Minecraft Server on Raspberry Pi

12.24.2022

You want to play Minecraft on your terms? You can create your own server and share your worlds with friends.

It's amazing, but it's true: all of this can be done on a Raspberry Pi.

My son is a huge Minecraft fan and asks me to play with him. It's difficult to do this while he's playing with his tablet. It seems inappropriate to allow him to go online, as he is only young.

It's easy. Here's how you can set up a Minecraft server on Raspberry Pi.

What you will need to set up a Raspberry Pi Minecraft server

- Raspberry Pi 3 or Raspberry Pi 4 with power cable. - Ethernet cable.
- 16GB microSD card or larger

While older Pi models can be used, the results are not as good. An Ethernet cable is recommended as it is faster than Wi Fi. Wireless networking is possible, but faster connections mean better server provision and in-game performance.

These instructions will help you create the best Minecraft server possible with the Raspberry Pi 3 or 4.

If you use the above with remote SSH connections, you can set up a Minecraft server for your Raspberry Pi. If SSH is not an option, you will need:

- USB keyboard
- USB mouse (or a combination thereof)
1 x HDMI cable
- A compatible monitor or display

Connect these peripherals to your Raspberry Pi before you turn it on.

You will also need Minecraft installed on your computer. You won't be allowed to host more than 10 people due to the Raspberry Pi's system specs. You should not host more than 10 people on the Pi 3. You can host more players on Raspberry Pi 4 if you intend to install Minecraft server.

What kind of Minecrafter is this?

You can create a Minecraft server using Raspberry Pi. This will allow you to access the world from any Minecraft-compatible device except MinecraftPi. This server will work with Minecraft versions on Windows PCs, Android tablets, iOS and Amazon Fire tablets.

This means that if you have multiple devices on your local network they could all access the Minecraft server.

To summarize, you will need the main Minecraft open-world game from Mojang.

Step 1: Install Raspberry Pi OS, and Configure Your Pi

Next, configure Raspberry Pi OS to run the Minecraft server. Have you connected a keyboard and monitor to it? If yes, you can open the Raspberry Pi Configuration Tool in the Preferences menu.

To access SSH via SSH, you can use sudo raspi_config to open the text-based configuration tool.

Make the following changes:

- Change the setting to 16MB by going to Advanced Options > Memory Split This will free up more memory resources for your server.
Next, go to Boot Options > Desktop/CLI then select Console. This is not necessary for Raspberry Pi OS Lite.
- If you're using a Raspberry Pi 1 or 2, locate Overclock in the main menu, and set it to High. This step can be skipped by Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 users.
- Enable SSH under Advanced Options > SSH.
- Next, go to Advanced > Expand Filesystem.

After making these changes, click Finish to reboot Raspberry Pi OS. Log in again and locate the IP address of your device with:

Take a note of your IP address before you continue.

Step 2: Install the Minecraft server on Raspberry Pi

Install Java first. This is necessary for Nukkit's operation:

Next, create a directory (named "nukkit") and then open it:

Once you're done, download Nukkit server software. It's easier to copy this information into an SSH session than to enter it.

Once you have downloaded , open Nukkit:

This prompts Nukkit for the server to be set up. Next, select your language (we used english) and then wait for the Minecraft server to be generated.

Step 3: Configure your Minecraft Raspberry Pi Server

These can be edited by simply opening them in your preferred text editor. You can use nano on Raspberry Pi OS.

You can make many changes. You can make any changes you wish, but the Raspberry Pi 4 is a small device that cannot do too much processing.

The Minecraft Wiki has a list of server properties. However, you should edit several immediately. Start with:

Older Raspberry Pi models won't work with more than 10. You might be able to handle 5-6 players. There are many other configuration options that you might be interested.

This is for player-vs.-player action. There is also a difficulty setting.

The simplest setting is 0.

Once you're done, press CTRL + X to save, exit, and then run

This will start your Minecraft server but not the Raspberry Pi.

Step 4: Connect to Raspberry Pi Minecraft Server

Launch Minecraft on your tablet or computer. Then:

1. Click Play > Servers
2. Select Add Server from the menu.
3. Input new server details (name, IP address)
4. Verify that the port number is the same as the one in the server properties

If your Raspberry Pi Minecraft server has been online and is available, it should be listed as an option for connecting to. To play, simply select the server.

Step 5: Use Nukkit plugins to extend your Minecraft server functions

Nukkit plugins allow you to enhance your basic gameplay. This plugin adds features to the online session that were not possible before, such as the inclusion or animals.

Suggested Nukkit plugins include:

- MobPlugin adds mobs to the Minecraft environment
- WorldEssentials: enables different game modes
- EssentialsNK: Includes additional game modes, multiplayer management tools, as well as more

These plugins work with the Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 Minecraft server. You can download the plugins to your Pi and then copy the file to the plugins folder.

The MobPlugin, for example, can be moved using:

Click Resources on the Cloudburst website to browse over 250 plugins to your Raspberry Pi Minecraft server.

Now you know how to make a Raspberry Pi Minecraft server

That's it. You'll have a Minecraft world that you can access and use all the time if you leave it running. Self-hosting a server on your local network is a great way to keep Minecraft-loving kids safe online.

Your Minecraft server is now up and running on the Raspberry Pi. You can have more fun playing the game by checking out the best Minecraft seeds and learning how to use Minecraft command block.