Hytale dedicated server in Docker. The container supports automatic updates on the server startup via the official Hytale Downloader CLI and runs HytaleServer.jar with custom launch options based on environment

Quick start

Copy .env.example to .env and edit as needed. On linux can be done via:

cp .env.example .env

Start the server with docker compose up -d or make up

Follow logs with docker compose logs -f or make logs

Authentication

Attach to the running container and authenticate using the server console:

docker attach hytale
auth login device

To persist authentication across restarts, enable machine ID access in docker-compose.yml and run:

auth persistence Encrypted

Compose setup

docker-compose.yml uses:

• Container name hytale
• UDP port 5520
• Named volume hytale-data mounted at /hytale
• .env file for configuration

Makefile helpers

The Makefile wraps common docker compose commands:

build, up, down, restart, status, logs, in, attach, update, update-hytale-downloader

Run make for descriptions

Environment variables

Defaults are defined in Dockerfile and .env.example and can be overridden in your .env file

Server and networking

• HYTALE_PORT (default 5520): UDP port to listen on
• BIND_ADDR (default 0.0.0.0): bind address

Assets and auth mode

• ASSETS_PATH (default /hytale/Assets.zip): assets zip path in the container
• AUTH_MODE (default authenticated): authenticated, offline, or insecure

Optional server provider tokens (only passed when set in .env. file):

• SESSION_TOKEN: adds --session-token
• IDENTITY_TOKEN: adds --identity-token
• OWNER_UUID: adds --owner-uuid

Updates

• ENABLE_AUTO_UPDATE (default true): download and update the server on container start
• SKIP_DELETE_ON_FORBIDDEN (default false): keep downloader credentials on 403 Forbidden

The downloader binary also checks for its own updates on every start.

JVM and server flags

• JAVA_XMS (default 4G): initial heap size
• JAVA_XMX (default 4G): max heap size
• JAVA_CMD_ADDITIONAL_OPTS: extra JVM options appended to java
• USE_AOT_CACHE (default true): add -XX:AOTCache=HytaleServer.aot if present
• ACCEPT_EARLY_PLUGINS (default false): add --accept-early-plugins
• ALLOW_OP (default false): add --allow-op
• DISABLE_SENTRY (default false): add --disable-sentry
• HYTALE_ADDITIONAL_OPTS: additional server options appended at the end

Backups

• BACKUP_ENABLED (default false): enable backups
• BACKUP_DIR (default /hytale/backups): backup output directory
• BACKUP_FREQUENCY (default 30): minutes between backups

Notes

• If the downloader fails with 403 Forbidden, the startup script may remove ~/.hytale-downloader-credentials.json unless SKIP_DELETE_ON_FORBIDDEN=true.
• The server data lives in the hytale-data volume at /hytale.

Links

• Server Provider Authentication Guide: https://support.hytale.com/hc/en-us/articles/45328341414043-Server-Provider-Authentication-Guide
• Hytale Server Manual: https://support.hytale.com/hc/en-us/articles/45326769420827-Hytale-Server-Manual