Need to provide the ability to restore a single repository from backup

With the current backup and restore functionality, there are two options:

• Backup Client
• DIY Backup

With either option, there is no ability to restore a single repository. Both options require that you restore the entire instance.

This is not very efficient when you are trying to restore a single repository that was accidentally deleted.

The only other option would be to restore the entire instance to a testing or staging instance and then use the Data Center "Export and import projects and repositories" functionality to export the single repository and restore the repository into the production instance.

There are several issues with this:

• The time it takes to restore, export, and then import is extensive
• The export feature will not export many of the details of a repository. Therefore, those items will not be imported.
• If the repository is a fork, exporting will export the parent repository. This can have other implications (duplicate parent repository that gets imported into a different project). If the repository is a parent of forks, the restoration will not reconnect those dots.

In Bitbucket 7.14, the ability to block repository deletion was added. However, it is still possible that a repository could make it through the checks and balances and only after being deleted, learn that there was important information and a restoration is needed.