# The backup manifest (/docs/restoring/manifest)

Next to every backup file, backupd stores a manifest: a small JSON document, encrypted with age to the same keys as the backup. It records what the backup holds, so you can check a file before you restore it.

## Where to find it [#where-to-find-it]

In [your own bucket](/docs/storage/destinations), the manifest sits next to the backup with `.manifest.age` added to the name:

```txt
…/<backup ID>.pgdump.zst.age
…/<backup ID>.pgdump.zst.age.manifest.age
```

In the app, the table counts from the latest backup's manifest are shown in the database's **Explore** tab, and each backup's page lists its **Contents**.

## Read it [#read-it]

The manifest is encrypted but not compressed:

```sh
age -d -i backupd.agekey app.pgdump.zst.age.manifest.age | jq .
```

## Fields [#fields]

| Field | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| `version` | Manifest format version. |
| `createdAt` | When the manifest was written. |
| `engineVersion` | The database server's version. |
| `toolVersion` | The dump tool's version, for example `pg_dump (PostgreSQL) 18.1`. |
| `tables` | One entry per table or collection: `schema`, `name`, `rows`, `bytes`, and `exact` (`false` when the count is an estimate). |
| `oplog` | MongoDB only: `true` when the backup includes the oplog. Restore it with `--oplogReplay`. |
| `codec` | The compression used, `zstd`. |
| `plaintextBytes` | Size of the dump before compression. |
| `plaintextSha256` | SHA-256 of the dump before compression and encryption. |
| `storedBytes` | Size of the stored `.zst.age` file. |
| `storedSha256` | SHA-256 of the stored `.zst.age` file. |
| `durationMs` | How long the backup took. |

## Check a backup [#check-a-backup]

Check the stored file without decrypting it:

```sh
sha256sum app.pgdump.zst.age        # compare with storedSha256
```

Check the dump inside it:

```sh
age -d -i backupd.agekey app.pgdump.zst.age | zstd -d | sha256sum   # compare with plaintextSha256
```