Where Does Incus Store Instances and Config?
Incus /var/lib/incus data with containers, VMs, storage and database on Linux.
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Incus keeps instances, storage pools, networks and its database under /var/lib/incus, with the daemon socket alongside. Everything the cluster knows lives in that tree plus the embedded database.
Raw copies of running instances corrupt, so export through the proper commands. Back up the database plus storage volumes together or restores mismatch.
Where Incus stores this, by platform
/var/lib/incus
Holds containers and VMs, storage pools, networks, backups and the dqlite database. Manage through incus commands rather than touching files. Export instances with incus export for portable backups; copy storage volumes only with instances stopped.
Frequently asked questions
How do I back up Incus instances?
Export each with incus export into portable tarballs plus the server config. Raw /var/lib/incus copies only work fully stopped and version-matched.
Where is the Incus database?
Embedded dqlite files inside the data directory above. Never edit them by hand; the daemon owns that state.
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