How to Host Minecraft Forge Server – A Definitive Guide for Devs

As a developer, you must know that Minecraft Forge is the most popular modding API in the Minecraft community. With the Forge server, you can create custom modpacks that add new content, gameplay mechanics, and features to the game. In this article, we will guide you through the steps to host a Minecraft Forge server that you can use to play with your friends or even publish to the public. Let’s get started!

What is Minecraft Forge?

Minecraft Forge is an API (Application Programming Interface) that allows modders to create mods for Minecraft. It provides a framework for creating and running mods, as well as a way to manage them. Forge also includes an installer that makes it easy to install the mods on the client and server side.

If you’re familiar with programming, you can start writing mods by using Forge’s API. If not, you can still enjoy the benefits of Forge by installing existing mods created by others.

Step 1: Download and Install Java

The first thing you need to do to host a Minecraft Forge server is to download and install Java. Minecraft Forge requires Java 8 or later to run. You can download Java from the official website.

After downloading Java, run the installer and follow the instructions to install it on your system. Once installed, make sure that Java is added to your system’s PATH environment variable so that you can use it from the command line.

How to add Java to PATH

Follow these steps to add Java to your system’s PATH environment variable:

Operating System	Instructions
Windows	Right-click on My Computer or This PC and select Properties. Select Advanced system settings. Select the Environment Variables button. Under System variables, scroll down and find the Path variable. Select Edit. Append ;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-15.0.2\bin (or whatever the path to your Java installation is) to the end of the variable value. Select OK to close all the dialogs. Open a new command prompt window and type java -version to verify that Java is in your PATH.
macOS	Open the Terminal application. Type sudo nano /etc/paths and press Enter. Enter your password if prompted. Append /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-15.0.2.jdk/Contents/Home/bin (or whatever the path to your Java installation is) to the end of the file. Press Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter to save the file. Close and reopen the Terminal application. Type java -version to verify that Java is in your PATH.
Linux	Open a terminal window. Type sudo nano /etc/environment and press Enter. Append :usr/lib/jvm/java-15-openjdk-amd64/bin (or whatever the path to your Java installation is) to the end of the PATH variable. Save the file by pressing Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter. Restart your terminal window or run source /etc/environment. Type java -version to verify that Java is in your PATH.

Step 2: Download Minecraft Server and Minecraft Forge

The second step is to download the Minecraft server and Minecraft Forge. You can download both from the official websites.

To download the Minecraft server, visit the Minecraft website and click on Download minecraft_server.jar.

To download Minecraft Forge, visit the Forge website and click on the version you want to install. We recommend using the latest version for the best stability and compatibility.

Make sure that you download the server version of Minecraft Forge, not the client version. The server version will have -universal.jar at the end of the file name.

Step 3: Create a Minecraft Server Directory

The third step is to create a directory where you will store your Minecraft server files. You can create the directory anywhere on your system, but we recommend creating it in an easily accessible location, such as your desktop or Documents folder.

To create a new directory, follow these steps:

1. Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS).
2. Navigate to the folder where you want to create the new directory.
3. Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (macOS) on an empty space and select New Folder.
4. Name the folder something like Minecraft Server.

Step 4: Copy Minecraft Server and Minecraft Forge to Server Directory

The fourth step is to copy the Minecraft server and Minecraft Forge files to your Minecraft server directory. Here’s how:

1. Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS).
2. Navigate to the folder where you downloaded the Minecraft server and Minecraft Forge files.
3. Copy the minecraft_server.jar file and the forge-{version}-universal.jar file to your Minecraft server directory.

You should now have two files in your Minecraft server directory: minecraft_server.jar and forge-{version}-universal.jar.

Step 5: Configure Minecraft Forge Server

The fifth step is to configure your Minecraft Forge server. You can do this by editing the server properties file.

To edit the server properties file, follow these steps:

1. Open your Minecraft server directory.
2. Locate the server.properties file and open it with a text editor (such as Notepad or TextEdit).
3. Find the line that says level-name=world and change world to the name of your desired world. You can also change other settings here, such as the server port and difficulty level.
4. Save the changes to the server.properties file.

FAQ:

1. How do I change the server port?
   You can change the server port by editing the server.properties file. Find the line that says server-port=25565 and change 25565 to your desired port number.
2. How do I change the difficulty level?
   You can change the difficulty level by editing the server.properties file. Find the line that says difficulty=1 and change 1 to your desired difficulty level (1 = Easy, 2 = Normal, 3 = Hard).
3. How do I create a new world?
   To create a new world, simply change the value of level-name in the server.properties file to a new name. When you start the server, it will create a new world with that name.

Step 6: Start Minecraft Forge Server

The sixth and final step is to start your Minecraft Forge server. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open your Minecraft server directory.
2. Double-click on forge-{version}-universal.jar to start the server. Alternatively, you can run the server from the command line by typing java -jar forge-{version}-universal.jar.
3. The server will start and create a new world (if one doesn’t already exist).
4. You can now connect to your Minecraft Forge server using the Minecraft client. Open Minecraft, select Multiplayer, and then click Add Server. Enter the server address (which will be the IP address of the computer running the server) and click Done.
5. Select the Minecraft Forge server from the server list and click Join Server.

Congratulations! You have successfully hosted a Minecraft Forge server. You can now start playing with your friends or even publish your server to the public so that others can join.

FAQ:

1. How do I set up port forwarding?
   To set up port forwarding, you will need to log in to your router’s administration panel and configure it to forward incoming traffic on the Minecraft server port (default is 25565) to the internal IP address of the computer running the server. The exact steps will vary depending on your router model and manufacturer, so consult the documentation or manufacturer’s website for instructions.
2. How do I install mods on the server?
   To install mods on the server, download the mod files and place them in the mods directory of your Minecraft server directory. Make sure that the mods are compatible with the version of Minecraft Forge you are using.
3. How do I troubleshoot server issues?
   If you are experiencing issues with your Minecraft Forge server, check the server logs for any error messages. You can also try restarting the server, updating Java, or reinstalling Minecraft Forge.

We hope that this guide has been helpful in teaching you how to host a Minecraft Forge server. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. Happy gaming!