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How to Add Mods to a Mindustry Server

Install Mindustry server mods correctly: copy plugin JARs to config/mods, restart and verify with console commands, understand client-side content mods, and fix version, path, Docker, and network problems.
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For a server-side Mindustry plugin, stop the server, copy the plugin JAR into the server’s config/mods directory, then start the server again. Use the console commands mods and mod <name...> to confirm that it loaded. Players do not install server-only plugins.

Content mods are different: they add maps, blocks, units, items, or other game content and may need to be installed on every player’s client. The correct procedure depends on which type of mod you have.

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Mindustry’s two mod categories

Mindustry servers use two broad kinds of modifications. Identifying the file before you install it prevents most connection and loading problems.

Type What it does Where it runs Do players need it?
JVM plugin Runs Java code on the server for commands, permissions, automation, events, administration, or custom server behavior. Dedicated server only; plugins extend mindustry.mod.Plugin. No. Plugins are intended for servers and are hidden from clients.
Content mod Adds game content such as blocks, units, items, maps, or other assets. Server and, depending on the content, the clients that join. Often yes. Every client may need a matching package and compatible game version.

A file described as a plugin should normally be a JAR built for the Mindustry version running on your server. A content mod may be distributed as a mod archive rather than a plugin JAR. Read the mod’s release notes for dependencies and version requirements before copying anything.

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Prepare a dedicated Mindustry server

A dedicated server is a standalone, headless Mindustry process rather than the copy running inside a player’s game. The official server guide’s basic setup is Java, the desired server release, and a command-line launch.

  1. Install a supported Java runtime. Use the Java version required by the Mindustry server release you selected.
  2. Download the server release. Keep the server JAR and its data directory together so that configuration, maps, saves, and mods remain easy to back up.
  3. Start the process. From the server directory, run a command such as java -jar mindustry-server.jar, replacing the filename with the release you downloaded.
  4. Start a map. At the server console, use host <mapname> [mode]. Replace <mapname> with the map name; the optional mode selects the game mode supported by that map and release.

Run the server once before adding mods. This creates the normal data and configuration directories and gives you a clean baseline for diagnosing a later loading error.

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Install a server-side plugin JAR

The canonical plugin location documented by MindustryGame Wiki is <server directory>/config/mods/. The directory is relative to the server’s own data directory, not necessarily the folder where your operating system stores downloaded files.

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  1. Stop the server cleanly. Use the server’s normal shutdown command or schedule maintenance. Do not replace a JAR while the process is actively reading or writing it.
  2. Check the artifact. Confirm that the download is the plugin JAR itself, not a source archive, documentation file, or an archive containing another JAR. Confirm that its release notes support your Mindustry server version and list any required dependencies.
  3. Open the mods directory. Navigate to <server directory>/config/mods/. Create the mods folder only if the server release did not create it automatically; keep the spelling and capitalization unchanged.
  4. Copy the JAR. Place the plugin file directly in that directory. Do not put it in a nested folder unless the plugin’s documentation explicitly requires one.
  5. Restart the server. A newly copied plugin is normally discovered during startup, so a full restart is the reliable way to load it.
  6. Verify the load. At the console, run mods. Then run mod <name...> with the plugin’s displayed name to inspect its loaded information.

MindustryGame Wiki states: “To install a plugin, place the JAR in <server directory>/config/mods/.” Its plugin documentation also describes plugins as Java mods intended to run on servers only. That is why clients do not download a server plugin when they join.

Replacing or removing a plugin

Stop the server before changing a plugin. Remove the old JAR or move it to a separate backup directory, copy in the replacement, and restart. If the replacement changes configuration keys, read the plugin’s upgrade notes before deleting its existing settings. To roll back, stop the server, restore the previous JAR, and start it again.

Check that the server loaded your mod

Use the server console rather than guessing from the file list.

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  • mods lists the mods the running server recognizes.
  • mod <name...> shows details for a loaded plugin. Enter the name exactly as it appears in the list; names containing spaces can be supplied as the command’s name arguments.
  • reloadassets reloads content assets when the server supports that operation.
  • reloadmaps reloads map files.

Asset and map reload commands are useful for the changes they target, but a newly installed Java plugin should be tested after a complete restart. If the plugin is absent from mods, inspect the path, filename, dependencies, and startup log before trying reload commands.

Install content mods for players

Content mods can change the game data that clients must understand. If the server uses content that is not present on a player’s device, that player may be unable to join or may see missing content. Install the same mod release, including its dependencies, on the server and on each client when the mod author requires it. The game-version metadata must match the server’s Mindustry release.

Client mod directories by platform

Platform Mods directory
Windows %appdata%/Mindustry/mods
Linux ~/.local/share/Mindustry/mods
Steam steam/steamapps/common/Mindustry/saves/mods
macOS ~/Library/Application Support/Mindustry/mods
Android /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/io.anuke.mindustry/files/mods

These are client locations from the official modding guide. A dedicated server still uses its own config/mods directory for server plugins; do not substitute a desktop client path for the server path.

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When clients do not need a content mod

Some server features are implemented entirely by a plugin and expose no new game content. Those remain server-only. Follow the mod’s documentation rather than assuming every JAR must be copied to players’ devices. If the mod adds blocks, units, items, maps, or other assets that the client must render, plan for a matching client installation.

