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The reliable way to host Cobblemon on a Linux VPS is to pin one Minecraft version, one loader, the matching Cobblemon server pack, and the Java major version required by that Minecraft release. Install the loader in an isolated directory, copy the complete server pack, accept the EULA, open the server port in both firewall layers, and test with a matching client pack. For a small installation, the Cobblemon server-pack guidance uses about 8 GB of dedicated memory as a starting point, with SSD storage and verified backups; actual requirements rise with players, world size, and additional mods.
What must match before you install anything
Cobblemon runs on Minecraft Java Edition. It has Fabric and NeoForge builds, but those builds are not interchangeable. A working installation is a single compatible software matrix:
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| Component | What must match | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Minecraft | One exact Minecraft release | The loader, Java requirement, Cobblemon build, and dependencies are version-dependent. |
| Loader | Fabric or NeoForge | Loader-specific files and startup scripts cannot be mixed. |
| Cobblemon | The build made for that Minecraft release and loader | A mod compiled for another release may fail during startup or corrupt a world. |
| Dependencies | The versions named by the selected Cobblemon pack | Missing or incompatible libraries stop the server before it is ready. |
| Client pack | The corresponding client-side mods and configuration | Players need a matching client to join; a vanilla client is not sufficient for a modded server. |
| Java | The major version required by the Minecraft release | Using an older or newer Java runtime than the loader supports commonly produces an immediate launch error. |
Write these values down before provisioning the VPS: Minecraft version, loader and loader version, Cobblemon version, server-pack release, Java major version, intended port, and the name of the backup location. Treat that list as the change-control record for the server.
Fabric or NeoForge: how to choose
Both loaders are supported by the Cobblemon project. There is no permanently correct choice; choose the loader for which your chosen Minecraft release has a complete, version-matched Cobblemon pack and a client setup your players can reproduce.
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| Decision point | Fabric | NeoForge |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Use only when the selected Minecraft release has a Fabric Cobblemon build and matching pack. | Use only when the selected Minecraft release has a NeoForge Cobblemon build and matching pack. |
| Java split | Java 17 for Minecraft 1.18.2–1.20.4; Java 21 for 1.20.5 and newer. | Java 17 for 1.20.2–1.20.4; Java 21 for 1.20.5 through the latest supported releases. |
| Installation pattern | Run the Fabric installer for the exact Minecraft release, then use the launcher and files generated for that release. | Run the NeoForge installer with --installServer; the generated server is started with ./run.sh. |
| Mod compatibility | Every additional mod must explicitly support the selected Fabric and Minecraft versions. | Every additional mod must explicitly support the selected NeoForge and Minecraft versions. |
| Best practical criterion | Prefer the option with a complete server pack, clear release notes, and a matching client pack. Do not combine files from the two columns. | |
The Java boundaries are especially important. Fabric’s documented split is Java 17 for Minecraft 1.18.2 through 1.20.4 and Java 21 for 1.20.5 or newer. NeoForge documents Java 17 for 1.20.2 through 1.20.4 and Java 21 for 1.20.5 through the latest supported releases. Recheck the loader’s current guide when you pin a different Minecraft release.
VPS requirements and initial hardening
Choose the machine
Use a current 64-bit Linux distribution with an SSD-backed disk. Allocate enough memory for the JVM, the operating system, the filesystem cache, and backups; do not plan to hand every available gigabyte to Java. About 8 GB dedicated to a small Cobblemon deployment is a starting point from the server-pack guidance, not a universal capacity guarantee. More players, larger explored worlds, more dimensions, and extra mods all increase CPU, memory, and storage pressure.
- Choose a VPS plan with CPU capacity appropriate for a continuously running game server, not only burst performance.
- Use SSD storage and leave room for the live world, logs, temporary files, and at least one local backup before copying archives elsewhere.
- Confirm that the provider offers a network firewall you can configure separately from the operating-system firewall.
- Keep a second location for backups so a deleted VPS or failed disk does not destroy the only copy.
Create an administrative account
Perform the first provisioning steps through the provider’s console or your existing administrator account. Create a non-root user for routine server work, update the operating system, and restrict SSH to key authentication according to your distribution and provider’s hardening guidance. Use sudo for package installation and service administration; run the Minecraft process as the dedicated server user rather than as root.
Install the correct Java runtime
Install the major Java release required by your pinned Minecraft version, then verify the runtime before installing the loader:
java -versionThe output must show Java 17 or Java 21 as required by the matrix above. Package names differ between Linux distributions, so use the distribution’s supported OpenJDK package for that major version. If the VPS hosts servers on both sides of the Java boundary, keep separate Java installations and call the intended binary explicitly for each server instead of changing a system-wide default blindly.
