Installation

Start with an empty server directory. Install Pastel, choose a pack, and start the server.

Install Pastel

On Linux or macOS, open the empty directory that will hold the server and run:

curl -fsSL https://kaf.sh/pastel/install.sh | sh

The installer detects the operating system and architecture, downloads the matching release archive and SHA256SUMS, verifies the archive, and installs an executable named pastel in the current directory. It requires curl, tar, awk, and one of sha256sum, shasum, or openssl.

Set PASTEL_INSTALL_DIR to install into another directory:

curl -fsSL https://kaf.sh/pastel/install.sh | PASTEL_INSTALL_DIR=/srv/minecraft sh

Set PASTEL_VERSION to install a specific release instead of the latest:

curl -fsSL https://kaf.sh/pastel/install.sh | PASTEL_VERSION=0.1.7 sh

Install manually

Download the archive for your system from the latest Pastel release, then extract it. Move pastel (or pastel.exe) from the archive's platform folder into an empty server directory.

System	Release archive
macOS, Apple silicon	`pastel-darwin-arm64.tar.gz`
macOS, Intel	`pastel-darwin-amd64.tar.gz`
Linux, x86-64	`pastel-linux-amd64.tar.gz`
Linux, ARM64	`pastel-linux-arm64.tar.gz`
Windows, x86-64	`pastel-windows-amd64.zip`
Windows, ARM64	`pastel-windows-arm64.zip`

Every release includes SHA256SUMS; compare the archive's SHA-256 digest with its entry before extracting it. On macOS or Linux, make the extracted binary executable if necessary:

chmod +x pastel

The installer script does not support Windows yet. Download and extract the appropriate Windows archive manually. In PowerShell, use .\pastel.exe in place of ./pastel:

.\pastel.exe install aristea
.\pastel.exe run
.\pastel.exe console

Install a pack

Run install from the directory that should become the server:

./pastel install aristea

Pastel accepts several pack references:

Pack reference	Example
Latest Modrinth release	`./pastel install aristea`
Specific Modrinth version	`./pastel install aristea@0.1.4`
Modrinth project page	`./pastel install https://modrinth.com/modpack/aristea`
Direct `.mrpack` URL	`./pastel install https://example.com/my-pack.mrpack`
Local `.mrpack`	`./pastel install ./my-pack.mrpack`
Unpacked pack	`./pastel install ./my-pack`
Maven coordinate	`./pastel install com.example:my-pack:1.2.0 -repo https://maven.example.com`

A Maven coordinate always needs an explicit repository. Pastel does not choose a Maven host automatically. Pass several repositories as a comma-separated list with -repo https://maven.example.com,https://backup.example.com. An unpacked pack directory must contain modrinth.index.json.

Useful installation options include:

Option	Purpose
`-memory 6G`	Set the server's maximum Java heap.
`-dir ./server`	Install into another directory.
`-version 1.2.0`	Select a Modrinth version number or version ID.
`-no-refresh`	Write `server.pastel` without applying files to the server.
`-yes`	Replace an existing configuration without prompting.

Installing a bare Modrinth slug writes a versionless reference such as modrinth:aristea. Later refreshes resolve the latest release again, so a normal run can pick up a new pack version. Install aristea@0.1.4 or pass -version to keep a specific version; update also writes a version-specific reference. If a project has no release with an .mrpack, latest-version resolution falls back to its newest available .mrpack.

Reinstalling replaces server.pastel with a newly generated configuration, so keep any custom settings you want to reapply. Stop a running server before reinstalling it. -no-refresh skips applying server files, but resolving a Modrinth or Maven reference still requires network access.

What installation creates

Pastel writes a small server.pastel file, downloads the server-compatible pack contents, applies its overrides, and prepares the declared loader. Managed state, cached packs, and a downloaded Java runtime live under .pastel/.

Pastel chooses Java for the pack's Minecraft version when starting the server. Forge and NeoForge installers also need Java during installation or refresh. If a suitable runtime is unavailable, Pastel downloads Temurin into .pastel/jre/ and verifies its published SHA-256 checksum before installing it. See Java selection for overrides and version requirements.

Start the server

./pastel run
./pastel console

The first command starts a background server on macOS, Linux, or Windows. The second attaches to its live log and accepts server commands. See Server management for updates, restarts, and shutdown behavior.