MC Dad Server — Minecraft server in 60 seconds

Batteries Included

Everything your kids need, pre-configured and ready to go.

📱 Geyser + Floodgate Kids on iPad, Switch, and phones connect to your Java server. No second account needed.
🏃 Parkour Build obstacle courses. Checkpoints, leaderboards, death counters. Kids go nuts for this.
✏️ WorldEdit Fast course building. //set, //stack, //copy — build a parkour map in minutes.
🌍 Multiverse-Core Separate worlds for parkour, creative, survival. Keep things organized.
💬 ChatSentry Configurable chat filter with blocked words list. Kid-safe by default.
🗺️ 5 Pre-built Parkour Maps Curated maps from Hielke Maps — Parkour Spiral, Spiral 3, Volcano, Pyramid, Paradise.

What You Get

Production-ready from the first run.

☕ Adoptium Temurin Java 25 Open-source, production-ready Java. No Oracle licensing nonsense.
🚀 Paper MC Optimized Minecraft server — same game, better performance, plugin-ready.
🛡️ Kid-Safe Defaults Whitelist on, PVP off, easy difficulty. Safe out of the box.
🔄 Auto-Start on Boot Systemd (Linux) or launchd (macOS) keeps the server running.
💾 Daily Backups Automatic backups at 4 AM with rotation. Never lose a build.
🌐 No Port Forwarding Optional playit.gg tunnel — friends connect without touching your router.
🐳 Docker / Podman Containerfile included. Debian Trixie slim, health checks, graceful shutdown, Quadlet systemd integration.

Options

Sensible defaults, full control when you need it.

Flag	Default	Description
`--edition`	java	java or bedrock
`--type`	paper	paper, fabric, or vanilla
`--memory`	2G	RAM allocation
`--port`	25565	Server port
`--difficulty`	normal	peaceful, easy, normal, hard
`--gamemode`	survival	survival, creative, adventure
`--players`	20	Max player count
`--gc`	g1gc	g1gc (Aikar's flags) or zgc
`--motd`	Dads Minecraft Server	Message of the day
`--playit`	true	Set up playit.gg tunnel
`--chat-filter`	true	Install chat filter plugin
`--mc-version`	latest	Minecraft version
`--mode`	auto	auto, screen, or container

FAQ

How much RAM do I need?

2 GB is fine for 2-5 players. 4 GB for 5-10. 8 GB if the kids go crazy with mods.

Can my kids on iPad/Switch join?

Yes! Geyser + Floodgate is installed by default. Bedrock players connect on port 19132. No Java account needed.

Can my kids' friends connect from their house?

Yes! Use playit.gg (included) or forward port 25565 on your router. For Bedrock friends, also forward 19132/udp.

What's Paper MC?

It's Minecraft but faster. Same game, better performance, supports plugins.

G1GC or ZGC?

G1GC (default) is battle-tested with Aikar's flags. ZGC is newer, lower latency, great for Java 21+ servers with 8GB+ RAM.

Is this safe?

Whitelist is on by default — only players you approve can join. Online mode verifies real Minecraft accounts.

Can I run this in Docker/Podman?

Yes! Use podman compose up -d or docker compose up -d. The CLI auto-detects container mode, or use --mode container. Includes health checks, graceful shutdown, and Quadlet systemd integration.

What if my server crashes?

Systemd auto-restarts it. Backups run daily at 4 AM. In container mode, the restart policy handles it automatically.

Support the Project

Is it really free?

Yes! MC Dad Server is fully functional without a license. No features are locked.

What does a license do?

Licensed users get clean output (no nag messages) and a "Licensed to [name]" badge. It's a way to support development — everything works the same either way.

How do I activate a license?

Run mc-dad-server activate-license --key YOUR-KEY to activate. See the store for details.

Batteries Included

What You Get

Works Everywhere

Options

FAQ

Support the Project