How to install Minecraft on a VPS server

Summary
Hosting Minecraft on a VPS (Virtual Private Server) offers several benefits. A VPS provides a stable and dedicated environment for the server, free from the limitations and risks associated with hosting on a personal computer. This setup ensures a dedicated IP address, guaranteed resources, and full control over the server, resulting in a more reliable and efficient Minecraft experience.

Note

Ubuntu 22.04 is used in the guide below.

How to Install Minecraft on a VPS Server

Table of Contents

Java

Bedrock

How to Install Minecraft on a VPS Server (Java)
1. Log in to the VPS server.

2. Run the following commands to install Java JRE.
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt install [OpenJDK version]The required OpenJDK version depends on the Minecraft version and may vary in availability across different Ubuntu versions.

Minecraft Version	Java Version	OpenJDK Version
1.16.x and below	Java 8	`openjdk-8-jre-headless`
1.17.x	Java 16	`openjdk-16-jre-headless`
1.18.x - 1.20.4	Java 17	`openjdk-17-jre-headless`
1.20.5 and above	Java 21	`openjdk-21-jre-headless`

3. Input y when prompted.

4. Install screen.
sudo apt install screen -y5. Create a non-privileged user for the Minecraft server.
sudo useradd -r -U -d /usr/local/games/minecraft_server/ -s /usr/sbin/nologin [Username]

Note

Do not use root or a user with privileges to prevent security vulnerabilities and unauthorized access.

6. Make the Minecraft folder.
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/games/minecraft_server/java7. Grant folder permissions to the user created in step 5.
sudo chown -R [Username]: /usr/local/games/minecraft_server/8. Switch to the user.
sudo su - [Username] -s /bin/bash9. Enter the Minecraft folder.
cd /usr/local/games/minecraft_server/java10. Download the server.jar. Links can be retrieved from MCVersions.net.
wget [server.jar link]11. Create a screen for the Minecraft server.
screen -S [Screen name]12. Boot the Minecraft server.
java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar server.jar nogui13. Once it stops, accept the EULA.
sed -i 's/\bfalse\b/TRUE/' eula.txt14. Run the Minecraft server. Modify the Xmx and Xms RAM parameters as desired.
java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar server.jar nogui

Note

RAM allocation should not exceed VPS RAM capacity.

How to Install Minecraft on a VPS Server (Bedrock)
1. Log in to the VPS server.

2. Install screen.
sudo apt install screen -y

3. Navigate to the temp folder.
cd /tmp

4. Download the linux version of the server.jar. Links can be retrieved from the Minecraft wiki.
wget [server link]

5. Extract the .zip file.
apt-get install unzip
sudo unzip -d /usr/local/games/minecraft_server/bedrock [.zip filename]

6. Create a non-privileged user for the Minecraft server.
sudo useradd -r -U -d /usr/local/games/minecraft_server/ -s /usr/sbin/nologin [Username]

Note

Do not use root or a user with privileges to prevent security vulnerabilities and unauthorized access.

7. Make the Minecraft folder.
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/games/minecraft_server/bedrock

8. Grant folder permissions to the user created in step 5.
sudo chown -R [Username]: /usr/local/games/minecraft_server/9. Switch to the user.
sudo su - [Username] -s /bin/bash
10. Enter the Minecraft folder.
cd bedrock

11. Create a text file named launch_mc_bedrock_server.sh.
nano launch_mc_bedrock_server.sh

12. Input the following content:
#!/bin/bash
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=. ./bedrock_server

13. Press CTRL + S to save, then CTRL + X to exit the file.

14. Convert the file into an executable.
chmod +x launch_mc_bedrock_server.sh

15. Create a screen for the Minecraft server.
screen -S [Screen name]

16. Launch the Minecraft server.
./launch_mc_bedrock_server.sh

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