Hytale Server Hosting

What stage is Hytale at, and is there official server support?

Hytale is a sandbox game developed by Hypixel Studios that entered early access on 13 January 2026; the official server software has been available to players from day one. That makes Hytale attractive for community servers: hosting your own world, rules and plugins is a use the developer intends.

In practice early access means frequent updates to the game and the server software. Hypixel releases versioned updates, and the official notes state that some updates may change the world format, and that a world opened in a new version may not open in an older one. Server and client protocol versions must match; when players' launchers update, the server must update too.

The technical details on this page are based on Hypixel's official server and support documentation. Ports, memory recommendations or config fields may change during early access, so check the current Hytale server manual before installing. We don't speculate about undocumented features; for anything not officially announced, waiting for Hypixel's announcements is wiser than guessing.

Who benefits from a dedicated server? Groups of friends who play at different times, admins building a community with their own rules, creators designing minigame or role-play servers, and developers building and testing plugins all get a far more stable and flexible base than hosting from their own PC.

How much RAM and CPU does a Hytale server need?

According to Hypixel's documentation a Hytale server needs at least 4 GB of memory; the real requirement depends more on view distance than on player count. The official manual names view distance as the main driver of memory use and recommends a maximum of 12 chunks (about 384 blocks). Each player causes the area around them to load, so the more players spread out across the map, the more area is held in memory.

• Memory: as a Java application, the server's memory is capped with the -Xmx parameter. Don't give Java all of the machine's memory; leave room for the OS and file cache.
• CPU: world generation, creature AI and plugins use CPU. The first hours, when new areas are explored, are heavier than later days.
• Disk: every explored region is written to disk and the world folder grows over time. NVMe storage reduces stutter during chunk loading and saving.

The table above is an estimate based on this principle. Watch memory for a few days; if it sits near the limit, lower view distance first and then consider upgrading. These estimates may also change during early access, as new content can raise resource use and optimisations can lower it, so growing step by step based on usage is wiser than buying the largest package on day one.

Should you choose a ready-made package or a VDS for Hytale?

This page shows VDS packages for Hytale: you can install the server yourself or request a ready-made setup through a support ticket. For a game in early access the flexibility of a VDS is especially valuable: you can update the server on release day, manage the Java version and spin up a second instance to test plugins.

On a VDS cores and memory are reserved for you, so a neighbour's load doesn't affect your world. The Hytale server is Java-based and runs on both Linux and Windows; Linux uses fewer resources and is more common for long-running servers, while Windows suits those who prefer a graphical interface.

For a detailed comparison see game server package or VDS. Choose a package from the live table to fit your player count and view distance target. NVMe storage, KVM virtualisation and network-level DDoS filtering are standard on every LIONFIN VDS, and you can add resources as your community grows.

Where do you get the Hytale server files and how do you start the server?

There are two official ways to get the server files: copy them from the files installed by the game launcher, or download them with Hypixel's Hytale Downloader command-line tool. On a server the Downloader is the most practical; it comes as separate files for Windows and Linux and on first run shows a link and code so you can sign in with your account.

When the download finishes, the server folder contains HytaleServer.jar and Assets.zip with the game assets. The server starts with Java 25; the basic command looks like this:

java -Xmx6G -jar HytaleServer.jar --assets Assets.zip

To change the port, use the --bind parameter. The server package may also include an AOT (ahead-of-time) cache file that speeds up startup; follow the launch example in the current manual to use it. On Linux install Java 25 from the package manager or a distribution such as Adoptium Temurin; don't start the server until java -version shows 25.

How does Hytale server account authentication work?

A Hytale server must be authenticated with a Hytale account before it can accept players; this is done from the server console with the device code method. On first start, type /auth login device in the console; it gives you a link and a short-lived code. Open the link in a browser, enter the code and the server is linked to your account.

• Persistence: by default the session may be held in memory and lost when the server restarts. The /auth persistence Encrypted command stores the credentials in encrypted form.
• Status check: /auth status shows whether the server is authenticated.
• Long outages: according to Hypixel's authentication documentation the server stays authenticated while online; a server that has been off for a long time may need to re-authenticate.

Credential files grant access to your account, so be careful when backing them up or sharing them, and give access to the server folder only to people you trust. Running the server as a separate system user helps protect these files.

Authentication looks like a one-time step, but it must be repeated when you move the server to another machine, reinstall it or delete the credential file. Adding “check /auth status after a migration” to your maintenance list prevents the “server is up but we can't join” complaint.

How do config.json and the server folder structure work?

The Hytale server's core settings live in config.json in the server root; world and player data live in the universe folder.

An important warning: Hypixel's manual states that manual changes to config.json while the server is running will most likely be overwritten. Stop the server before editing. Some values, such as view distance, can also be changed in game with a command; the server then saves the change to the file.

The Server folder, Assets.zip and the version file belong to the game; don't edit them, as they are replaced on updates. Backups should focus on the universe folder and the config files.

