuration files (.bashrc, .vimrc, .gitconfig, etc.)
• Package Lists: Support for multiple package managers (apt, pacman, dnf, xbps)
• Automation Files: SystemD services, timers, and cronjobs
• Custom Key Locations: User-defined paths for additional key storage

Package Manager Support

• Debian/Ubuntu: apt-get package manager
• Arch Linux: pacman and AUR packages (via yay)
• Fedora/RHEL: dnf package manager
• Void Linux: xbps package manager
• Flatpak: Universal package format
• Snap: Canonical's package format

Installation

Prerequisites

• Go 1.24.3 or later
• Linux operating system (Windows and macOS are not supported)

Build Instructions

git clone <repository-url>
cd sysreplicate
go run main.go
go build -o sysreplicate main.go

Usage

Running the Application

./sysreplicate

The application will display a menu with the following options:

1. Create Complete System Backup (Recommended)
2. Restore System from Backup
3. Generate package replication files only
4. Backup SSH/GPG keys only
5. Backup dotfiles only
6. Exit

Menu Options Explained

1. Create Complete System Backup

Creates a unified backup containing:

• SSH/GPG keys (encrypted with AES-256-GCM)
• Dotfiles from home directory
• Package lists for all supported package managers
• SystemD services, timers, and cronjobs
• System metadata (hostname, username, distribution)

The backup is stored as a compressed tarball in the dist/ directory with timestamp naming.

2. Restore System from Backup

Restores a complete system from a previously created backup:

• Prompts for backup tarball path
• Extracts and decrypts SSH/GPG keys to original locations
• Restores dotfiles to home directory
• Generates package installation script
• Provides restoration summary and next steps

3. Generate Package Replication Files

Creates package lists and installation scripts without backing up keys or dotfiles:

• Detects Linux distribution and base distribution
• Fetches installed packages by category
• Generates JSON metadata file
• Creates installation script for package restoration

4. Backup SSH/GPG Keys Only

Creates encrypted backup of SSH and GPG keys:

• Searches standard locations (~/.ssh/, ~/.gnupg/)
• Accepts custom key locations from user input
• Encrypts keys with AES-256-GCM
• Stores backup as compressed tarball

5. Backup Dotfiles Only

Creates backup of configuration files:

• Scans home directory for dotfiles
• Excludes binary files and directories
• Creates metadata with file information
• Generates compressed tarball

Project Structure

sysreplicate/
├── main.go                    # Application entry point
├── go.mod                     # Go module definition
├── system/                    # Core system package
│   ├── run.go                 # Main menu and orchestration
│   ├── settings.go            # Configuration constants
│   ├── backup_integration.go  # Backup/restore integration
│   ├── backup/                # Backup functionality
│   │   ├── unified_backup.go  # Complete system backup
│   │   ├── restore.go         # System restoration
│   │   ├── key.go             # Key backup management
│   │   ├── dotfiles_backup.go # Dotfile backup
│   │   ├── encrypt.go         # Encryption utilities
│   │   ├── search.go          # Key location discovery
│   │   └── dotfile_scanner.go # Dotfile scanning
│   ├── automation/            # Automation file handling
│   │   ├── automation.go      # SystemD and cron detection
│   │   ├── backup.go          # Automation backup
│   │   └── detect.go          # Automation detection
│   ├── output/                # Output generation
│   │   ├── json.go            # JSON metadata generation
│   │   ├── script.go          # Installation script generation
│   │   └── tarball.go         # Tarball creation
│   └── utils/                 # Utility functions
│       ├── detect_distro.go   # Distribution detection
│       ├── fetch_packages.go  # Package list fetching
│       └── verify_path.go     # Path validation
└── dist/                      # Output directory
    ├── unified-backup-*.tar.gz # Complete system backups
    ├── key-backup-*.tar.gz    # Key-only backups
    ├── dotfile-backup.tar.gz  # Dotfile backups
    └── restored_packages_install.sh # Generated install script

Technical Details

Encryption

• Algorithm: AES-256-GCM
• Key Generation: Cryptographically secure random 32-byte keys
• Data Format: Base64-encoded encrypted data with nonce
• Scope: Only SSH/GPG keys are encrypted; dotfiles and packages are stored in plaintext

Backup Format

• Container: Compressed tarball (.tar.gz)
• Metadata: JSON file containing system information and file lists
• Structure:
  • unified_backup.json: Main metadata and encrypted keys
  • dotfiles/: Directory containing dotfile contents
  • automation/: Directory containing automation files

Distribution Detection

The tool detects Linux distributions by reading /etc/os-release and extracting:

• ID: Specific distribution name
• ID_LIKE: Base distribution family

Package Detection

Package lists are fetched based on the base distribution:

• Debian-based: Uses dpkg and apt commands
• Arch-based: Uses pacman and yay commands
• Red Hat-based: Uses dnf commands
• Void: Uses xbps commands

Automation Detection

The tool detects and backs up:

• SystemD Services: Custom services in /etc/systemd/system/
• SystemD Timers: Custom timers in /etc/systemd/system/
• User Cronjobs: User-specific cron jobs
• System Cronjobs: System-wide cron jobs

Security Considerations

• SSH and GPG keys are encrypted with AES-256-GCM before storage
• Encryption keys are generated randomly for each backup
• Backup files should be stored securely as they contain sensitive data
• The tool does not require user passwords for encryption (uses random keys)

Limitations

• Only supports Linux operating systems
• Requires appropriate permissions to read system files
• Package restoration may fail if packages are not available in target distribution repositories
• Some automation files may require manual configuration after restoration

Output Files

Backup Files

• unified-backup-YYYY-MM-DD-HH-MM-SS.tar.gz: Complete system backup
• key-backup-YYYY-MM-DD-HH-MM-SS.tar.gz: SSH/GPG keys only
• dotfile-backup.tar.gz: Dotfiles only

Generated Scripts

• restored_packages_install.sh: Package installation script for restoration
• setup.sh: Package installation script for replication only

Metadata Files

• package.json: System and package information in JSON format