vStarter - 1-Click Multi-Server Starter

# vStarter - Linux Minecraft Server Starter GUI (Screen-Based)

## One-Line Pitch
Launch and manage multiple Minecraft servers from a modern arrow-key GUI, with auto-scan, per-server RAM/JAR control, and fast batch start on Linux.

## What vStarter Does
vStarter is a pure Bash management tool for Minecraft network owners who want fast control without Python panels or web stacks.

Auto-discovers server folders and imports them into a managed instance list
Starts each server in its own screen session (with tmux fallback)
Lets you control RAM, startup JAR, startup command, and paths per server
Supports single-server actions and one-click Start all
Includes dependency checks, startup preview, and safe config reset options

## Main Menu - What Each Option Does
1. Server status:
Shows live state for imported servers (running/stopped, RAM, port, category, JAR).

2. List servers:
Lists imported servers with enabled state, RAM, JAR, and directory path.

3. Server actions:
Per-server actions:
- Start server
- Stop server
- Restart server
- Kill server
- Attach server (open live console)
- Delete server (remove from vStarter config)
- Preview start command

4. Start all:
Launches all configured and enabled servers in sequence and shows progress.

5. Stop all:
Sends stop to all running servers (fast mode with auto force-kill fallback by timeout).

6. Restart all:
Restarts running servers in batch.

7. Scan & import servers:
Scans your configured root directory and imports detected server folders/JARs.

8. Dependencies check:
Shows environment checks: distro/tools/session backend/java status.

9. Settings:
- Change servers directory
- Change allocated RAM
- Change server JAR
- Change startup command
- Reset config [DANGER]

0. Exit:
Close vStarter.

## First Time Use (Recommended Flow)
1. Ensure the root path for your server folders is correct.
If needed, change it from:
- 9. Settings -> 1. Change servers directory

2. Run:
- 7. Scan & import servers
The script scans and imports your server sections/folders.

3. Verify startup JAR detection in:
- 2. List servers

4. If a server JAR was detected incorrectly, fix it from:
- 9. Settings -> 3. Change server JAR

5. Adjust RAM per server (recommended):
- 9. Settings -> 2. Change allocated RAM

6. Start servers:
- Individual: 3. Server actions -> 1. Start server
- All at once: 4. Start all

7. Watch server console:
- 3. Server actions -> 5. Attach server

## Why Buyers Like It

No heavy panel stack
Very fast workflow for network owners
Reliable multi-instance launch pattern via screen
Easy to edit and extend (plain Bash config + modular functions)
Built for practical real-world Minecraft network usage

1. Installation

vStarter is 100% Bash + Linux tools.

1. Install dependencies

Ubuntu / Debian

Bash:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y bash whiptail screen tmux openjdk-21-jre-headless coreutils findutils gawk grep sed procps util-linux

Fedora / RHEL / AlmaLinux / Rocky / CentOS Stream

Bash:

sudo dnf install -y bash newt screen tmux java-21-openjdk-headless coreutils findutils gawk grep sed procps-ng util-linux

Arch Linux / Manjaro

Bash:

sudo pacman -Syu --noconfirm bash libnewt screen tmux jre-openjdk coreutils findutils gawk grep sed procps-ng util-linux

If apt update fails with MySQL key (EXPKEYSIG)

Bash:

for f in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*mysql*.list; do [ -e "$f" ] && sudo mv "$f" "$f.disabled"; done
sudo apt-get update

2. Upload vstarter.zip to the Linux server.
Preferably place it in the same root folder where your Minecraft server folders are, so path detection is automatic.
(Not mandatory; you can change it later from settings.)

3. Extract archive

Bash:

unzip vstarter.zip

4. Set execute permission

Bash:

chmod +x vstarter.sh

2. Using vStarter

Bash:

./vstarter.sh
# or
bash ./vstarter.sh

Do not use sh ./vstarter.sh.
Use ESC to return to previous menu. In main menu, exit via Exit.

Default behavior

Default config: vstarter.conf
Default log: vmanage.log
Default servers directory: folder where vStarter.sh is placed

First use flow

Run Scan & import servers to create/update server entries in config.
Review scan preview output shown automatically after scan.
Check List servers (JAR FILE + RAM columns).
Set RAM per server from Settings -> Change allocated RAM (2G, 4G, 8G, 512M).
Optional: adjust Change server JAR and Change startup command.
Start servers from menu.

Scan behavior

Scans only direct server subfolders under ROOT_DIR
Picks one startup JAR per server folder
Ignores nested plugin JARs (plugins/*.jar)
Removes stale invalid imported entries on rescan

3. Other

Troubleshooting

whiptail: command not found
Install whiptail/newt package for your distro.

Neither screen nor tmux is available
Install at least one:

Bash:

sudo apt-get install -y screen
# or
sudo apt-get install -y tmux

java not found
Install Java 17+ and check:

Bash:

java -version

Start says success but server is not running
Check backend and runtime logs:

Bash:

cat .vstarter-runtime/<server-name>.log

If SESSION_BACKEND="tmux", screen -ls will be empty (use tmux ls).

dir outside ROOT_DIR
Server path is blocked for safety. Change ROOT_DIR from menu (Settings).

Reset config
Use Settings -> Reset config [DANGER] (double confirmation).

Custom config path

Bash:

VSTARTER_CONFIG=/opt/minecraft/vstarter.conf ./vStarter.sh

vStarter - 1-Click Multi-Server Starter v1.1

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