Introduction#

Phase 1: Get the Tools#

Before we do anything, you need the engine that runs the server.

1. Download Docker Desktop:

   • Go to docker.com/products/docker-desktop.
   • Download it for your OS (Windows or Mac).
   • Install it just like any other program (Next, Next, Finish).
   • Crucial Step: Once installed, OPEN Docker Desktop. It must be running in the background. If it asks you to log in, you can usually skip it or create a free account.

2. Open your “Command Center” (Terminal):

   • Windows: Press the Windows Key, type PowerShell, and hit Enter.
   • Mac: Press Command + Space, type Terminal, and hit Enter.

Phase 2: Create the Server Folder (The “cd” stuff)#

You need a specific place on your computer where your server files will live. We will do this using the terminal to get you comfortable with it.

1. Type this command to create a folder named mc-server (and press Enter):

   mkdir mc-server
   

   (Note: mkdir stands for “Make Directory”.)

2. Type this command to “walk inside” that folder:

   cd mc-server
   

   (Note: cd stands for “Change Directory”. Your terminal prompt should now look different, showing mc-server at the end.)

Phase 3: The Blueprint (docker-compose.yml)#

We need to give the Docker robot a set of instructions. This is called a “Compose file”. It tells Docker: “I want Minecraft, I want Fabric, and I want it on this port.”

1. Create the file:

   • Windows: Type notepad docker-compose.yml and press Enter. It will ask if you want to create a new file. Click Yes.
   • Mac: You can use TextEdit, but ensure it saves as plain text. Or just run touch docker-compose.yml in the terminal to create it, then open that file with any text editor.

2. Copy and Paste the specific code: Copy the code block below exactly. Don’t change anything yet.

   services:
     mc:
       image: itzg/minecraft-server
       container_name: my-fabric-server
       tty: true
       stdin_open: true
       ports:
         - "25565:25565"
       environment:
         EULA: "TRUE"
         TYPE: "FABRIC"
         VERSION: "1.20.1"
         MEMORY: "4G"
       volumes:
         - ./data:/data
       restart: unless-stopped
   

3. Understand what you just pasted:

   • image: itzg/minecraft-server: This downloads a pre-made Minecraft server created by a legend named itzg.
   • TYPE: "FABRIC": Tells the server to use Fabric, not normal Minecraft.
   • VERSION: "1.20.1": Important. This dictates the game version. Change this to whatever version you and your friends want to play.
   • MEMORY: "4G": Gives the server 4 Gigabytes of RAM. If your computer is weak, lower this to “2G”.
   • volumes: This saves your world. It creates a folder called data in your mc-server folder so your world doesn’t vanish when you turn the server off.

4. Save the file and close the text editor.

Phase 4: Start the Engine#

Now we tell Docker to read that file and build your server.

1. Go back to your terminal (make sure you are still inside the mc-server folder).

2. Run this command:

   docker compose up -d
   

   • up: Start everything.
   • -d: Detached mode. This means “run in the background, don’t lock up my terminal window.”

3. Wait. The first time you run this, it will take a while (5-10 mins) because it is downloading Minecraft, Fabric, and Java.

4. Check if it’s working: Type this command to watch the logs (the server “thinking”):

   docker compose logs -f
   

   • You will see a lot of text scrolling.
   • Wait until you see a line that says: Done (X.XXs)! For help, type "help".
   • Press Ctrl + C to stop watching the logs (this does not stop the server, it just stops the scrolling text).

Congratulations! You now have a vanilla Fabric server running.

• IP Address: localhost (for you).
• IP Address: Your real IP (for friends—you will likely need to Port Forward your router for friends to join, but that is a separate networking topic).

Phase 5: Installing Mods (The “Asshole Beginner” Friendly Way)#

You probably want mods. Here is the safest way to do it.

Step 1: Turn off the server You cannot add mods while the server is running.

docker compose down

Step 2: Locate the mods folder

1. Open your regular file explorer (Finder on Mac, File Explorer on Windows).
2. Find the mc-server folder we created in Phase 2.
3. Inside, you will see a new folder called data.
4. Inside data, you will see a folder called mods.

Step 3: Download your mods

1. Go to Modrinth or CurseForge.
2. Download the Fabric version of the mod.
3. CRITICAL: The mod version MUST match your server version (e.g., if server is 1.20.1, mod must be 1.20.1).
4. CRITICAL: You must also download the Fabric API mod. Almost all Fabric mods require this. Put it in the folder too.

Step 4: Drag and Drop Drag the .jar files you downloaded into that mc-server/data/mods folder.

Step 5: Turn the server back on Go back to your terminal:

docker compose up -d

Watch the logs again (docker compose logs -f) to make sure the server doesn’t crash. If it crashes, one of your mods is probably the wrong version.

Phase 6: You are the Admin (OP Yourself)#

You want to be able to ban people or switch to creative mode. You need to access the server console.

1. Run this command to execute the admin tool inside the server:

   docker exec -i my-fabric-server rcon-cli
   

2. Your terminal prompt will change to something like >. You are now talking directly to the Minecraft server.
3. Type:

   op YourMinecraftUsername
   

   (Replace YourMinecraftUsername with your actual in-game name).
4. It should say “Made YourMinecraftUsername a server operator”.
5. Type exit to leave the admin console.

Phase 7: The “Cheat Sheet” for Daily Use#

Save this list. These are the only commands you need to know.

• Turn Server ON: docker compose up -d
• Turn Server OFF: docker compose down
• Restart Server (after adding new mods): docker compose restart
• Check Server Status/Logs: docker compose logs -f (Press Ctrl+C to exit logs)
• Access Admin Console: docker exec -i my-fabric-server rcon-cli

Summary of Common Mistakes#

1. Client/Server Mismatch: You need to install Fabric and the exact same mods on your own computer’s Minecraft Launcher to join the server.
2. Wrong Java Version: If you change the Minecraft version to an old one (like 1.12), the server might fail. The itzg image usually handles this automatically, but stick to versions 1.18+ for the smoothest experience with this guide.
3. EULA: If you edited the file and didn’t put EULA: "TRUE", the server will immediately shut down.