Create an isolated Cobblemon directory
Keep the live installation separate from other servers and from backups. A conventional location is /srv/cobblemon:
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- Create the directory with administrator privileges.
- Create or select a dedicated account such as
cobblemon. - Make that account the owner of the directory and its files.
- Log in as the server account, or use
sudo -u cobblemon, for downloads, extraction, and launches. - Store backup archives outside the live directory, for example on a separate mounted volume or backup destination.
Do not unpack a new release directly over a running installation. A separate directory or a complete copy of the old directory gives you a rollback path when a loader or mod update fails.
Install the selected loader
Fabric installation
Download the Fabric installer or server launcher that corresponds to the exact Minecraft release you recorded. From the empty server directory, run the installer with the Java binary you verified:
java -jar fabric-installer.jarThe installer may ask for a Minecraft version, loader version, and installation directory. Select the pinned values rather than the newest values by default. Follow the release’s generated startup file or launcher command; filenames can change between releases, so do not copy a command written for another Minecraft version. Confirm that the expected server jar, libraries, and launch files appear in /srv/cobblemon.
NeoForge installation
Download the NeoForge installer for the exact Minecraft and NeoForge versions. In the server directory, run:
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- The classic UNO card game builds fun on game night with a Minecraft theme.
- UNO Minecraft features a deck and storage tin decorated with graphics from the popular video game.
- Players match colors and numbers to the card on top of the discard pile as in the classic game.
- The Creeper card unique to this deck forces other players to draw 3 cards.
- Makes a great gift for kid, teen, adult and family game nights with 2 to 10 players ages 7 years and older, especially Minecraft and video game fans.
java -jar neoforge-installer.jar --installServerThe installer generates the server files and a startup script. Start the generated installation with:
./run.shUse the script supplied by that release rather than substituting a jar name from a different NeoForge version. If the script is not executable, correct its file mode as the server account before starting it. The first launch is expected to create configuration files and may stop before the server becomes available.
Add Cobblemon and its dependencies correctly
Use the complete Cobblemon server pack whenever one is published for your chosen loader and Minecraft release. Extract every file from the pack into the empty server directory, including configuration, scripts, libraries, and startup files. Copying only the mods directory is a common cause of missing dependencies and incorrect configuration.
- Stop any process in the directory and confirm it is not serving players.
- Extract the pack into the isolated directory, preserving subdirectories and file permissions.
- Compare the extracted files with the pack’s release notes and required loader version.
- Do not overwrite a world or configuration from another Minecraft or loader version without a documented migration path.
- Give the server account ownership of all extracted files.
- Keep the original archive and its version information with your deployment records.
Every player must install the matching client pack, including the same Minecraft release, loader, Cobblemon build, dependencies, and any required resource or configuration files. If the server pack includes client instructions, distribute those instructions unchanged to your players.
Accept the EULA and complete the first start
Run the loader once from the server directory. If the process creates eula.txt and exits, open that file, read the Minecraft EULA, and change eula=false to eula=true only if you agree to the terms. Then start the server again using the generated launcher or script.
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- Now Minecraft lovers can play a special version of UNO!
- Same as Basic UNO but features Minecraft characters and includes special Creeper rule card. Draw this card and the other players have to draw three more cards from the pile!
- The goal is to get rid of all the cards in your hand.
- First player or team to 500 wins.
- When you're down to one card, don't forget to yell "UNO"!
Watch the console and logs/latest.log during this second start. A successful startup should progress past mod discovery and report that the server is listening. Do not invite players merely because the process remains running: inspect the log for missing dependencies, a wrong Java major version, a loader mismatch, or a failed world load first.
Open the network path
The default Minecraft server port is TCP 25565. If you select another port in server.properties, use that value consistently in every firewall rule and in the address given to players.
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- In the Linux firewall, allow the same TCP port.
- Leave SSH restricted to the administration source or keys you actually use; do not expose administrative services unnecessarily.
- Restart or reload the firewall rules according to your distribution.
- From a client outside the VPS network, attempt a connection using the VPS address and port.
The port may need to be opened in both the provider firewall and the operating-system firewall. A rule in only one layer is insufficient. On the VPS, verify that a process is listening on the expected port with a command such as:
ss -ltnp | grep 25565If the server binds only to a loopback address, review the server-ip setting in server.properties and the VPS network configuration. Leaving server-ip empty is normally preferable unless you have a specific interface-binding requirement.
Set memory, storage, and monitoring expectations
Memory
Use about 8 GB of dedicated memory as an initial value only when the selected server pack’s guidance supports it. That figure is a starting recommendation for a small deployment, not a promise that every world or player count will fit. Reserve memory for Linux and background services, then observe actual use before changing the JVM allocation.
