Servers

A server is a folder that a pack was installed into. The pack decides what is installed; the server folder belongs to whoever runs it. evoker never changes the server's own configuration (server.properties, configs, worlds), with the two exceptions below.

Install

In an empty folder:

evoker install server https://raw.githubusercontent.com/me/pack/main/
evoker install server --local ../my-pack          # a pack on disk, e.g. while writing it

1. Fetches evoker.json and evoker.lock (see Pack URLs). The pack's side must include server.
2. Downloads the server jar, or runs its installer. See Server Software.
3. Downloads every entry whose sides include server, optional ones included, and the pack's server overrides. Each file is checked against its locked hash. See where files go.
4. Asks whether you accept the Minecraft EULA (--accept-eula answers yes). Yes writes eula.txt; no installs everything else, and the server won't start until you accept (edit eula.txt, or install again with --accept-eula).
5. Writes the .evoker folder.

Installing into a folder that already has a pack from a different source is an error. Installing the same pack again is the same as evoker server update.

What evoker writes outside the pack's files

• eula.txt, only when you accept the EULA during install. It notes that you, the server owner, remain responsible for following the Minecraft EULA and the Minecraft Usage Guidelines.
• resource-pack and resource-pack-sha1 in server.properties, when the pack has a server-side resource pack (see Resource packs). Every other key is yours.

Update

evoker server update list    # what would change
evoker server update

Fetches the pack again from where it was installed from and applies the difference: new and changed files are downloaded, removed entries' files are deleted. evoker only ever deletes files it installed; jars you put in mods/ or plugins/ yourself are left alone.

If the pack can't be fetched (offline, the URL is gone), evoker warns and keeps what is installed.

Start

evoker server start

Runs server update first (turn that off with evoker config updateOnStart false), then runs the server as a child process. The console works as usual; type stop to shut it down. Ctrl+C reaches the server too, and on Linux/macOS a SIGTERM (e.g. from systemd) is passed on so it saves and exits. evoker exits with the server's exit code.

server start is never blocked by updates: if the pack can't be fetched, or something in it can't be downloaded, the installed files are used and evoker warns.

Running it yourself

To run the server from systemd, Docker, a hosting panel or your own script:

evoker server update && eval "exec $(evoker server command)"

Ask evoker for the command each time rather than copying it once: for NeoForge it contains the build number, which changes with the pack.

Configuration

Settings for this server, changed with evoker config inside the server folder (see Configuration):

Key	Default	Meaning
java	java	Java executable used to run the server.
jvmArgs	[]	Arguments for that JVM, e.g. ["-Xmx4G"].
updateOnStart	true	server start runs server update first.

.evoker folder

evoker's state for this server. Don't edit it; deleting it makes evoker forget the install (the server files stay).

File
config.json	The configuration above.
source.json	Where the pack was installed from (URL or local path).
evoker.json, evoker.lock	The pack as last installed. server update compares the fetched pack with these.
installed.json	Every file evoker installed, with its hash. Also pins the server jar or installer when its upstream publishes no checksum.
installer.log	Output of the last installer run (Quilt, NeoForge, Spigot).
installer.stamp	Which loader, version, build and installer last ran, so the installer only runs again when one of them changes.
buildtools/	Spigot only: BuildTools' clones, so later builds are faster. Safe to delete.