Hytale Server Administration

Set up, configure, and manage Hytale servers.

Server Planning Questions

Before setting up, work through these questions with the server owner:

Phase 1: Private Server

Question	Options	Notes
Where will you host?	Local PC, VPS, Game Host	Local = free, VPS = flexible, Host = easy
Who will have access?	Friends list (whitelist)	Start restricted
Starting vanilla or modded?	Vanilla first is great!	Can add mods anytime
World seed?	Random, specific	Can make new worlds later
Backups?	Manual, automated	Set schedule before playing

Tip: Starting vanilla is perfectly fine! You can add mods later - just make a new world if needed. Many groups prefer to learn vanilla first anyway!

Phase 2: Going Public

Question	Options	Notes
Expected player count?	10, 50, 100+	Affects RAM/hosting needs
Moderation team?	Solo, trusted friends, hired	Plan roles
Rules?	PvP, griefing, chat	Document before opening
Server listing?	Private, public discovery	Authentication level
Anti-cheat?	Plugins, vanilla	Consider early
DDoS protection?	Host-provided, Cloudflare	Required for public

Requirements

Hardware (Self-Hosting)

Players	RAM	CPU	Notes
1-5	4GB	2 cores	Minimum
5-20	8GB	4 cores	Recommended
20-50	16GB	6 cores	With mods
50+	32GB+	8+ cores	Heavy mods

Software

Java 25 (required)
HytaleServer.jar (from Hytale)
Assets.zip (game assets)

Initial Setup

Step 1: Download Server Files

Download
```
HytaleServer.jar
```
from official source
Download
```
Assets.zip
```
(game assets)
Place in a dedicated folder

Step 2: First Launch

bash

# Windows
java -Xmx4G -jar HytaleServer.jar --assets ./Assets.zip

# Linux
java -Xmx4G -jar HytaleServer.jar --assets ./Assets.zip

This creates the folder structure:

server/
├── HytaleServer.jar
├── Assets.zip
├── config.json            # Server settings
├── permissions.json       # Player permissions
├── whitelist.json         # Allowed players
├── bans.json              # Banned players
└── universe/
    └── worlds/
        └── default/
            └── config.json  # World settings

Step 3: Authenticate

bash

# In server console
/auth login device

Copy the URL and code shown
Visit URL in browser
Enter code to authenticate
Server can now accept connections

Configuration Files

config.json (Main Server)

json

{
  "ServerName": "My Hytale Server",
  "MOTD": "Welcome to our server!",
  "Password": "",
  "MaxPlayers": 20,
  "MaxViewRadius": 12,
  "LocalCompressionEnabled": true
}

Setting	Description
`ServerName`	Displayed to players
`MOTD`	Message of the day
`Password`	Empty = no password
`MaxPlayers`	Concurrent player limit
`MaxViewRadius`	Render distance

World config.json

Located in

universe/worlds/[name]/config.json

json

{
  "seed": "my-custom-seed",
  "pvp": true,
  "fallDamage": true,
  "keepInventory": false,
  "difficulty": "normal"
}

Permissions System

permissions.json Structure

json

{
  "groups": {
    "default": {
      "permissions": [
        "hytale.command.help",
        "hytale.command.spawn"
      ]
    },
    "moderator": {
      "inherits": ["default"],
      "permissions": [
        "hytale.command.kick",
        "hytale.command.mute",
        "hytale.command.tp"
      ]
    },
    "admin": {
      "inherits": ["moderator"],
      "permissions": [
        "hytale.command.*",
        "hytale.admin.*"
      ]
    }
  },
  "users": {
    "player-uuid-here": {
      "groups": ["admin"]
    }
  }
}

Permission Commands

bash

# Grant operator status
/op add <username>

# Remove operator status
/op remove <username>

# View player permissions
/permissions user <username> info

Networking

Port Configuration

Protocol	Port	Purpose
UDP	5520	Game traffic (default)

Important: Hytale uses UDP, not TCP!

