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Hytale mod installation is primarily server-side: stop and back up the server, copy a compatible asset pack or plugin into its mods directory, enable it in the world’s New World Options, restart, and inspect the logs. Players normally do not install a separate client mod.
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What you are installing
Hytale uses two broad kinds of server content. Asset Packs add or override game assets—such as models, textures, sounds, blocks, items, worlds, or other content files. A pack can change existing content when the relevant asset is included. Plugins run program code through the Java server API, allowing behavior that an asset replacement alone cannot provide.
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The distinction matters when you choose a download and troubleshoot it. An asset pack normally contains a manifest.json and is loaded as content. A plugin is usually a Java archive (JAR) and may have dependencies, a required server API version, or its own configuration and data directories.
| Content type | What it changes | Typical file | Where it is installed | Player download normally required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asset Pack | Game assets and packaged content; can add or override existing assets | ZIP file or folder containing manifest.json |
Global Mods folder or a world’s mods folder |
No; the host supplies it |
| Plugin | Programmatic server behavior through the Java API | Usually a JAR, plus any files specified by the plugin | Server mods directory |
No for a server-side plugin, unless its author explicitly documents a client component |
Hytale’s technical director describes the design as “Server-side first: All modding in Hytale is based on the host of the server or host of the game.” The official asset guidance likewise says only the server or world host has to download Asset Packs and Mods. That means a player should generally be able to connect with an unmodified client while the server provides the required content.
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Before you copy anything
Confirm the Hytale build
Check the package page or release notes for the Hytale version it supports, plus required dependencies. Documentation was showing Release 0.7.2 when this guide’s information was gathered, but your server may be on a different build. Do not assume a package that worked on one release will load unchanged on another.
Update 6 changed the network protocol from hytale/2 to hytale/3 and changed packet layouts later in the cycle. Its release notes say servers and plugins must be rebuilt before they can connect after that change. A plugin compiled for an older protocol can therefore fail even when its files are in the correct folder.
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Make a backup and stop the server
Back up the server directory and the affected world before changing files. Include the world save, configuration, plugin data, and logs. Stop the server using the control panel or service method supplied by your hosting platform; there is no single universal stop command that is official for every installation. Copying files while the process is writing them can leave a partial archive or inconsistent configuration.
Inspect the download
- Use a package from a source you trust and verify that it is intended for Hytale.
- Check the supported game version, required dependencies, load order, and whether the author documents a server-only or client-side component.
- For an asset pack, open the ZIP or folder and confirm that
manifest.jsonis at the expected package level rather than buried inside an extra wrapper folder. - For a plugin, read its deployment instructions before moving the JAR. Some plugins create a data folder only after the first launch.
Find the server’s Mods folder
Global user installation on Windows
The official asset documentation gives this user-installation path:
C:Users<user>AppDataRoamingHytaleUserDataMods
Replace <user> with the Windows account that owns the Hytale data. This global Mods folder is appropriate when the content should be available to more than one world.
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World-local content
A world can have its own Mods directory at:
Saves<world>mods
Replace <world> with the save’s directory name. World-local installation is useful when a pack should affect only one save. If an asset made in the Asset Editor works in the world where it was created but not in another world, copy it from that world’s mods folder to the global Mods folder when you want it available elsewhere.
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For a self-hosted or dedicated server, use the server directory’s mods folder. The exact parent directory depends on how you installed and launch Hytale, so identify the folder that contains the server executable and its existing configuration rather than creating a second, similarly named directory. A plugin’s own documentation takes precedence if it specifies a subdirectory or additional file.
Install an Asset Pack
- Stop the server and make the backup. Keep a copy of the original ZIP and note the current server and world versions.
- Open the applicable Mods folder. Choose the global Mods folder for use across worlds, or
Saves<world>modsfor one world. On a dedicated server, use the server’smodsdirectory. - Copy the package without changing its structure. Place the ZIP or the extracted folder that contains
manifest.jsondirectly in the Mods folder. Do not add another level of nesting unless the author explicitly requires it. - Review the manifest and dependencies. The official example includes fields such as
Group,Name,Version,Description,Authors,Website,Dependencies,OptionalDependencies,LoadBefore,DisabledByDefault,IncludesAssetPack, andSubPlugins. Use the schema and Asset Editor workflow where possible instead of inventing field names. - Start the server and open the world’s New World menu. Installed Asset Packs and Mods appear under the menu’s Options. Enable the pack for that world; merely copying the file does not necessarily turn it on.
- Restart and check the log. Look for the pack’s name, dependency resolution, and any parse or load errors. A clean file copy is not proof that the pack loaded.
- Join with a normal client. Test the affected asset in-game. Other players should generally not need to install the pack separately because the host controls server-side modding.
When to use ZIP versus an extracted folder
The official guidance accepts a ZIP file or a folder containing manifest.json. Keep the format supplied by the author unless the package instructions say otherwise. If you extract a ZIP, preserve every subfolder and filename; moving only the visible textures or models will usually break the manifest’s paths.
Install a plugin
Plugins use the server’s mods directory, but each plugin can have different dependencies and startup requirements. Follow its deployment notes and verify that it was built for your Hytale server version.
HytaleJS example
The HytaleJS deployment documented by its project uses this sequence:
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- Stop the server and back up its files.
- Copy
HytaleJS.jartohytale-server/mods/HytaleJS.jar. - Start the server once. On first startup, it generates the JavaScript location
hytale-server/mods/bmstefanski_HytaleJS/scripts/. - Place your
.jsfiles in that generatedscriptsdirectory. - Restart the server so HytaleJS loads the scripts and inspect the startup log for errors.
