====== Games - Minecraft - Create a Minecraft Server ======

<WRAP info>
**NOTE:**  These instructions are for installing a basic vanilla Minecraft server without any add-ons or plugins.
</WRAP>

----

===== Install Ubuntu Server =====

Install the Ubuntu OS as usual.


----

===== Update the packages =====

<code bash>
apt update
apt upgrade
</code>

----

===== Install Apps =====

<code bash>
apt install tmux wget git most htop
</code>

----

===== Install Java =====

<code bash>
apt install openjdk-16-jdk
</code>

----

===== Create a User Account =====

<code bash>
adduser minecraft --disabled-login --disabled-password
</code>

<WRAP info>
**NOTE:**  It is best to have a separate user account to avoid possible security vulnerabilities on the system.

  * Simply press the **Enter** key to skip filling in the usual account information.
  * No password is specified for this user.
    * The account is only going to be accessible from the root account.
</WRAP>

----

===== Switch to the new user =====

<code bash>
su - minecraft
</code>

----

===== Create a directory to hold the Minecraft server =====

<code bash>
mkdir ~/server && cd ~/server
</code>

----

===== Install the Minecraft server =====

==== Obtain the link for the Minecraft download ====

Visit the official Minecraft site, https://minecraft.net/download/server, and right-click on the **Download** link and copy the Link Location from the context menu.

----

==== Download the Minecraft Java file ====

<code bash>
wget download_link
</code>

<WRAP info>
**NOTE:**  **download_link** is the link from the previous step.
</WRAP>

----

==== Agree to the End User License Agreement ====

<code bash>
echo "eula=true" > eula.txt
</code>

<WRAP info>
**NOTE:**  This creates a file named **eula.txt**.

  * This tells the software that the Minecraft End User License Agreement is accepted.
  * The terms and conditions can be viewed on the [[https://www.minecraft.net/|Minecraft website]].
</WRAP>

----

===== Start the Minecraft Server =====

<code bash>
tmux -s new minecraft
java -jar server.jar
</code>

<WRAP info>
**NOTE:** Tmux is being used to allow detaching of the session.

  * Enter **help** for a list of commands.
  * To shut down your server, enter the command **stop**.
</WRAP>

<WRAP info>
**NOTE:**  Some people suggest the server runs quicker using <code bash>
java -jar server.jar --nogui
</code>

  * But this prevents a GUI for typing commands, so only use this option is that is not a concern.

</WRAP>


----

===== Enhance the Minecraft Server =====

For add-ons, mods and to personalize the Minecraft experience consult this official documentation: https://help.mojang.com/.

----

===== Connect to the Minecraft Server =====

Download the Minecraft client from the official [[https://www.minecraft.net/|Minecraft website]].

Install and launch the client and sign in.

----

===== Create a Server startup script =====

Create /etc/systemd/system/minecraft.service.

<file bash /etc/systemd/system/minecraft.service>
[Unit]
Description=Minecraft server
Documentation=
Wants=network.target
After=network.target

[Service]
WorkingDirectory=/home/minecraft/server
User=minecraft
Group=minecraft
Type=forking
# Run it as a non-root user in a specific directory

ExecStart=/usr/bin/tmux -s new minecraft "java -jar server.jar"

# Send "stop" to the Minecraft server console
ExecStop=/usr/bin/tmux kill-session -t minecraft
# Wait for the PID to die - otherwise it is killed after this command finishes!
ExecStop=/bin/bash -c "while ps -p $MAINPID > /dev/null; do /bin/sleep 1; done"
# Note that absolute paths for all executables are required!

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
</file>

----

===== Run the Startup Script =====

<code bash>
systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl start minecraft
</code>

===== References =====

https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/download/server

https://teilgedanken.de/Blog/post/setting-up-a-minecraft-server-using-systemd/

https://minecraft.fandom.com/wiki/Tutorials/Setting_up_a_server

https://minecraft.fandom.com/wiki/Tutorials/Setting_up_a_server#Configuring_the_environment

http://techtips-tom.blogspot.com/2013/01/mineos-turnkey-on-proxmox-vm-server.html