How do you install mods on a Hytale server?
Drop the mod file (.jar or .zip) into the server's mods folder and restart the server – players don't need to install anything. On Spot.gg you don't even handle the files: open the "Addons" tab in the server panel, search for the mod and click "Install".
The essentials:
- mods are server-side – Hytale streams the content to players automatically when they connect,
- one mod, one file – dependencies (libraries) have to be installed the same way as the mod itself,
- versions matter – a mod has to be built for the game version your server runs,
- always restart – new files are only loaded when the server starts.
What's the difference between Hytale mods and plugins?
"Mod" is the umbrella term in Hytale; in practice there are two kinds of files: server plugins (.jar, Java code) and asset packs (.zip with new content). Both go into the same mods folder – there are no separate plugins, datapacks or resourcepacks directories like in Minecraft.
| Type | File | What it does | Example from our catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server plugin | .jar |
Game logic: commands, RPG systems, economy, new mechanics | MMO Skill Tree, Vein Mining |
| Asset pack | .zip (or a folder with manifest.json) |
Content: blocks, items, furniture, creatures, textures | Violet's Furnishings, Macaw's Hy Doors |
| Library | usually .jar |
Shared code other mods rely on – adds nothing by itself | Perfect Utils, Hytalor |
Plenty of bigger mods are both: a plugin with code plus its own models and items. Don't unzip asset packs – upload the .zip as it is.
There's also a rare third kind: early plugins (the earlyplugins folder), which patch server code while it loads. Hytale's developers call them unsupported and warn they may cause stability issues, and the server only loads them with a separate startup option enabled. If a mod needs an early plugin, think twice about whether you really want it.
Do players need to install mods to join a modded Hytale server?
No. Only the server installs mods and asset packs; the game sends players whatever content they need when they join. Hytale's modding is server-first, and the developers have said they don't plan to support client-side mods. Your friends just add the server address and play – no launchers, no mod lists to match.
That's the big difference from modded Minecraft, where every player needs the exact same mods in the exact same versions.
Where do you get Hytale mods?
CurseForge is the main source – it's Hypixel Studios' official partner for distributing Hytale mods. Each mod page shows a description, the file list with dates, which game update each file targets, and a Relations tab listing dependencies.
On Spot.gg you don't have to download anything by hand: the Hytale mod catalog in the panel is fed from CurseForge and includes the mods whose authors allow distribution outside CurseForge. New mods and new file versions are added to the catalog automatically.
If a mod isn't in the catalog (the author disabled third-party distribution, or it's your own build), download it yourself and upload it through the "Files" tab or SFTP – see below.
How do you install a mod on a Hytale server on Spot.gg?
Server panel → "Addons" → search for the mod → pick a version → "Install" → restart the server. The panel downloads the file and puts it in the mods folder for you.
Step by step:
- Make a backup. Use the "Backups" tab – especially before adding a mod that changes world generation.
- Open "Addons" → "All addons". Without a search term the list shows the most popular mods first; or type a name into "Search".
- Open the mod and pick a version. Versions are sorted newest first, with the newest marked "Latest". For Hytale the panel doesn't flag compatibility with your game version, so check on the mod's CurseForge page which update the file was built for.
- Click "Install" and confirm. You'll see "Addon has been uploaded."
- Install the dependencies (covered in the next section).
- Restart the server and check the "Console" to make sure the mod loaded.
Your installed mods are listed under "Addons" → "Installed". From there you can delete a mod, and when a newer version comes out you can install it in place of the old one.
How do you add a mod that isn't in the catalog?
Upload the .jar or .zip to the mods folder from the "Files" tab or over SFTP, then restart the server. That's how you add your own plugin, a mod from another site, or an asset pack missing from the catalog. Spot.gg doesn't lock you into an approved list – you can upload any file you like.
Do Hytale mod dependencies install automatically?
No. Installing from the panel puts exactly one file on your server – the mod you picked. Required libraries and add-ons have to be installed separately, the same way. Skip them and the mod may fail to load, or load with half its features missing.
MMO Skill Tree, a popular RPG-style skill system, is a good example. According to its CurseForge data, the latest version requires five other projects:
- Perfect Utils – library,
- Ziggfreed's CommonLib – library,
- MMO Skill Tree Mastery Pack,
- MMO Mob Scaling,
- MMO Skill Tree Bounty Board Pack.
All of them are in our catalog, so you can install them one by one from the "Addons" tab.
