Hosting a Local Minecraft Server for Devs

Hello, fellow devs! Have you ever wanted to create your own Minecraft server to play with your friends, or to test out your Minecraft mods and plugins without having to pay for a hosting service? In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of hosting a local Minecraft server, step-by-step. Let’s get started!

Requirements

Before we dive into the process of hosting a local Minecraft server, let’s make sure you have everything you need. Here’s a list of requirements:

If you have all of the requirements, let’s move on to the next step.

Setting up the Server

The first step in hosting a local Minecraft server is setting up the server software. Here’s how:

Step 1: Download the Server Software

Go to the official Minecraft website and download the server software. You can find it under the “Multiplayer Server” section. Make sure to download the version that matches your Minecraft version.

Step 2: Create a Server Folder

Create a new folder on your computer to store the server files. Name it whatever you like. We’ll refer to this folder as the “server folder” throughout this article.

Step 3: Move the Server Software to the Server Folder

Move the server software that you downloaded in Step 1 to the server folder that you created in Step 2.

Step 4: Start the Server

To start the server, double-click on the server software file in the server folder. This will open a console window that will display the server logs.

Step 5: Set up Port Forwarding

If you want your friends to be able to connect to your server, you’ll need to set up port forwarding on your router. You can find instructions on how to do this on the internet, as it varies depending on the router model and brand.

That’s it! Your server is now up and running. But before you start playing, let’s go over some frequently asked questions.

FAQ

How do I Connect to the Server?

To connect to your local Minecraft server, open Minecraft and click on “Multiplayer”. Then, click on “Add Server” and enter the server address as “localhost” or your computer’s IP address.

How do I Change the Server Settings?

You can change the server settings by editing the server.properties file in the server folder. Here are some of the settings you can change:

How do I Install Mods and Plugins?

You can install mods and plugins by downloading them and placing them in the “plugins” folder in the server folder. Make sure to restart the server after installing new mods or plugins.

How do I Back up my Server?

To back up your server, simply copy the server folder to a different location on your computer or to an external hard drive. You should back up your server regularly to prevent data loss.

How do I Stop the Server?

To stop the server, type “stop” into the console window and press enter. This will save the world data and shut down the server.

That’s it! Now you can host your own Minecraft server and enjoy playing with your friends. We hope this guide was helpful. Happy Minecraft-ing!