How to Launch a Hytale Server – A Guide for Administrators - Adweo

How to Launch a Hytale Server: A Complete Guide for Administrators

Launching your own Hytale server is not a one-click action, but a full technical process. From the very beginning, Hytale has been designed around a server-driven ecosystem: mods, multiserver networks, monitoring, future monetization, and an official server discovery system.

This guide explains how to set up a Hytale server from scratch, including system requirements, networking, authentication, file structure, and key considerations if you plan to run a public server.

Hytale Server System Requirements

Hytale servers run on Java and are relatively resource-intensive, especially in terms of memory usage.

• RAM: minimum 4 GB (recommended 8–16 GB)
• Java: version 25 (LTS)
• Architecture: x64 or arm64
• Operating System: Windows, Linux, or macOS

Actual load depends less on player count and more on player behavior:

• World exploration → increased RAM usage
• NPCs, mobs, mechanics → higher CPU load
• Large view distance → sharp memory growth

Tip: Always monitor resource usage and tune the -Xmx value experimentally.

Installing Java 25

Hytale does not run on older Java versions.

Recommended distribution:

Adoptium (Temurin Java 25 LTS)

Verify installation:

java --version

If the version is lower than 25, the server will not start.

Obtaining Hytale Server Files

There are two reliable methods, depending on your use case.

Option 1: Copy from the Launcher (Fast, but inconvenient)

Suitable for testing and local development.

File locations:

• Windows: %appdata%\\Hytale\\install\\release\\package\\game\\latest
• Linux: $XDG_DATA_HOME/Hytale/install/release/package/game/latest
• macOS: ~/Application Support/Hytale/install/release/package/game/latest

Copy the following:

• The Server folder
• The Assets.zip file

Downside: you must update these files manually after every game update.

Option 2: Hytale Downloader CLI (Recommended)

The best choice for public and production servers.

The CLI allows you to:

• Download the latest releases
• Update the server easily
• Use pre-release channels

./hytale-downloader

Starting a Hytale Server

Basic launch command:

java -jar HytaleServer.jar --assets PathToAssets.zip

After the first launch, the server will require authentication.

Server Authentication (Required)

Hytale uses OAuth authentication to protect its ecosystem and official APIs.

/auth login device

Steps:

• Open the provided link
• Enter the code
• Confirm access

After successful authentication, the server can accept player connections.

⚠️ Limitation: up to 100 servers per game license. Large networks require Server Provider status.

Ports and Networking (Critical)

Hytale does NOT use TCP.
All networking is handled via QUIC over UDP.

Default port: 5520 / UDP

Custom bind example:

--bind 0.0.0.0:25565

Firewall Configuration

Linux (ufw):

sudo ufw allow 5520/udp

Windows:

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

If your server is unreachable, in 90% of cases the issue is UDP configuration, not Java.

Hytale Server File Structure

• mods/ — mods and plugins
• logs/ — server logs
• universe/ — worlds and player data
• config.json — server settings
• permissions.json — permissions
• whitelist.json — whitelist

Each world runs in its own main thread, allowing efficient scaling on multi-core CPUs.

Mods and Plugins

Installing mods is simple:

• Download a .zip or .jar file
• Place it into the mods/ directory
• Restart the server

Hytale Plugins and Mods

Optimization Tips

View Distance

The primary driver of RAM usage.

Recommended maximum: 12 chunks (384 blocks)

Comparison:

• Minecraft: 10 chunks = 160 blocks
• Hytale: 384 blocks ≈ 24 Minecraft chunks

Expect significantly higher memory usage.

AOT Cache (Faster Startup)

java -XX:AOTCache=HytaleServer.aot -jar HytaleServer.jar --assets PathToAssets.zip

Disable Sentry (Development)

--disable-sentry

Hytale Multiserver Architecture

Hytale provides native support for server networks without BungeeCord or similar proxies.

• Player transfers between servers
• Redirects
• Fallback servers
• Load balancing

This is ideal for:

• Hubs
• Minigame networks
• Regional server clusters

Hytale Server Monitoring

Updates and Protocol Versions

The client and server must use the exact same protocol version. If versions differ, connections will be rejected.

Planned improvements:

• Protocol tolerance of ±2 versions
• Update windows without losing active players

What’s Coming Next

Hytale is officially preparing:

• A built-in server discovery catalogue
• Party systems
• Integrated payments
• Official APIs
• Server telemetry and verified player counts

This makes one thing clear:
Servers and monitoring are core pillars of the Hytale ecosystem.

Hytale Servers / Add Your Server

Conclusion

Hytale is not just a game — it is a platform.

Running a server requires attention to detail, but in return you gain:

• Native multiserver support
• Official APIs
• A transparent server ecosystem
• Long-term growth potential

If you plan to run:

• a public server
• a server network
• monetized projects
• or promotional communities

Now is the right time to start learning and building.