Obnam2 vs Deja Dup
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted backup & recovery options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Obnam2 | Deja Dup |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Rust | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 200 | ★ 600 |
| First released | 2020 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Backblaze | Time Machine, Backblaze |
What are Obnam2 and Deja Dup?
Obnam2
Obnam2 is a backup program that splits files into chunks for deduplicated, encrypted storage to a backup server. It is built with a focus on simplicity and verifiable correctness.
- Chunk-based deduplication
- Encrypted storage
- Backup server model
- Simplicity focused
Deja Dup
Deja Dup is a simple backup tool that hides the complexity of doing backups properly. It supports local, network, and cloud storage with encryption and incremental backups powered by Restic.
- Beginner-friendly GUI
- Encrypted incremental backups
- Local and cloud targets
Obnam2 vs Deja Dup: key differences
Obnam2 is written in Rust, while Deja Dup is built with Vala. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Obnam2 versus GPL-3.0 for Deja Dup. Obnam2 is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Deja Dup. Deja Dup is the more established project (first released 2008), while Obnam2 arrived in 2020. Deja Dup has the considerably larger community, at 600 GitHub stars versus 200.
Why pick each one
Choose Obnam2 if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Written in Rust
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Choose Deja Dup if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Vala
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Obnam2 or Deja Dup better?
Deja Dup is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Obnam2 if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Obnam2 and Deja Dup free and open-source?
Yes. Obnam2 is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Deja Dup under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Obnam2 and Deja Dup with Docker?
Obnam2: check the project docs for container support. Deja Dup: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Obnam2 or Deja Dup?
Obnam2 has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Deja Dup. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.