HostableHostable

Updating a server

Steam games update in place, with a backup first.

Steam games (Palworld, ARK)

sudo hostable update friends-pals

In order:

    Checks for players

    If anyone is online, it stops here. Add --force to update anyway.

    Backs up

    If the backup fails, nothing is changed.

    Stops, updates, starts

    Saves the world, stops the service, runs SteamCMD app_update <id> validate, and starts it again. The server is started again even if the update failed, so a bad update does not leave you offline.

    Reports the build

    Prints the Steam build id before and after. Equal ids mean you were already current.

Modpacks and Minecraft versions

Minecraft is not updated in place, because mods and worlds depend on each other. The safe pattern:

  1. Create a new server (a fresh folder) with the new modpack or version.
  2. Stop the old one, copy world/ into the new folder (keep the old one as a backup).
  3. Start the new one and check the logs.

An in-place Minecraft updater is on the roadmap.

TIP

Want a fresh world with the latest pack but to keep the old one? Create the new server and leave the old folder untouched. Hostable gives it a different port, so both can exist; just do not run both on a small VPS.