How do you install plugins and mods on a Hytale server?

Hytale is built with server-side modding in mind; plugins and content packs are loaded by placing them in the server's mods folder. According to community documentation, Java plugins are .jar files and asset packs are .zip files. Content loaded on the server is delivered to connecting players through the server, a major advantage that saves players from installing mods one by one.

1. Version compatibility: the server API may change during early access. Check which server version a plugin was tested with, and temporarily remove any plugin that breaks after an update.
2. Source safety: plugins run code on your server. Download them only from developers and sources you trust.
3. Early-loading plugins: some plugins load at server startup with a special permission; Hypixel doesn't officially support these, and you use them at your own risk.
4. Test server: try new plugins on a separate instance before adding them to your main world.

Memory and CPU needs grow with the number of plugins; use the “with plugins” row of the table.

How do you improve performance on a Hytale server?

View distance has the biggest impact on Hytale server performance; keeping it reasonable pays off faster than adding hardware. Hypixel's recommended maximum of 12 chunks is a good ceiling for most community servers, and a lower value on busy servers cuts memory and CPU load noticeably.

• Set Java memory correctly: keep -Xmx a little below the machine's memory. Too small causes frequent garbage collection pauses; too large squeezes the operating system.
• Pre-generate the world: exploring the area players will visit in advance reduces the load spike of the first days. Use a suitable tool or plugin.
• Audit plugins: many performance problems come from a single plugin. Disable plugins one by one to find it.
• Dedicated resources: shared environments see sudden load swings; a server with dedicated cores gives more consistent tick times.

Standard Linux monitoring tools such as top and htop work for Java processes too. Don't change settings without measuring: observe the load first, then make one change at a time and compare the effect.

How is a Hytale server protected against DDoS and attacks?

Because a Hytale server runs over QUIC on a single UDP port, its attack surface is narrow; still, a public community server can be targeted by denial-of-service attacks once its IP is known. On LIONFIN infrastructure traffic is filtered at network level by the RouteFence firewall, DDoS traffic is filtered before it reaches the server where possible, and 600 Gbit/s of total upstream capacity leaves headroom for sudden spikes (more on our data center).

• Port: open only 5520/UDP (or your chosen port). Hytale needs no TCP forwarding, so don't add unnecessary TCP rules. On Linux a firewall such as UFW makes this easy.
• Access control: use whitelist.json and a server password for closed communities; give admin rights only to people you trust.
• System security: run the server as a non-root user, connect to SSH with a key and limit password attempts.
• Credentials: if you include authentication files in backups, make sure the backups are stored somewhere protected as well.

How do you back up a Hytale world and move it to the server?

The main folder to back up on a Hytale server is universe, which holds all worlds and player data. The config files (config.json, permissions.json, whitelist.json, bans.json) and the mods folder belong in the backup too; the game's own files can be downloaded again and left out.

Backups matter even more during early access: Hypixel's update notes state that some updates may change the world format and that a world opened in a new version may not open in an older one. We recommend this routine:

1. Before every update, stop the server and take a full copy of the universe folder.
2. Apply the update and test the world.
3. If something goes wrong, roll back both the server version and the pre-update backup together.

To move a world you played on your own PC, copy the world folder into the server's universe structure, start the server and check the world; make sure the versions match.

How do players connect to a Hytale server, and can you use a domain name?

Players connect by entering the IP address and port in the game's add-server screen; with the default port 5520 the IP alone may be enough. For a memorable address you can use your own domain: simply create an A record in your domain's DNS pointing to the server's IP address.

Watch out for SRV records. Hypixel's documentation lists SRV record support as under consideration, so for now you cannot rely on an SRV record to point a subdomain to a different port. If you use a non-default port, players must enter the address with the port number, such as play.yourdomain.com:5521.

Another advantage of a domain is that when you move the server to another machine you don't have to announce a new IP; you just update the A record. DNS changes take time to propagate depending on the TTL. If you plan a migration, lower the TTL a few days in advance so players reach the new address faster, and raise it again afterwards.

What are the most common Hytale server problems?

Most Hytale server problems come from the Java version, authentication, ports or version mismatches; the logs in the logs folder usually show the cause clearly.

• The server won't start: an older Java version is running instead of Java 25. Check the output of java -version.
• Server is running but players can't join: the server isn't authenticated. Check with /auth status and re-authenticate with /auth login device if needed.
• Connection timeout: 5520/UDP is closed, or only TCP was opened. Hytale uses UDP via QUIC.
• “Version mismatch” warning: players' launchers updated but the server didn't. Update the server with the Downloader.
• Authentication lost on restart: persistence isn't enabled; run /auth persistence Encrypted.
• Setting changes disappear: config.json was edited while the server was running.
• Out-of-memory error: the -Xmx value is too low or view distance is too high.

If you get stuck, open a support ticket from the customer panel with the log attached.