To add Hytale server mods, put the mod files (.jar plugins or .zip asset packs) in the server’s mods/ folder and restart it. That’s the whole install. Players don’t download anything: Hytale’s modding runs on the server, so anyone can join a modded Hytale server with the normal game. Below: where mods come from, how to switch one off without deleting it, and what to do when a mod stops the server from booting.
How Hytale server mods work
Every Hytale mod runs on the server, never on the player’s game. Hypixel built it that way on purpose: one official client for everyone, with servers supplying all the variety. You add a mod once, on the server, and every player who joins gets the modded experience without installing anything. Even singleplayer works like this, because a singleplayer world is a small local server.
| Kind of mod | Files | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Server plugin | .jar (Java) |
Commands, game logic, minigames, economies, whole new systems |
| Asset pack | .zip of JSON data plus models, textures and sounds |
Blocks, items, NPCs, world generation, loot tables |
| Worlds and prefabs | Save files | Whole worlds or ready-made builds |
| Early plugin | .jar |
Low-level changes; unsupported and off unless you opt in |
A plugin can carry its own asset pack, so many mods are a single .jar.
How to install mods on a Hytale server
Installing a mod takes five steps: back up the world, stop the server, put the file in mods/, start it again, and check the log. Hypixel’s manual points to CurseForge, its modding partner, as the place to get mods. Check each mod’s page for the game versions it supports before you install it, because a mod built for a different version can stop the server from starting.
- Back up
universe/. It holds your worlds and player data. Hypixel’s own advice during Early Access is to back up often. - Stop the server with
/stop. - Put the files in
mods/, the folder next toconfig.json:Server/ ├── config.json ├── mods/ │ ├── your-plugin.jar │ └── your-asset-pack.zip └── universe/If a mod lists required mods (dependencies) on its page, install those too.
- Start the server and watch the console until it finishes booting.
- Check it loaded:
/plugin listshows loaded plugins and/packs listshows loaded asset packs.
Running your own server for the first time? The Hytale dedicated server guide covers the setup before this step. On Hytale server hosting the same mods/ folder is in the panel’s file manager.
Where to find Hytale mods
CurseForge is the main home for Hytale mods, and it’s the source Hypixel’s server manual names. Since Update 6 the game also has a Mod Browser in its main menu, built on CurseForge, for finding and installing mods for the worlds on your own PC. For a dedicated server, download the files and put them in mods/ yourself, which is the method the server manual gives.
- Check the supported game versions on the mod’s page. The Mod Browser shows them too, and from Update 8 it will only install files tagged for your game’s version.
- Some creators block in-game downloads. Their mods show a disabled Install button in the Mod Browser, but you can still download them from CurseForge.
- Mods are free in the Mod Browser. Hypixel says there will be no paid mods there.
Best Hytale server mods to start with
There’s no official top-ten list of gameplay mods, but Hypixel’s server manual does recommend a few plugins for running a server, made by its hosting partners. They don’t change gameplay; they help you watch and tune the server. Beyond those, the best mods are the ones that fit what your server is about, and CurseForge’s popular and recently updated lists are the place to browse.
| Plugin | What it does |
|---|---|
Nitrado:PerformanceSaver |
Lowers view distance automatically when the server runs short of resources |
Nitrado:Query |
Shows server status, such as player counts, over HTTP |
Nitrado:WebServer |
Base plugin for web apps and APIs (other plugins build on it) |
ApexHosting:PrometheusExporter |
Exposes detailed server and Java metrics for monitoring |
Every mod costs some memory and CPU, so a heavily modded server needs more RAM than a vanilla one with the same players.
Turn a mod off without deleting it
To switch a mod off, give it an entry in the Mods section of config.json with "Enabled": false, then restart. Mods are named Group:Name, the same form as the plugins in the table above. The server then logs Skipping mod … (Disabled by server config), so you can see it worked. As with any config change, edit the file while the server is stopped.
"Mods": {
"Nitrado:PerformanceSaver": { "Enabled": false }
}For quick tests on a running server, /plugin unload <plugin>, /plugin load <plugin> and /plugin reload <plugin> do the same live. The Hytale server commands list has the rest.
