A JSON export is the universal backup for your pipelines and templates, whether or not you use an account.
What the export contains
The file contains recipes, their settings, favorites, and the metadata required to restore them. It does not contain the files you processed.
Export
From the cloud synchronization page, use the local export action. Store the resulting file in a secure location.
Import
Three strategies may be offered:
- merge the export with existing items;
- replace the local configuration;
- import as copies to avoid collisions.
Warning: the replace option deletes the current local configuration before restoring the export. Create another export first if you are unsure.
Move to another device without an account
Simply copy the JSON file to the new device and import it. Cloud synchronization automates this process, but it is not required.
Verify a restoration
After importing, check the number of pipelines, their names, and the settings for their steps before deleting the old backup. An exported file can reveal how your recipes are organized even though it does not contain processed data, so protect it as carefully as any other configuration file.
Check the file and its compatibility
The export should be a readable JSON document containing identifiers, names, versions, steps, and settings, but no source files or results. Do not edit its identifiers manually unless the format is documented: syntactically valid JSON can still be incompatible.
If you do not know what an export contains, begin with “import as copies.” Then check the number of recipes, open the most important ones, and run one on a small sample. A newer Bethemesh version may add fields; it should safely ignore optional information, but clearly reject a format it cannot understand.
Common mistakes include importing the wrong export, replacing the local configuration before creating a backup, and treating a successful file load as proof that every pipeline works correctly.