Docker deployment

In a container, the canonical location is still the server’s config/mods directory; the container image may map that directory to a host volume. One documented implementation copies MyMod.jar to /data/config/mods/ and restarts the container. Its persistent mindustry-data volume stores server data, maps, mods, and configuration.

  1. Identify the container’s persistent data volume and the host path mapped to /data.
  2. Copy the plugin JAR into the mapped config/mods directory, not into a temporary container layer.
  3. Restart the container so the server scans the JAR during startup.
  4. Run mods in the server console and inspect the startup log for dependency or version errors.

The /data/config/mods/ path is an implementation example, not a universal host path. Your image may use a different mount point; the invariant is the server’s config/mods location inside its persistent data directory.

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Make the server reachable

Loading a mod and allowing players to connect are separate tasks. The official server guide identifies port 6567 and notes that Windows hosts commonly need both TCP and UDP allowed through the firewall.

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  • On Windows: create firewall rules permitting inbound TCP 6567 and UDP 6567 for the Java server process or the port itself.
  • Behind a home router: forward TCP 6567 and UDP 6567 from the router to the computer running the server. Players outside your local network cannot connect until the forwarding rule and host firewall both allow traffic.
  • On a private or managed network: check the provider’s firewall or security-group controls for the same protocols and port.

Test local connectivity first, then test from an external network. A connection failure does not prove that the mod failed to load; use the server’s mods command and startup log to separate networking problems from mod problems.

Troubleshooting a missing or broken mod

Symptom Likely cause What to do
The plugin does not appear in mods. Wrong directory, nested folder, wrong file type, or no restart. Stop the server, place the JAR directly in <server directory>/config/mods/, then restart and run mods.
The server refuses to start after adding the JAR. Incompatible Mindustry version, missing dependency, corrupt download, or a plugin that is not a server plugin. Remove or move the new JAR, start the server to confirm the baseline, then obtain a build that matches the server release and install all documented dependencies.
The plugin appears but its command does not work. The command name, permissions, configuration, or dependency setup is wrong. Run mod <name...>, read the startup log, and follow the plugin’s command and configuration documentation. Do not assume a successful load means every feature is enabled.
Players can connect but see missing blocks, units, or maps. A required content mod is absent or its version differs between server and client. Install the matching client package in the platform’s Mindustry mods directory and verify the mod’s game-version metadata.
Players cannot connect at all. Firewall or router rules are blocking port 6567. Allow both TCP and UDP 6567 on the host and forward both protocols on the router when the server is outside the players’ local network.
Changes to maps or assets are not visible. The running process still has the previous files in memory. Use reloadassets or reloadmaps for the relevant change, or restart the server when the mod documentation requires a full reload.

A reliable recovery sequence

  1. Record the server release and the exact plugin or content-mod version.
  2. Stop the server and move the suspect file out of the mods directory.
  3. Start the server without it. If the server works, the removed file or one of its dependencies is implicated.
  4. Check the artifact type, game-version metadata, and dependency list.
  5. Install a compatible build, restart, and confirm with mods and mod <name...>.
  6. Only after the server loads cleanly should you troubleshoot client installation or network access.

Self-hosting versus managed hosting

Running the server yourself gives direct access to the JAR, configuration, maps, backups, and config/mods directory. It also makes you responsible for installing Java, applying server updates, opening TCP and UDP 6567, forwarding the router port, monitoring uptime, and preserving data.

A managed Mindustry-compatible host can remove much of the operating-system and network work, but the exact control panel, persistent-storage behavior, Java runtime, plugin support, backup policy, and price vary by provider. Confirm that the service permits the plugin or content mod you need and exposes a persistent config/mods directory before committing. No universal provider price or compatibility guarantee applies to every host.

Consideration Self-hosted server Managed server
Files and plugins Full control over JARs, maps, configuration, and backups. Depends on the host’s file access and mod policy.
Java maintenance You install and update the runtime. Usually handled by the provider, subject to its supported versions.
Firewall and port forwarding You configure host rules and, for home networks, the router. Provider network controls replace most home-router work, but port availability still depends on the plan.
Persistence and backups You choose disks, backup frequency, and off-site storage. Read the provider’s volume and backup terms; persistence is not automatic unless stated.
Uptime Depends on your power, connection, and maintenance schedule. Often designed for continuous operation, but the service-level commitment varies.
Cost Uses your existing hardware and connection, with their electricity and maintenance costs. Recurring charges vary; verify current pricing separately.

Maintenance checklist

  • Keep a copy of the server JAR, configuration, maps, and the exact mod files used for each release.
  • Read a plugin’s release notes before updating Mindustry; a plugin compiled for another release may fail at startup.
  • Apply one mod change at a time so a new error has a clear cause.
  • Stop the process before replacing or deleting JARs.
  • After every change, restart and run mods; inspect mod <name...> for the plugin you changed.
  • For content mods, distribute the same compatible version to every required client platform.
  • Keep firewall and router rules for both TCP and UDP 6567 documented so a machine move does not create a second troubleshooting problem.

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