diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index b24c2fc65..816a2f613 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -301,10 +301,10 @@ dependencies = [
 ]
 
 [[package]]
-name = "adler32"
-version = "1.0.4"
+name = "adler"
+version = "0.2.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "5d2e7343e7fc9de883d1b0341e0b13970f764c14101234857d2ddafa1cb1cac2"
+checksum = "ccc9a9dd069569f212bc4330af9f17c4afb5e8ce185e83dbb14f1349dda18b10"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ahash"
@@ -889,10 +889,22 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "e88a8acf291dafb59c2d96e8f59828f3838bb1a70398823ade51a84de6a6deed"
 
 [[package]]
-name = "flate2"
-version = "1.0.14"
+name = "filetime"
+version = "0.2.10"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "2cfff41391129e0a856d6d822600b8d71179d46879e310417eb9c762eb178b42"
+checksum = "affc17579b132fc2461adf7c575cc6e8b134ebca52c51f5411388965227dc695"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if",
+ "libc",
+ "redox_syscall",
+ "winapi 0.3.8",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "flate2"
+version = "1.0.16"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "68c90b0fc46cf89d227cc78b40e494ff81287a92dd07631e5af0d06fe3cf885e"
 dependencies = [
  "cfg-if",
  "crc32fast",
@@ -1548,6 +1560,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "chrono",
  "crossbeam-channel",
  "env_logger",
+ "flate2",
  "futures",
  "http 0.1.21",
  "indexmap",
@@ -1571,7 +1584,9 @@ dependencies = [
  "siphasher",
  "slice-group-by",
  "structopt",
+ "tar",
  "tempdir",
+ "tempfile",
  "tokio",
  "ureq",
  "vergen",
@@ -1639,11 +1654,11 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "miniz_oxide"
-version = "0.3.6"
+version = "0.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "aa679ff6578b1cddee93d7e82e263b94a575e0bfced07284eb0c037c1d2416a5"
+checksum = "be0f75932c1f6cfae3c04000e40114adf955636e19040f9c0a2c380702aa1c7f"
 dependencies = [
- "adler32",
+ "adler",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2585,6 +2600,18 @@ dependencies = [
  "unicode-xid",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "tar"
+version = "0.4.29"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c8a4c1d0bee3230179544336c15eefb563cf0302955d962e456542323e8c2e8a"
+dependencies = [
+ "filetime",
+ "libc",
+ "redox_syscall",
+ "xattr",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "tempdir"
 version = "0.3.7"
@@ -3162,6 +3189,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi-build",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "xattr"
+version = "0.2.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "244c3741f4240ef46274860397c7c74e50eb23624996930e484c16679633a54c"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "zerocopy"
 version = "0.3.0"
diff --git a/meilisearch-http/Cargo.toml b/meilisearch-http/Cargo.toml
index 5594f174d..eeb96cd77 100644
--- a/meilisearch-http/Cargo.toml
+++ b/meilisearch-http/Cargo.toml
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ bytes = "0.5.4"
 chrono = { version = "0.4.11", features = ["serde"] }
 crossbeam-channel = "0.4.2"
 env_logger = "0.7.1"
+flate2 = "1.0.16"
 futures = "0.3.4"
 http = "0.1.19"
 indexmap = { version = "1.3.2", features = ["serde-1"] }
@@ -47,6 +48,8 @@ sha2 = "0.8.1"
 siphasher = "0.3.2"
 slice-group-by = "0.2.6"
 structopt = "0.3.12"
+tar = "0.4.29"
+tempfile = "3.1.0"
 tokio = { version = "0.2.18", features = ["macros"] }
 ureq = { version = "0.12.0", features = ["tls"], default-features = false }
 walkdir = "2.3.1"
diff --git a/meilisearch-http/src/error.rs b/meilisearch-http/src/error.rs
index 7014b1a5b..501694c0d 100644
--- a/meilisearch-http/src/error.rs
+++ b/meilisearch-http/src/error.rs
@@ -236,6 +236,18 @@ impl From<actix_http::Error> for Error {
     }
 }
 