Early plugins
Early plugins are a lower-level kind of mod. Hypixel calls loading them unsupported and warns they may cause stability issues, so the server only loads them when it’s started with --accept-early-plugins. Use that flag only when a mod’s page says it needs it, keep a fresh backup, and expect early plugins to break more often when Hytale updates.
Modded Hytale servers and your players
Players join a modded Hytale server with the normal game. Hypixel’s stated goal is that you can join any modded server without downloading mods or juggling client packs, and it doesn’t plan to support client mods at all. So there’s no modpack to hand out and no “install this first” message for your friends. You just share the address.
One thing to watch: a world can list the plugins it needs (RequiredPlugins in the world’s config.json). Move a modded world to a new server without its mods and the server refuses to start with Failed to start server! Missing Mods:. Copy the world’s mods across along with universe/.
Server failed to boot after adding mods
When a mod breaks the boot, the server log names it. Look for the lines below, fix that one mod, and start again. If you need the server up right away, remove the newest mod first, or start with --ignore-broken-mods, which tries to boot even if a mod fails to load. That flag doesn’t help when a core plugin fails: since Update 6 the server stops on purpose instead of running half-broken.
| Log line | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Failed to load '…' because the dependency '…' could not be found! |
The mod needs another mod you haven’t installed | Install the dependency named on the mod’s page |
Failed to load '…' because version of dependency '…'(…) does not satisfy '…'! |
The dependency is there, but the wrong version | Update (or match) the dependency |
Plugin '…' targets server version range '…' which does not match the running server version |
The mod was built for another Hytale version. It’s a warning: the server says you may run into issues. | Update the mod, or wait for its author to |
Plugin '…' does not specify a target server version |
The mod doesn’t say which version it’s for | Check for a newer release of the mod |
Failed to load pending plugin from '…'. Failed to load manifest file! |
Not a valid Hytale mod file, or a damaged download | Download it again; make sure it’s the server file |
Failed to start server! Missing Mods: |
A world requires a mod that isn’t installed | Install it, or remove it from the world’s RequiredPlugins |
Mods breaking right after a Hytale patch is a separate case: see how to update a Hytale server for the safe order and how to roll back.
How to mod a Hytale server yourself
Server plugins are written in Java. The server jar is on Hypixel’s Maven repository (maven.hytale.com, release and pre-release channels) for you to build against, and the server isn’t obfuscated, so you can read how any system works. Every plugin ships a manifest.json that names its group, name, version, target server version and dependencies.
- Manifest keys include
Group,Name,Version,Main,ServerVersion,Dependencies,OptionalDependenciesandIncludesAssetPack. - For content rather than code, Hypixel ships the Hytale Asset Editor, and a Blockbench plugin for models, textures and animations.
- While you develop, start the server with
--disable-sentryso your test crashes aren’t reported to Hypixel.
FAQ
Do players need to install mods to join a modded Hytale server?
No. Mods live on the server, and players join with the normal game.
Can I use client mods with Hytale?
No. Hypixel has said it doesn’t intend to support client mods, so every change has to come from the server.
Does the in-game Mod Browser install mods on my server?
The Mod Browser is in the game’s main menu and manages mods for the worlds on your own PC. For a dedicated server, put the mod files in the server’s mods/ folder.
How many mods can a Hytale server run?
There’s no fixed number. Each mod adds memory and CPU load, so add RAM as the list grows and watch the log after each new mod.
Why does my Hytale server fail to boot after installing mods?
The log line says why. A missing dependency, a mod built for another Hytale version and a damaged file each leave a different message, and the table above has the fix for each.
The easy way: Hytale server hosting on GameTeam
With GameTeam’s Hytale server hosting, you upload mods to mods/ with the panel’s file manager and let the AI copilot do the rest. Tell it “I added three mods and the server won’t start, fix it” and it reads the log, names the mod that failed, switches it off in config.json and restarts, so you’re back in while you sort out the missing piece. You pay per GB of RAM, from $0.49/GB a week, and slots are unlimited however many friends you bring.