diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 370d8ff..1330674 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ This should print the Kirby CLI version and a list of available commands
 ## Available core commands
 
 ```
+- kirby backup
 - kirby clean:content
 - kirby clear:cache
 - kirby clear:lock
diff --git a/commands/backup.php b/commands/backup.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..409cd0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/commands/backup.php
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types = 1);
+
+use Kirby\CLI\CLI;
+use Kirby\Filesystem\Dir;
+
+return [
+	'description' => 'Creates backup of application files',
+	'args' => [
+		'root' => [
+			'description' => 'Selects the kirby root, which should be backuped'
+		]
+	],
+	'command' => static function (CLI $cli): void {
+		if (class_exists('ZipArchive') === false) {
+			throw new Exception('ZipArchive library could not be found');
+		}
+
+		$root = $cli->argOrPrompt(
+			'root',
+			'Which root should be backuped? (press <Enter> to backup your entire site)',
+			false
+		);
+
+		$root     = empty($root) === true ? 'index' : $root;
+		$rootPath = $cli->kirby()->root($root);
+
+		if ($rootPath === null) {
+			throw new Exception('Invalid root entered: ' . $root);
+		}
+
+		if (is_dir($rootPath) === false) {
+			throw new Exception('The root does not exist: ' . $root);
+		}
+
+		$kirbyPath  = $cli->kirby()->root('index');
+		$backupPath = $kirbyPath . '/backup';
+		$backupFile = $backupPath . '/' . $root . '-' . date('Y-m-d-His') . '.zip';
+
+		if (is_file($backupFile) === true) {
+			throw new Exception('The backup file exists');
+		}
+
+		// create backup directory before the process
+		Dir::make($backupPath);
+
+		$zip = new ZipArchive();
+		if ($zip->open($backupFile, ZipArchive::CREATE) !== true) {
+			throw new Exception('Failed to create backup file');
+		}
+
+		$files = new RecursiveIteratorIterator(
+			new RecursiveCallbackFilterIterator(
+				new RecursiveDirectoryIterator(
+					$rootPath,
+					FilesystemIterator::SKIP_DOTS
+				),
+				fn ($file) => $file->isFile() || in_array($file->getBaseName(), ['.git', 'backup']) === false
+			)
+		);
+
+		foreach ($files as $file) {
+			// skip directories, will be added automatically
+			if ($file->isDir() === false) {
+				// get real and relative path for current file
+				$filePath = $file->getRealPath();
+				$relativePath = substr($filePath, strlen($rootPath) + 1);
+
+				// add current file to archive
+				$zip->addFile($filePath, $relativePath);
+			}
+		}
+
+		if ($zip->close() === false) {
+			throw new Exception('There was a problem writing the backup file');
+		}
+
+		$cli->success('The backup has been created: ' . substr($backupFile, strlen($kirbyPath)));
+	}
+];