The generated directory name is significant. Putting scripts beside the JAR, in the server root, or in a similarly named folder will not make them load. For later script changes, use the restart behavior documented by HytaleJS rather than assuming every edit is hot-reloaded.
Java plugins in general
- Place the plugin JAR directly in the server’s
modsdirectory unless its author specifies another path. - Install every required dependency and observe any ordering instruction such as
LoadBefore. - Do not rename a JAR or edit its manifest unless the plugin documentation explicitly permits it.
- After the first launch, inspect newly generated configuration or data folders and apply the plugin’s documented settings.
- If a plugin targets an older protocol or API, obtain a rebuilt release rather than trying to bypass the version check.
Enable and scope content per world
Hytale separates “installed” from “enabled.” After the files are present, open the world’s New World menu and select Options. The installed Mods and Asset Packs are listed there. Enable the entries intended for that world, then create or restart the world as required by the package.
A global installation makes a package available for selection in multiple worlds; it does not force every world to use it. A world-local installation keeps the package tied to one save. This distinction explains why an Asset Editor result can appear in its original world but be absent from another: the second world cannot see a pack that exists only under the first world’s mods directory.
Find and update mods through the in-game browser
Update 6 introduced an in-game mod browser from the Hytale main menu. Its first version shows featured, popular, and recently updated mods, with categories and search, supported-version information, install buttons, and a My Library view for updating or removing installed mods.
This route can reduce manual copying and makes the supported game version visible before installation. It does not eliminate compatibility checks: read the package’s dependencies and changelog, and verify that the server build and the selected world support it. Manual server installation remains necessary for packages distributed only as files or for plugins with custom deployment steps.
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CurseForge distribution
CurseForge identifies its website and application as a distribution route for Hytale mods, supporting discovery, installation, and updates. Creators can use the in-game Asset Editor without an account, while publishing through CurseForge requires an account and moderation approval. Treat a listing as a source and update mechanism, not as a guarantee that every release works with every server build.
Version compatibility and dependency failures
Protocol or API mismatch
Symptoms include a plugin refusing to load, a server failing during startup, or clients being unable to connect after an update. Check the server version, the plugin’s target version, and whether a rebuilt release exists. Update 6’s hytale/2-to-hytale/3 protocol change is a concrete example of why rebuilding is required.
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Update 6 records a server boot crash involving sub-plugins with a non-zero parent patch version. If a package uses sub-plugins, compare its parent and child version metadata and install a release that addresses the issue. Do not “fix” the manifest by changing version numbers without the author’s guidance; that can make dependency resolution less reliable.
Missing dependency or wrong load order
A manifest can declare required and optional dependencies and a LoadBefore relationship. A missing required package should be installed first. If the log reports an ordering problem, follow the declared relationship and remove duplicate or obsolete copies from other Mods folders.
Troubleshoot a pack or plugin that does not work
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing appears in New World Options | Wrong directory, nested archive, malformed manifest, or incompatible package | Confirm the global or world-local path, place manifest.json at the expected level, and read startup logs |
| Works in one world only | Pack is installed under that world’s mods folder |
Copy it to the global Mods folder for cross-world availability, then enable it in the other world |
| Server crashes during boot | Version mismatch, missing dependency, bad sub-plugin metadata, or malformed files | Stop the server, remove the newest package using the backup, and inspect the first relevant error in the log |
| Plugin JAR loads but scripts do not | Scripts are in the wrong directory or the server was not restarted | For HytaleJS, use bmstefanski_HytaleJS/scripts/ and restart |
| Players cannot connect after an update | Protocol or plugin build is outdated | Check whether the server and plugins were rebuilt for the current protocol, including the hytale/3 transition |
| Asset changes are absent in-game | Pack installed but not enabled, or asset path preserved incorrectly | Enable it under New World Options and restore the package’s original folder structure |
When testing, change one package at a time. Keep the server stopped while removing files, restore the backup if the world will not boot, and save the relevant log excerpt for the package author. Avoid deleting a world to solve a file-placement problem; first verify the path, manifest, dependency list, and enabled state.
Safe sources and operator responsibilities
Prefer the Hytale mod browser, the package author’s documented release page, or an established distribution service. Check downloads for a stated Hytale version and dependencies, and do not run unknown executables as part of an “installer.” A server-side mod still has access to the server process and world data, so source trust matters.
Hytale’s EULA permits independent mod monetization subject to restrictions. Do not redistribute Hytale game files, imply official endorsement, include malware, violate law or third-party rights, or use prohibited NFT or cryptocurrency schemes. Those policy limits apply whether a package is installed manually or obtained through a browser.
Quick Recap
Quick installation checklist
- Back up the world, configuration, plugin data, and logs.
- Stop the server through its own panel or service method.
- Confirm the package supports the exact Hytale server build and list every dependency.
- Put an asset ZIP or folder containing
manifest.jsonin the global Mods folder or the target world’smodsfolder. - Put plugins in the server’s
modsdirectory and follow any project-specific subfolder instructions. - For HytaleJS, copy
HytaleJS.jartohytale-server/mods/, then usebmstefanski_HytaleJS/scripts/after the first start. - Open New World > Options and enable the installed Mod or Asset Pack.
- Restart, read the server log, and resolve the first compatibility or dependency error before adding another package.
- Connect with a normal client to verify the result; players generally do not need a separate client mod.
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