+impl From<std::io::Error> for Error {
+    fn from(err: std::io::Error) -> Error {
+        Error::Internal(err.to_string())
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<meilisearch_core::Error> for Error {
+    fn from(err: meilisearch_core::Error) -> Error {
+        Error::Internal(err.to_string())
+    }
+}
+
 impl From<FacetCountError> for ResponseError {
     fn from(err: FacetCountError) -> ResponseError {
         ResponseError { inner: Box::new(err) }
diff --git a/meilisearch-http/src/lib.rs b/meilisearch-http/src/lib.rs
index 486f4a39f..c6de32160 100644
--- a/meilisearch-http/src/lib.rs
+++ b/meilisearch-http/src/lib.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ pub mod models;
 pub mod option;
 pub mod routes;
 pub mod analytics;
+pub mod snapshot;
 
 use actix_http::Error;
 use actix_service::ServiceFactory;
diff --git a/meilisearch-http/src/main.rs b/meilisearch-http/src/main.rs
index 13ce99d57..0537a462f 100644
--- a/meilisearch-http/src/main.rs
+++ b/meilisearch-http/src/main.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use main_error::MainError;
 use meilisearch_http::helpers::NormalizePath;
 use meilisearch_http::{create_app, index_update_callback, Data, Opt};
 use structopt::StructOpt;
+use meilisearch_http::snapshot;
 
 mod analytics;
 
@@ -51,6 +52,10 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), MainError> {
         _ => unreachable!(),
     }
 
+    if let Some(path) = &opt.load_from_snapshot {
+        snapshot::load_snapshot(&opt.db_path, path, opt.ignore_snapshot_if_db_exists, opt.ignore_missing_snapshot)?;
+    }
+
     let data = Data::new(opt.clone())?;
 
     if !opt.no_analytics {
@@ -64,6 +69,10 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), MainError> {
         index_update_callback(name, &data_cloned, status);
     }));
 
+    if let Some(path) = &opt.snapshot_path {
+        snapshot::schedule_snapshot(data.clone(), &path, opt.snapshot_interval_sec)?;
+    }
+
     print_launch_resume(&opt, &data);
 
     let http_server = HttpServer::new(move || {
diff --git a/meilisearch-http/src/option.rs b/meilisearch-http/src/option.rs
index 0c212066e..2bcb62687 100644
--- a/meilisearch-http/src/option.rs
+++ b/meilisearch-http/src/option.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
+use std::{error, fs};
 use std::io::{BufReader, Read};
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::Arc;
-use std::{error, fs};
 
 use rustls::internal::pemfile::{certs, pkcs8_private_keys, rsa_private_keys};
 use rustls::{
@@ -93,6 +93,28 @@ pub struct Opt {
     /// SSL support tickets.
     #[structopt(long, env = "MEILI_SSL_TICKETS")]
     pub ssl_tickets: bool,
+
+    /// Defines the path of the snapshot file to import.
+    /// This option will, by default, stop the process if a database already exist or if no snapshot exists at
+    /// the given path. If this option is not specified no snapshot is imported.
+    #[structopt(long, env = "MEILI_LOAD_FROM_SNAPSHOT")]
+    pub load_from_snapshot: Option<PathBuf>,
+
+    /// The engine will ignore a missing snapshot and not return an error in such case.
+    #[structopt(long, requires = "load-from-snapshot", env = "MEILI_IGNORE_MISSING_SNAPSHOT")]
+    pub ignore_missing_snapshot: bool,
+
+    /// The engine will skip snapshot importation and not return an error in such case.
+    #[structopt(long, requires = "load-from-snapshot", env = "MEILI_IGNORE_SNAPSHOT_IF_DB_EXISTS")]
+    pub ignore_snapshot_if_db_exists: bool,
+
+    /// Defines the directory path where meilisearch will create snapshot each snapshot_time_gap.
+    #[structopt(long, env = "MEILI_SNAPSHOT_PATH")]
+    pub snapshot_path: Option<PathBuf>,
+
+    /// Defines time interval, in seconds, between each snapshot creation.
+    #[structopt(long, requires = "snapshot-path", default_value = "86400", env = "MEILI_SNAPSHOT_INTERVAL_SEC")]
+    pub snapshot_interval_sec: u64,
 }
 