Firewall Rules

Windows PowerShell (Admin):

powershell

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Hytale Server" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 5520 -Action Allow

Linux (ufw):

bash

sudo ufw allow 5520/udp

Linux (iptables):

bash

sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 5520 -j ACCEPT

Port Forwarding (Home Router)

Access router admin (usually 192.168.1.1)
Find Port Forwarding section
Add rule:
- Protocol: UDP
- External Port: 5520
- Internal IP: Your server PC's IP
- Internal Port: 5520

Custom Port

bash

java -jar HytaleServer.jar --assets ./Assets.zip --bind 0.0.0.0:25565

Private Server Setup

Whitelist-Only Access

Edit

whitelist.json

json

{
  "enabled": true,
  "players": [
    "friend1-uuid",
    "friend2-uuid"
  ]
}

Or use commands:

bash

/whitelist add <username>
/whitelist remove <username>
/whitelist on
/whitelist off

Password Protection

config.json

json

{
  "Password": "secretpassword123"
}

Going Public Checklist

Before Launch

Rules documented - Create /rules command
Moderation team ready - Assign roles
Backup system working - Test restore
Anti-grief plugins - Protect builds
Reporting system - How players report issues
DDoS protection - If self-hosting

Server Hardening

json

{
  "MaxPlayers": 50,
  "RateLimit": {
    "ConnectionsPerIP": 2,
    "CommandsPerMinute": 30
  }
}

Recommended Plugins

Purpose	Examples
Permissions	HyperPerms
Economy	HyVault
Protection	WorldGuard-equivalent
Moderation	Essentials-equivalent

Hosting Options

Self-Hosting

Pros	Cons
Free	Your hardware/bandwidth
Full control	You handle maintenance
No monthly cost	Uptime depends on you

VPS Hosting

Pros	Cons
Always online	Monthly cost ($10-50+)
Better bandwidth	Some technical knowledge
Scalable	You manage software

Recommended VPS:

Hetzner, OVH, Linode, DigitalOcean

Game Server Hosts

Pros	Cons
Easy setup	Higher cost
Control panel	Less flexibility
Support included	Limited customization

Popular Hosts:

BisectHosting, Apex, Shockbyte, PebbleHost

Common Commands

Command	Description
`/help`	List all commands
`/op add <user>`	Grant admin
`/kick <user>`	Kick player
`/ban <user>`	Ban player
`/whitelist add <user>`	Allow player
`/tp <user>`	Teleport to player
`/gamemode <mode>`	Change gamemode
`/plugin list`	List plugins
`/plugin reload`	Reload plugins
`/save-all`	Force world save
`/stop`	Gracefully stop server

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Players can't connect	Check firewall + port forward (UDP!)
Authentication failed	Re-run `/auth login device`
Server crashes	Check RAM allocation, reduce view distance
Lag	Lower MaxPlayers, optimize plugins
World corruption	Restore from backup

Backup Strategy

Manual Backup

bash

# Stop server first!
cp -r universe/ backup/universe_$(date +%Y%m%d)/

Automated (Linux cron)

bash

# Daily backup at 4 AM
0 4 * * * /path/to/backup-script.sh

Quick Reference

Task	Command/File
Start server	`java -Xmx4G -jar HytaleServer.jar --assets ./Assets.zip`
Authenticate	`/auth login device`
Main config	`config.json`
Permissions	`permissions.json`
Whitelist	`whitelist.json` / `/whitelist`
Default port	UDP 5520

Resources

Official Manual: Hytale Server Manual
Plugin Development: See
```
hytale-plugin-dev
```
skill
Team Workflow: See
```
git-workflow
```
skill

hytale-server-admin

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content

Hytale Server Administration

Server Planning Questions

Phase 1: Private Server

Phase 2: Going Public

Requirements

Hardware (Self-Hosting)

Software

Initial Setup

Step 1: Download Server Files

Step 2: First Launch

Step 3: Authenticate

Configuration Files

config.json (Main Server)

World config.json

Permissions System

permissions.json Structure

Permission Commands

Networking

Port Configuration

Firewall Rules

Port Forwarding (Home Router)

Custom Port

Private Server Setup

Whitelist-Only Access

Password Protection

Going Public Checklist

Before Launch

Server Hardening

Recommended Plugins

Hosting Options

Self-Hosting

VPS Hosting

Game Server Hosts

Common Commands

Troubleshooting

Backup Strategy

Manual Backup

Automated (Linux cron)

Quick Reference

Resources