- Increase capacity when player count, explored terrain, dimensions, or additional mods cause sustained memory pressure or frequent garbage-collection pauses.
- Do not treat a larger heap as a cure for a wrong mod version, a broken dependency, or a CPU bottleneck.
- Leave enough unallocated VPS memory for the operating system and backup processes.
Disk and backups
World data grows as players explore. Keep free SSD space for region files, dimensions, player data, logs, crash reports, and temporary backup archives. Monitor disk usage instead of waiting for the filesystem to fill; a full disk can prevent the server from saving safely.
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Operational checks
- Review the console and
logs/latest.logafter every restart. - Watch tick performance and player-reported lag after adding a mod or expanding the world.
- Check disk consumption and confirm that scheduled backups actually finish.
- Record the running Minecraft, loader, Cobblemon, Java, and server-pack versions.
Back up before every change
Before updating Minecraft, the loader, Cobblemon, a dependency, or a server pack, stop the server cleanly and back up the complete installation. The backup must include more than mods:
- All world folders, including dimensions and any separate world directories.
- Player data, advancements, inventories, and statistics.
server.properties, whitelist and operator files, and other administration files.- Configuration directories, scripts, libraries, and the exact mod list.
- Logs and the version record needed to reproduce the installation.
Keep the old installation until the updated server has started successfully, loaded the world, and accepted a test connection. Verify that at least one backup can be restored before deleting older copies. A backup that was never tested is only an assumption.
Safe update procedure
- Announce maintenance and stop the server cleanly from its console.
- Create and verify a complete backup outside the live directory.
- Read the target pack’s release notes, including Minecraft, loader, Java, dependency, and world-migration requirements.
- Duplicate the current directory or create a new release directory; do not destroy the rollback copy.
- Install the target loader and complete server pack into the new directory.
- Restore only the data and configuration that the release notes say are compatible.
- Start the new server and inspect the complete log for errors.
- Connect with a client using the matching new pack and test movement, inventory, dimensions, commands, and player data.
- Switch players to the new directory only after the test succeeds.
Upgrade one version boundary at a time. Changing Minecraft, the loader, Cobblemon, and several unrelated mods simultaneously makes a failure difficult to diagnose and a rollback less certain.
Troubleshooting connection and startup failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Java reports an unsupported class version or exits immediately. | The Java major version does not match the Minecraft release. | Run java -version; use Java 17 or Java 21 according to the pinned version and invoke the intended binary explicitly. |
| The server stops while loading mods. | Wrong loader, wrong Minecraft build, missing dependency, or mixed client/server files. | Read the first meaningful error in logs/latest.log; compare every mod and dependency with the selected pack. |
| Players receive a mod or registry mismatch. | The client pack differs from the server pack. | Have the player reinstall the exact Minecraft, loader, Cobblemon, dependency, and configuration versions used by the server. |
| The process runs but nobody can connect. | The port is blocked, the wrong port is advertised, or the server is bound to the wrong interface. | Check server.properties, ss -ltnp, the Linux firewall, the provider firewall, and an external connection test. |
| The VPS becomes slow or the server lags as the world grows. | Insufficient CPU, memory, disk headroom, or an oversized workload. | Review player count, world size, dimensions, mod count, JVM memory, tick performance, and free SSD space before resizing. |
| An update damages the world or removes settings. | No complete rollback copy or an unsupported cross-version migration. | Stop the server, preserve the failed directory, restore the verified backup, and follow the target pack’s migration instructions one boundary at a time. |
A repeatable deployment checklist
- Version matrix: Minecraft, Fabric or NeoForge, loader version, Cobblemon build, dependencies, Java major version, and server-pack release are recorded.
- VPS: 64-bit Linux, SSD storage, adequate CPU and memory, backup destination, and a non-root server account are ready.
- Java:
java -versionshows the required major version. - Directory: The live files are isolated in a dedicated directory owned by the server account.
- Loader: The installer and startup files belong to the exact pinned release.
- Pack: The complete server pack, not just
mods, is extracted into the empty directory. - EULA:
eula=trueis set only after the EULA has been read and accepted. - Firewall: TCP 25565, or the chosen custom port, is allowed in both firewall layers.
- Client: At least one external client has the matching pack and can connect.
- Recovery: A complete, restorable backup exists before updates or configuration changes.
When the server is ready for players
Invite players only after the server starts without dependency errors, the listening port is reachable from outside the VPS, a matching client joins successfully, and a backup has completed. Keep the version matrix and rollback copy current as the server evolves. The Linux workflow remains stable, but Cobblemon releases, supported Minecraft versions, loader builds, Java requirements, pack contents, and memory guidance can change; recheck those values each time you begin a new deployment or upgrade.
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