What a Node means
A Node is the storage endpoint Watermelon Backup uses for backup tasks.
Most Nodes are saved storage connections, such as External Storage, SMB, WebDAV, SFTP, an S3-Compatible bucket, OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive. Adding one does not start a backup by itself; it saves the target and connection settings so you can choose it later.
Watermelon Link also appears as a Node while it is connected, but it is a temporary browser-session Node created after QR pairing and is not saved as a long-term Node.
What is saved
A Node may include an address, folder or bucket, protocol settings, and the credentials needed by that storage type.
Credentials such as passwords, access keys, private keys, and provider tokens are stored in iOS Keychain where applicable. OneDrive stores account identity metadata in Keychain and lets MSAL manage access and refresh tokens. For Dropbox and Google Drive, refresh tokens are stored in Keychain, saved account identifiers are used for account verification, and short-lived access tokens stay in memory.
Choosing a Node type
- Use Watermelon Link for a quick temporary Node to a Mac or Windows PC.
- Use External Storage for drives and compatible Files providers.
- Use SMB, WebDAV, SFTP, S3-Compatible, OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive when you already have that storage service available.
Download Watermelon Backup
Install Watermelon Backup from the App Store to follow this guide on iPhone.