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How to deploy a Minecraft Server on Fly.io
3 min read
At least once a year, I get the urge to play Minecraft on a server with friends and build an awesome world.
I don’t have a static IP at home, and running a PC 24/7 costs more than hosting on Fly.io, especially since you only pay for what you use.
This means you can shut the server down when you’re done playing or, even better, configure it to start when you want to play and stop automatically when no one is online.
This means you can shut the server down when you’re done playing or, even better, configure it to start when you want to play and stop automatically when no one is online.
How to
Here’s how to set it up, it’s dead simple. First, if you don’t have a Fly.io account, create one. Then, install flyctl using Homebrew. For other operating systems, check the installation guide.
brew install flyctl
Next, create a folder. Below is an example for Linux and macOS. On Windows or using a GUI, simply create a folder and add a Dockerfile (no extension) and a fly.toml file.
# 1. Create the folder mkdir ~/minecraft && cd ~/minecraft # 2. Create the files touch Dockerfile fly.toml
Here’s the Dockerfile content:
FROM itzg/minecraft-server RUN apt-get install -y vim # plugins COPY ./plugins/PasswordProtect.jar /plugins/PasswordProtect.jar COPY ./plugins/PasswordProtect/config.yml /plugins/PasswordProtect/config.yml COPY ./init-scripts/update-config.sh /docker-entrypoint-init.d/update-config.sh RUN chmod +x /docker-entrypoint-init.d/update-config.sh
And here’s the fly.toml content. Note that I’m running a public server anyone can join. For better security, explore configuration options here. I also changed the default external port to avoid bot scans. You can install plugins to authenticate users or enable ONLINE_MODE to require valid Mojang accounts.
app = "my-awesome-minecraft-server"
# Below, São Paulo, Brazil is selected; change to a region near you
# Check https://fly.io/docs/reference/regions/
primary_region = "gru"
kill_signal = "SIGTERM"
kill_timeout = 120
[build]
dockerfile = "Dockerfile"
[deploy]
wait_timeout = "5m"
[env]
TYPE = "PAPER"
SERVER_NAME = "This is your server name"
VERSION = "1.20.6"
# Set to TRUE to allow only valid Mojang accounts
ONLINE_MODE = "FALSE"
EULA = "TRUE"
DIFFICULTY = "normal"
ENABLE_WHITELIST = "FALSE"
ENABLE_AUTOSTOP = "TRUE"
AUTOSTOP_TIMEOUT_EST = 120
AUTOSTOP_TIMEOUT_INIT = 120
MEMORY = "3G"
AUTOSTOP_PKILL_USE_SUDO = "TRUE"
# Message displayed when connecting to the server
MOTD = "Hello Minecraft!"
[mounts]
source = "minecraft_data"
destination = "/data"
[[vm]]
memory = '4096mb'
cpu_kind = 'shared'
cpus = 4
[[services]]
internal_port = 25565
protocol = "tcp"
min_machines_running = 0
max_machines_running = 1
# Minecraft handles autostop, so Fly doesn’t stop the machine
auto_stop_machines = false
auto_start_machines = true
[[services.ports]]
port = "25666"
[[services.tcp_checks]]
grace_period = "10s"
interval = "5s"
timeout = "3s"Now, open a terminal, navigate to the folder, and run:
fly deploy
This builds the Docker image, uploads it, and starts the server. Next, attach a static IP:
# List your machines, replacing <app-name> with, e.g., "my-awesome-minecraft-server" fly machines list -a <app-name> # Attach the IP, replacing <machine-id> and <app-name> with values from the list fly machine egress-ip allocate <machine-id> -a <app-name> -y
Restart the machine, then use the IP and port to connect to the server.
How it works
When you connect to the server, Fly.io detects the request on the specified port and checks if the machine is running. If it’s not, it starts it, which can take 3–15 seconds, so you might see timeouts on your first attempts until the server is fully up.
When no one is connected for 1 minute, the server shuts down automatically.
When no one is connected for 1 minute, the server shuts down automatically.
How much does it cost?
An entire month costs me around $6.
The cost is based on your usage plus the static IP. If your monthly bill is $5 or less, you pay nothing, so for many, this setup is free.
For precise pricing, check the pricing list.
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