Clara and I run Minecraft on our home FreeBSD server that is located in a jail which keeps Java and other dependencies in one isolated place. It is possible to run the server on any platform that supports Java and Java-related software, including Linux and possibly even NetBSD although I haven't yet tested NetBSD.
I couldn't let it go! The positive side is that you are able to run a Minecraft server on your other preferred OS. This article explains the method I used however I'm sure there are other options.
Getting Java installed
After you have installed NetBSD and configured networks and enabled pkgin. You will require an OpenJDK to run Minecraft.
Minecraft 1.17 and up requires OpenJDK 17 However, OpenJDK 16 is the latest version of the most current snapshot as of July 2022. To confirm, search:
If it's 16 you can still download current packages by opening the repo file.
And changing the repo URL In my case, 9.0 to 9.0_current
This was a fantastic project. He has done so much for NetBSD I feel like he owes me at least a cup of coffee or a glass of beer each time I go to Japan.
Now we can installit, together with other useful tools:
Running Minecraft
From here the way to run Minecraft is similar to any other Java-enabled server. I have all my files in one place:
Then log in as my local user and begin:
We are now ready to begin!
You'll notice Java throws a system not supported exception that those of us on NetBSD know all too well. It is safe to ignore according to my tests.
Don't forget to sign the EULA after you have run the server the first time:
Create a launch script
I like to symlink to minecraft.jar the most recent version of the server
Then refer to it in launch.sh with tmux in order to save the server even after disconnecting. servers I like to give Minecraft more memory too:
We're now ready to go!
Follow-up
The next step is creating a proper chroot environment for Java and Minecraft, similar to the way I use FreeBSD jails. I have an NetBSD chroot exploration article in the process for a number of years. I'll tidy it up and release it in the near future.
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