What's different about server instances
In GDLauncher, a Minecraft server is its own type of instance, not a setting on a regular client instance. Servers don't render the game; they run the headless backend that clients connect to. The state machine is server-specific too: Stopped → Installing → Starting → Running → Stopping → Deleting.
You can have client instances and server instances side by side. A common pattern: one server for friends to join, plus a client instance pointing at localhost for you to test changes.
The EULA modal
Mojang requires you to accept their EULA before running any Minecraft server. GDLauncher handles this by intercepting the first failed start, showing the modal, and writing eula=true to eula.txt in the server folder when you accept. Without acceptance, the server refuses to launch.
This is the same EULA you accepted to play Minecraft, it's a server-side re-confirmation that you understand the rules. If you ever need to revoke (rare), edit server/eula.txt directly.
Connecting to your server
From the same machine: in your Minecraft client, add a server with address localhost (or 127.0.0.1). The port is whatever you set, default 25565.
From another machine on the same LAN: use the host machine's local IP (e.g. 192.168.1.50). Make sure the host machine's firewall allows incoming connections on the server port.
From the open internet: needs router port forwarding (forward the server port to your host machine) plus your public IP, which changes with most home connections. Tools like Playit.gg or ngrok do this without router changes, at the cost of latency.
Server tabs
Each server has five tabs:
- Console: live server output, plus an input field at the bottom for commands.
- Addons: mod management (only shown when the server has a mod loader).
- Properties: server.properties editor (MOTD, max players, online mode, view distance, etc.).
- Players: connected players, ops, whitelist, banned players.
- Settings: name, port, Java memory, modloader version, deletion.
Console commands
The Console tab's input field works like a vanilla server console:
op <player>: grant opwhitelist add <player>: whitelist a playersave-all: flush world to diskstop: clean shutdownsay <message>: broadcast to all players
Modded servers
If you picked a mod loader at creation, GDLauncher installs the loader's server distribution (Forge, NeoForge, Fabric, or Quilt). Mods go into server/mods/, same as for client instances. The Addons tab on the server instance manages them, exactly like clients.
For best compatibility, run the same mods on the client and the server. Client-only mods (Sodium, shaders) shouldn't be on the server; server-only mods (admin tools, performance monitors) shouldn't be on clients. Many large modpacks ship as both a client pack and a server pack, install the server pack as the server instance via Import.
RAM and performance
Servers default to 2 GB. Modded servers and high-player-count servers want more, see How to Allocate More RAM to a Minecraft Server for the slider and recommended values.