How to Set Up a Minecraft Server Controller on Linux Using Crafty

Key Notes

• Crafty allows you to manage multiple Minecraft servers effortlessly.
• Using Docker simplifies installation and reduces system clutter.
• Regular backups are essential to maintaining your Minecraft world.

Craft Your Own Minecraft Server with Crafty on Linux

Creating your custom Minecraft server has never been easier, thanks to Crafty. This guide will walk you through the process of installing and deploying Crafty on an Ubuntu server, enabling you to host and manage Minecraft instances efficiently.

Reasons to Choose Crafty for Your Minecraft Server

Crafty stands out as a preferred control panel for Linux users due to its intuitive interface, enabling you to manage Minecraft servers with ease. Key advantages include simplifying setup processes and allowing for the management of multiple Minecraft versions concurrently, catering to diverse player experiences. Moreover, the reliance on Docker means minimal technical hurdles – perfect for both novice and experienced Linux users.

Preparing Your System for Crafty

Preparation: This guide assumes you are using an internet-accessible Ubuntu 22.04 LTS server.

Step 2: Downloading and Setting Up Crafty

Navigate to your home directory to create the required folders for Crafty:

Create a file named docker-compose.yml using your preferred text editor and insert the necessary code block into this file:

Save the docker-compose.yml file, and execute the command to build your Crafty container:

To verify that Docker is functioning correctly, list all of your running containers:

Step 3: Create an SSL Reverse Proxy with Nginx

With Crafty running on your machine, you’ll want to set up an SSL reverse proxy for secure access using Nginx. Start by creating a new DNS record for your Crafty instance. For instance, set your subdomain to “crafty” and point it to your server’s IP address.

Next, create a new site configuration file in Nginx:

Paste in the relevant configuration code, replacing the server_name variable with your custom subdomain:

Link your new site configuration file to the Nginx daemon’s sites-enabled directory:

Ensure your Nginx instance is running, and reload its configuration:

Use your email to register with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, then request an SSL certificate for your specified subdomain:

Finally, confirm your Crafty instance is accessible by navigating to your subdomain in a web browser.

Step 4: Adding and Managing Your Minecraft Server

With Crafty now operational, you can create your first Minecraft server. Start by obtaining the password for your instance:

Open the default-creds.txt file in your terminal and copy the password: variable:

Proceed to your Crafty instance’s login page. Use “admin” as the username and paste your copied password into the password field.

Select the Servers option from the dashboard sidebar and click Create New Server to get started.

From here, choose Vanilla as the Server Type and select the desired Minecraft version. Enter a name for your server in the Server Name field and hit Build Server! to download the necessary jar file for your version:

Click on your server name in the Crafty dashboard, and press Start to launch your new Minecraft world:

Test if everything is running smoothly by logging into your Minecraft account.

Adding Operator Accounts through Crafty

OP (Operator) accounts are essential in any Minecraft world to help manage the gameplay directly. Crafty provides an easy-to-use interface where you can promote players to OP accounts:

From the dashboard sidebar, click Servers followed by your server’s name. Then select Player Management and find the player you want to promote. Click on the yellow OP button to give this player OP status.

You can confirm your status by entering your Minecraft server and using a command to switch mode from survival to creative, effectively removing health and hunger metrics.

Step 5: Keeping Your Server Files Safe with Backups

Regularly backing up your world is critical to minimize downtime and data loss. To back up your server, navigate to the control panel and click the Backup option:

In the Max Backups field, enter “3” to retain only the latest backups. Check both the Compress Backup and Shutdown server for the duration of backup options:

Click Save to apply your new settings and then select Backup Now! to create your first backup:

You can also schedule backups by going to the Schedule category, clicking Create New Schedule, and setting your desired intervals for automatic backups.

Summary

This guide detailed the process of setting up Crafty on a Linux server to manage Minecraft instances efficiently. We explored installation requirements, including Docker and Nginx setup, as well as how to add servers and manage player accounts while ensuring regular backups. By following these steps, you can confidently manage your Minecraft server.

Conclusion

Setting up your Minecraft server with Crafty can significantly enhance your gaming experience. With its user-friendly interface and powerful capabilities, Crafty makes server management both accessible and effective. Take the steps outlined in this guide, and enjoy all the multiplayer adventures your custom server can offer!

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)