Gate review
A self-hosted proxy for cross-play networks, flexible routing, and API-driven administration.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Gate is an open-source Minecraft proxy written in Go for connecting players to backend server networks. It is designed for individual server owners, developers, and larger network operators that need Java and Bedrock cross-play, routing across multiple servers, and administrative control through APIs. Gate supports Windows, macOS, Linux, self-hosted environments, and API-based workflows, with compatibility from Minecraft 1.8 through the latest version supported by the current Gate release.
Its strongest fit is a network that needs practical routing controls rather than a single backend connection. Fallback server lists can handle logins and server kicks, while /server and /send provide player server switching. Lite mode adds hostname-based reverse-proxy routing, and automatic configuration reloads allow changes without disconnecting players. Managed Via-powered backend protocol translation extends the proxy's version-compatibility role, while integrations with Geyser, Floodgate, ViaLite, and Minekube Connect support a broader cross-play and network-management setup.
Gate also suits teams building their own operational tooling. It exposes HTTP, gRPC, and ConnectRPC APIs with SDKs, and it can be deployed as a local binary or through Docker and Kubernetes. That combination makes it a strong choice for cloud-native or developer-managed networks that want infrastructure-level control. The trade-off is that Gate is self-hosted, so operators remain responsible for deployment and administration. Teams looking for a managed proxy service or a narrowly focused hostname router should consider a different approach; Gate is better suited to networks that value open-source control, cross-play, fallback routing, and programmable administration.
Gate pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Java and Bedrock cross-play through integrated Geyser support
- Fallback routing and player switching support multi-server networks
- Docker, Kubernetes, and HTTP, gRPC, and ConnectRPC deployment options
- Where it doesn't
- Self-hosted deployment requires operators to manage the infrastructure
- Cross-play depends on integrations such as Geyser and Floodgate
- Lite mode focuses on hostname-based reverse-proxy routing
Gate fact sheet, pricing and score →
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