[](https://github.com/itzg/docker-minecraft-server/actions)
This docker image provides a Minecraft Server that will automatically download the latest stable
version at startup. You can also run/upgrade to any specific version or the
latest snapshot. See the _Versions_ section below for more information.
To simply use the latest stable version, run
docker run -d -it -p 25565:25565 -e EULA=TRUE itzg/minecraft-server
where, in this case, the standard server port 25565, will be exposed on your host machine.
!!! note
If you plan on running a server for a longer amount of time it is highly recommended using a management layer such as [Docker Compose](#using-docker-compose) or [Kubernetes](#deployment-templates-and-examples) to allow for incremental reconfiguration and image upgrades.
!!! info
Be sure to always include `-e EULA=TRUE` in your commands and container definitions, as Mojang/Microsoft requires EULA acceptance.
!!! warning
**DO NOT** port forward RCON on 25575 without first setting `RCON_PASSWORD` to a secure value. It is highly recommended to only use RCON within the container, such as with `rcon-cli`.
By default, the container will download the latest version of the "vanilla" [Minecraft: Java Edition server](https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/download/server) provided by Mojang. The [`VERSION`](versions/java.md) and the [`TYPE`](types-and-platforms/index.md) can be configured to create many variations of desired Minecraft server.
## Using [Docker Compose](https://docs.docker.com/compose/)
1. Create a new directory
2. Put the contents of the file below in a file called `docker-compose.yml`
3. Run `docker compose up -d` in that directory
4. Done! Point your client at your host's name/IP address and port 25565.
```yaml
services:
mc:
image: itzg/minecraft-server
tty: true
stdin_open: true
ports:
- "25565:25565"
environment:
EULA: "TRUE"
volumes:
# attach the relative directory 'data' to the container's /data path
- ./data:/data
```
To apply changes made to the compose file, just run `docker compose up -d` again.
Follow the logs of the container using `docker compose logs -f`, check on the status with `docker compose ps`, and stop the container using `docker compose stop`.
