Skip to main content
This guide will help you get a Pumpkin server up and running quickly. For more detailed installation options, see the installation guide.

​
Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:
  • Rust 1.89+ (for building from source)
  • Git (for cloning the repository)
  • Docker (optional, for containerized deployment)

​
Quick start with Docker

The fastest way to get Pumpkin running is with Docker:
1

Pull the Docker image

Pull the latest Pumpkin image from GitHub Container Registry:
docker pull ghcr.io/pumpkin-mc/pumpkin:latest
2

Create configuration directory

Create a directory for your server configuration:
mkdir -p pumpkin-server/config
cd pumpkin-server
3

Run the server

Start the server with Docker:
docker run -d \
  --name pumpkin \
  -p 25565:25565 \
  -p 19132:19132/udp \
  -v $(pwd)/config:/app/config \
  -v $(pwd)/world:/app/world \
  ghcr.io/pumpkin-mc/pumpkin:latest
Port 25565 is for Java Edition clients, and port 19132 is for Bedrock Edition clients.
4

Connect to your server

Connect to your server using your Minecraft client:
  • Java Edition: Connect to localhost:25565
  • Bedrock Edition: Connect to localhost:19132

​
Quick start from source

If you prefer to build from source:
1

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/Pumpkin-MC/Pumpkin.git
cd Pumpkin
2

Build the project

Build Pumpkin in release mode for optimal performance:
cargo build --release
The first build may take 10-15 minutes as Cargo downloads and compiles all dependencies.
3

Run the server

cargo run --release
The server will start and listen on port 25565 by default.

​
Basic configuration

Create a config/configuration.toml file to customize your server: 
[basic]
# Server network settings
server_address = "0.0.0.0:25565"
bedrock_address = "0.0.0.0:19132"

# Server identity
motd = "A Pumpkin Server"
max_players = 100

# World settings
seed = ""
difficulty = "Normal"
default_gamemode = "Survival"
view_distance = 10
simulation_distance = 10

# Authentication
online_mode = true
For more configuration options, see the configuration guide.

​
Docker Compose setup

For production deployments, use Docker Compose. Create a docker-compose.yml file: 
version: '3.8'

services:
  pumpkin:
    image: ghcr.io/pumpkin-mc/pumpkin:latest
    container_name: pumpkin-server
    ports:
      - "25565:25565"
      - "19132:19132/udp"
    volumes:
      - ./config:/app/config
      - ./world:/app/world
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      - RUST_BACKTRACE=1
Start the server: 
docker-compose up -d

​
Connecting with Bedrock Edition

Bedrock Edition clients can connect to your Pumpkin server on port 19132 (UDP). Ensure this port is open in your firewall: 
# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo ufw allow 19132/udp

# CentOS/RHEL
sudo firewall-cmd --add-port=19132/udp --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

​
Troubleshooting

​
Server won’t start

Check the logs for error messages: 
# Docker
docker logs pumpkin

# From source
cargo run --release
Common issues:
  • Port already in use: Another Minecraft server may be running on port 25565
  • Permission denied: Ensure you have write permissions to the world and config directories
  • Missing configuration: The server creates default config files on first run

​
Cannot connect to server

  1. Check the server is running: 
    docker ps  # For Docker
ps aux | grep pumpkin  # For source builds
  2. Verify ports are open: 
    netstat -tulpn | grep 25565
  3. Check firewall rules: 
    sudo ufw status  # Ubuntu/Debian

​
High memory usage

Pumpkin is optimized for performance but may use significant memory with many players. To limit memory usage:
  1. Reduce view_distance and simulation_distance in configuration
  2. Lower max_players limit
  3. Set Docker memory limits: 
    docker run --memory="2g" ...

​
Next steps

Configuration

Learn about all configuration options

Features

Explore Pumpkin’s features

Deployment

Deploy to production

Plugin Development

Create custom plugins

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us