 impl Opt {
diff --git a/meilisearch-http/src/snapshot.rs b/meilisearch-http/src/snapshot.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a82566145
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meilisearch-http/src/snapshot.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+use crate::Data;
+use crate::error::Error;
+
+use flate2::Compression;
+use flate2::read::GzDecoder;
+use flate2::write::GzEncoder;
+use log::error;
+use std::fs::{create_dir_all, File};
+use std::io;
+use std::path::Path;
+use std::thread;
+use std::time::{Duration};
+use tar::{Builder, Archive};
+use tempfile::TempDir;
+
+fn pack(src: &Path, dest: &Path) -> io::Result<()> {
+    let f = File::create(dest)?;
+    let gz_encoder = GzEncoder::new(f, Compression::default());
+
+    let mut tar_encoder = Builder::new(gz_encoder);
+    tar_encoder.append_dir_all(".", src)?;
+    let gz_encoder = tar_encoder.into_inner()?;
+
+    gz_encoder.finish()?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+fn unpack(src: &Path, dest: &Path) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    let f = File::open(src)?;
+    let gz = GzDecoder::new(f);
+    let mut ar = Archive::new(gz);
+
+    create_dir_all(dest)?;
+    ar.unpack(dest)?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub fn load_snapshot(
+    db_path: &str,
+    snapshot_path: &Path,
+    ignore_snapshot_if_db_exists: bool,
+    ignore_missing_snapshot: bool
+) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    let db_path = Path::new(db_path);
+
+    if !db_path.exists() && snapshot_path.exists() {
+        unpack(snapshot_path, db_path)
+    } else if db_path.exists() && !ignore_snapshot_if_db_exists {
+        Err(Error::Internal(format!("database already exists at {:?}", db_path)))
+    } else if !snapshot_path.exists() && !ignore_missing_snapshot {
+        Err(Error::Internal(format!("snapshot doesn't exist at {:?}", snapshot_path)))
+    } else {
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn create_snapshot(data: &Data, snapshot_path: &Path) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    let tmp_dir = TempDir::new()?;
+
+    data.db.copy_and_compact_to_path(tmp_dir.path())?;
+
+    pack(tmp_dir.path(), snapshot_path).or_else(|e| Err(Error::Internal(format!("something went wrong during snapshot compression: {}", e))))
+}
+
+pub fn schedule_snapshot(data: Data, snapshot_dir: &Path, time_gap_s: u64) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    if snapshot_dir.file_name().is_none() { 
+        return Err(Error::Internal("invalid snapshot file path".to_string()));
+    }
+    let db_name = Path::new(&data.db_path).file_name().ok_or_else(|| Error::Internal("invalid database name".to_string()))?;
+    create_dir_all(snapshot_dir)?;
+    let snapshot_path = snapshot_dir.join(format!("{}.tar.gz", db_name.to_str().unwrap_or("data.ms")));
+    
+    thread::spawn(move || loop { 
+        thread::sleep(Duration::from_secs(time_gap_s));
+        if let Err(e) = create_snapshot(&data, &snapshot_path) {
+            error!("Unsuccessful snapshot creation: {}", e);
+        }
+    });
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use std::io::prelude::*;
+    use std::fs;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_pack_unpack() {
+        let tempdir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+
+        let test_dir = tempdir.path();
+        let src_dir = test_dir.join("src");
+        let dest_dir = test_dir.join("complex/destination/path/");
+        let archive_path = test_dir.join("archive.tar.gz");
+
+        let file_1_relative = Path::new("file1.txt");
+        let subfolder_relative = Path::new("subfolder/");
+        let file_2_relative = Path::new("subfolder/file2.txt");
+        
+        create_dir_all(src_dir.join(subfolder_relative)).unwrap();
+        File::create(src_dir.join(file_1_relative)).unwrap().write_all(b"Hello_file_1").unwrap();
+        File::create(src_dir.join(file_2_relative)).unwrap().write_all(b"Hello_file_2").unwrap();
+
+        
+        assert!(pack(&src_dir, &archive_path).is_ok());
+        assert!(archive_path.exists());
+        assert!(load_snapshot(&dest_dir.to_str().unwrap(), &archive_path, false, false).is_ok());
+
+        assert!(dest_dir.exists());
+        assert!(dest_dir.join(file_1_relative).exists());
+        assert!(dest_dir.join(subfolder_relative).exists());
+        assert!(dest_dir.join(file_2_relative).exists());
+
+        let contents = fs::read_to_string(dest_dir.join(file_1_relative)).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(contents, "Hello_file_1");
+    
+        let contents = fs::read_to_string(dest_dir.join(file_2_relative)).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(contents, "Hello_file_2");
+    }
+}