Updating Your Hytale Dedicated Server

Updating Your Hytale Dedicated Server

Hytale server updates are delivered through the Hytale Downloader CLI — the same tool used for the initial installation. Updates replace the server binary and any bundled assets while leaving your universe/ data, config files, and mods directory intact.

Before You Update

1. Read the patch notes. Some updates change config.json fields or deprecate plugin APIs. Check the Hytale Developer Portal for the changelog.
2. Back up your server. Always back up before an update so you can roll back if something goes wrong.
3. Check mod compatibility. Plugin .jar files are tied to specific server API versions. Confirm your mods are compatible with the new version before updating.

Backup Before Updating

sudo systemctl stop hytale
tar -czf "/opt/backups/hytale-pre-update-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz" \
    -C /opt/hytale-server \
    universe/ config.json permissions.json whitelist.json bans.json mods/

See Backing Up and Wiping Your Hytale Server for the full backup workflow.

Checking the Current Version

The running server logs its version on startup. To check without starting the server:

java -jar /opt/hytale-server/HytaleServer.jar --version

Or check via the Downloader CLI:

./hytale-downloader versions --type server

Running the Update

Stop the server, then re-run the download command pointing at your existing server directory. The CLI will download only changed files:

# Stop the server
sudo systemctl stop hytale

# Re-authenticate if the OAuth2 session has expired
./hytale-downloader auth --refresh

# Download the latest version over the existing install
./hytale-downloader download --type server --output /opt/hytale-server

# Start the server
sudo systemctl start hytale

The --output flag pointing to an existing directory performs an in-place update — it replaces HytaleServer.jar and updated bundled files but does not touch universe/, config.json, or the mods/ directory.

Updating to a Specific Version

If you need a specific version rather than the latest:

./hytale-downloader download --type server \
    --version 1.0.3 \
    --output /opt/hytale-server

Verifying the Update

After restarting, check the server log to confirm the new version loaded:

sudo journalctl -u hytale -n 30 | grep -i version

Also verify the server is accepting connections by having a player join or checking that UDP 5520 is active:

sudo ss -ulnp | grep 5520

Rolling Back

If the new version causes issues:

1. Stop the server.
2. Restore from the pre-update backup.
3. Run the Downloader CLI with the previous version number to re-download the older binary.

sudo systemctl stop hytale
./hytale-downloader download --type server --version 1.0.2 --output /opt/hytale-server
# Restore universe/ from backup if needed
sudo systemctl start hytale

OAuth2 Session After a Long Downtime

If your server has been offline for more than an hour before the update, the OAuth2 session will have expired. Run the full auth flow before downloading:

./hytale-downloader auth

Follow the device code flow as you did during initial setup.

Related

• Downloading Hytale Server Files with the Hytale Downloader CLI
• Backing Up and Wiping Your Hytale Server
• Hytale Server Troubleshooting Guide
• Host a Hytale server with DustBowl.Games