How to check any mod:
- open its CurseForge page and look at the Relations tab – what matters is anything marked Required Dependency,
- Optional means exactly that – install it if you want the extra feature,
- Embedded means the library is already bundled inside the mod file, so there's nothing to add (that's the case with Alec's Tamework!),
- pick library versions built for the same game update as the mod.
Many mods from one author share a single library – for instance, Hybrid holds the common code for Serilum's mods. If you install several mods from the same author, you only need the library once.
What are the best Hytale mods for a server?
The most downloaded mods in our catalog are quality-of-life tweaks (maps, block info, bigger stacks) and full RPG systems. A few solid picks to start with:
| Mod | What it adds | Category |
|---|---|---|
| BetterMap | Persistent world map and a cave map | QoL |
| EyeSpy | A HUD showing what you're looking at | QoL |
| Just Enough Tales | JEI-style item and recipe browser | QoL |
| Overstacked | Larger item stacks | Gameplay |
| Vein Mining | Mine a whole ore vein by breaking one block | Gameplay |
| Perfect Parries | Souls-like precision parrying | Combat |
| RPG Leveling and Stats | XP, levels, stats and scaling difficulty | RPG |
| Endgame & QoL | Endgame content plus convenience features | Content |
| YUNG's HyDungeons | Procedurally generated dungeons | World |
| HyTame | Animal breeding and growing young | Farming |
| Gravestones | A grave that keeps your items when you die | QoL |
| Macaw's Hy Doors | More door styles for building | Building |
Before installing any of them, check the dependencies on the mod page – some have a short list or none at all, others (like MMO Skill Tree) need several.
How much RAM does a modded Hytale server need?
On Spot.gg a Hytale server starts at 2 GB of RAM ($3.90 / month), and with more mods you'll want more. Small QoL plugins barely use any memory, but mods that add lots of content, new world generation or creatures push usage up.
The official Hytale server manual lists 4 GB as the minimum for a regular server, so with a few larger mods and a group of friends, start at 4 GB ($5.99 / month). You can change the RAM in the panel at any time. For requirements and setup, read How to make a Hytale server.
What should you do when a modded Hytale server won't start?
It's usually a missing dependency, a mod built for an older game version, or two mods clashing. Start with the "Console" – the startup log usually names the mod that is causing trouble. You can also open the server's errors window in the panel (the icon next to the status) and click "Ask the assistant" – the AI assistant will point you in the right direction.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Startup error naming another mod | Missing required dependency | Install the library from the "Addons" tab |
| Mods stopped working after a game update | Mod built for an older version | Install a newer build, or wait for the author to release one |
| Players can't connect | Server and game on different versions | Update the player's game to the server version |
| "Failed to load world! Missing plugin" | The world requires a plugin that isn't in mods |
Install the missing plugin, or remove it from RequiredPlugins in the world's config.json |
| Very slow start, or the server shuts down | Not enough RAM for large mods | Give the server more RAM |
| Odd behaviour after adding several mods | Mod conflict | Remove mods one at a time until you find the culprit |
The safest approach: add mods a few at a time, not all at once, and restart after each batch. That way you know straight away which file is the problem.
Why do mods break after a Hytale update?
Because Hytale is in early access and updates change the API that plugins are built on. Update 6 changed the network protocol, and Update 7 (12 October 2026) removed some older server methods – plugins that used them need a new build from their author.
Back up before a big update, and afterwards check CurseForge for new versions of your mods. Asset packs (just models and textures) break far less often than plugins with code.
FAQ
Do players need to install mods to play on a modded Hytale server?
No. Mods and asset packs are installed on the server only, and the game sends players the content they need when they join. They just connect with the server address.
Where is the mods folder on a Hytale server?
In the server's main directory – the mods folder. Both plugins (.jar) and asset packs (.zip) go there. On Spot.gg you can see it in the "Files" tab, though the panel puts catalog mods there for you.
Are dependencies installed automatically?
No. Installing from the panel uploads one file – the mod you picked. Check the Relations tab on CurseForge for required libraries and install each of them separately from the "Addons" tab.
Can I upload my own Hytale plugin?
Yes. Upload the .jar or .zip to the mods folder through the "Files" tab or SFTP and restart the server. It doesn't have to be in our catalog.
Are Hytale mods free?
Mods on CurseForge are free to download. Installing mods on Spot.gg costs nothing extra – you only pay for the server: the first 24 hours are free with no card, then plans start at $3.90 per month.
Will adding mods wipe my world?
No, installing a mod doesn't delete your world. Mods that change terrain generation usually only affect newly explored parts of the map. Still, make a backup before adding a big mod.