Getting Started with Minecraft on Witchly

Welcome to Witchly.host! This guide walks you through everything you need to know to get your Minecraft server up and running for the first time.

Choosing Your Plan

Witchly offers two tiers for Minecraft hosting:

Free Tier — Sign up with Discord and deploy instantly. You get 2 GB RAM, 100% CPU, and 4 GB disk out of the box. Earn coins to upgrade your resources and renew your server every 7 days.

Elite Tier (paid monthly via Stripe, dedicated hardware):

• The Construct (4GB, $5/mo) — Great for small groups, vanilla or lightly modded with up to 10 players. Includes the 1-click modpack installer.
• The Reactor (8GB, $12/mo) — Our best seller. Ideal for communities running plugins or modpacks with up to 30 players. Includes Pro Modpack Tools.
• The Mainframe (16GB, $24/mo) — Built for large communities and heavy modpacks. Supports 50+ players. Includes Multi-Hub Support.

Java Edition vs Bedrock Edition

Before creating your server, you need to decide which edition to host:

Java Edition

• The original PC version of Minecraft.
• Supports mods (Forge, Fabric, Quilt) and plugins (Paper, Spigot, Purpur).
• Massive ecosystem of community content.
• Players connect using the server address and port.

Bedrock Edition

• Cross-platform edition for Windows 10/11, consoles, and mobile.
• More limited modding support but wider device compatibility.
• Uses a different networking protocol (UDP instead of TCP).

Want both? You can set up crossplay using GeyserMC and Floodgate, allowing Bedrock players to join your Java server. See our Crossplay Setup guide for details.

Creating Your Server

1. Log in to your dashboard at Dashboard.
2. Navigate to the Servers section.
3. Click Create Server.
4. Select Minecraft as the game.
5. Choose your edition (Java or Bedrock).
6. Select a server software. For most users, we recommend Paper — it is a high-performance fork of Spigot with excellent plugin support.
7. Pick your Minecraft version. The latest stable release is selected by default.
8. Name your server and confirm.

Your server will be provisioned within seconds.

First Startup

When your server is created, head to the server console in your dashboard. The first time you start the server, it will generate the necessary configuration files and then stop. This is expected — you need to accept the Minecraft EULA before the server can fully start.

Accepting the EULA

1. Go to your server’s File Manager in the dashboard.
2. Open the file named eula.txt.
3. Change eula=false to eula=true.
4. Save the file.
5. Start your server again.

For a more detailed walkthrough, see our dedicated Accepting the EULA guide.

Connecting to Your Server

Once your server is running, you can find your connection details in the dashboard:

1. Go to your server’s overview page.
2. Look for the Server Address — it will be in the format play.witchly.host:XXXXX.
3. Open Minecraft and click Multiplayer (Java) or Servers (Bedrock).
4. Click Add Server.
5. Enter the server address and port.
6. Click Join Server.

Basic Configuration

After your first successful start, you will want to configure the basics in server.properties:

• gamemode — Set to survival, creative, adventure, or spectator.
• difficulty — Options are peaceful, easy, normal, or hard.
• max-players — The maximum number of players allowed on the server.
• motd — The message displayed in the server list.
• pvp — Set to true or false to enable or disable player combat.

You can edit server.properties through the File Manager in your dashboard. See our Basic Server Settings guide for a full breakdown of every setting.

Accessing Server Files

Witchly gives you full access to your server files through multiple methods:

File Manager

The built-in file manager in your dashboard lets you browse, edit, upload, and download files directly from your browser. This is the easiest option for quick edits.

SFTP

For bulk file transfers (uploading worlds, modpacks, etc.), use an SFTP client like FileZilla or WinSCP:

• Host: Your server address (same as the connection address)
• Port: 2022
• Username: Found in your server’s settings page
• Password: Your dashboard account password

Console

The server console in your dashboard lets you run commands directly, just as if you were typing into the server terminal. Use it for operator commands, plugin management, and troubleshooting.

What to Do Next

Now that your server is running, here are some recommended next steps:

• Configure server.properties — Customize gameplay rules, world settings, and server behavior.
• Install plugins or mods — Add new features and content to your server.
• Set up a modpack — Use our 1-click installer (Reactor and Mainframe plans) or install manually.
• Optimize performance — Tune your server for the best possible experience.
• Set up crossplay — Let Bedrock players join your Java server.
• Use a custom domain — Connect with play.yourdomain.com instead of an IP and port.

Need Help?

If you run into any issues, check our Troubleshooting guide or join our Discord for live support from our team.