Complete guide to managing servers

Server list and cards

The Servers page is your central hub. It displays every server you have access to, each represented as a card with key information at a glance.

Feature	Details
What each card shows	Server name, status badge (Running, Stopped, Suspended, Installing), resource usage rings for CPU/RAM/disk, node identifier, and quick action buttons.
Quick actions	Start, stop, restart, and open console directly from the card without navigating to the detail page.
Filtering and sorting	Search by name, filter by status, sort by name, node, or resource usage.
Resource limits	Each card shows allocated vs. actual usage. If a server consistently hits its limits, consider increasing allocation or moving to a more powerful node.

Creating a new server

The New Server wizard walks you through the entire creation process.

Template selection — Pick the template that matches your workload. The panel only shows templates available to your plan. Game server templates include Paper, BungeeCord, and Velocity. For a full Linux VM, choose QEMU - Debian 13. For development, use AIO or Code-Server. See Deploying apps for a full template breakdown.
Node selection — Choose the host node where your server runs. Consider geographic proximity to your users and current resource availability. Nodes with less free resources may have slower performance.
Server name — Give your server a clear, descriptive name. You will see this on the server card, in notifications, and in the console header.
Resource allocation — Set CPU cores, RAM, and disk space within your plan limits. For reference, a small Minecraft server needs about 2 CPU cores and 2 GB RAM. A basic web server can run on 1 core and 512 MB.
Deploy — Click deploy to begin provisioning. The panel will create the server container or VM, install the template, and start the server. This typically takes 30–90 seconds.

Server detail tabs

Click on any server card to open its detail page.

Tab	What it does
Overview	Server status, real-time resource graphs, connection details (IP, ports), and quick action buttons.
Console	Live terminal output. Supports ANSI colors, copy/paste, and full-screen mode. Use `Ctrl+C` to send an interrupt signal.
Files	Web-based file manager with upload, download, create, edit, rename, and delete. Supports drag-and-drop and syntax highlighting.
Databases	Create MySQL/MariaDB databases with auto-generated credentials. Copy host, port, username, and password for use in your app configs.
Startup	Configure startup command, environment variables, and Docker image. Changes take effect on the next restart.
Firewall	Map public ports to internal VM ports with TCP, UDP, or both. Only forwarded ports are reachable from the internet.
Settings	Adjust resource limits, subuser access, mounts, and feature toggles. Some settings may be locked by your plan or node.
Backups	Create and restore server backups. Always back up before making significant changes.

Server power controls

Start — Boots the server process when stopped. The server will show "Running" when ready.
Stop — Sends a graceful shutdown signal (SIGTERM). The server has time to save data, close connections, and exit cleanly. Use this whenever possible.
Restart — Stops and starts the server in one action. Useful after changing startup config, updating plugins, or modifying files.
Force stop — Sends SIGKILL to immediately terminate the process. Does not allow the server to save data. Use only when the normal stop action fails.

File management tips

Uploading files — Drag and drop files into the file manager or use the upload button. If an upload fails, try again or use the console to download files directly via wget or curl.
Editing configs — Click any file to open it in the built-in editor with syntax highlighting for YAML, JSON, properties, INI, and more. Always save before restarting.
File permissions — If your server cannot read a config file, check its permissions. You can change them from the file manager or via chmod in the console.
Back up before editing — Before modifying critical config files, create a backup or copy the file somewhere safe.

Working with databases

Open your server detail page and go to the Databases tab.
Click New Database and give it a name. The panel will generate a username and password automatically.
Copy the connection details: host address, port, database name, username, and password.
Use these credentials in your application or plugin configuration.
If you need remote access, you may need additional firewall rules or a tool like phpMyAdmin (available as a template).

Troubleshooting

Common issues and fixes

Server won't start — Check the console for error messages. Common causes include incorrect startup command, missing files, insufficient resources, or port conflicts. Verify the startup configuration in the Startup tab.
Server crashes on startup — Review console output for the crash reason. May be a plugin conflict, incompatible Java version, corrupted world files, or a configuration error.
Server is slow or lagging — Check resource usage in the Overview tab. If CPU or RAM is consistently at 100%, increase the allocation or check for plugins causing performance issues.
Cannot connect to server — Verify the correct port is forwarded in the Firewall tab. Check that the server is listening on the expected port using ss -tlnp in the console.
Files not saving — Check file permissions. Some server processes run as a specific user and may not have write access to certain directories.
Database connection refused — Verify credentials in your application config. Make sure the database server is running and the host/port are correct.

Best practices

Always back up before changes — Create a backup before updating plugins, modifying configs, or making any significant changes.
Monitor resource usage — Keep an eye on CPU, RAM, and disk usage. Set up notifications so you are alerted when resources run low.
Keep software updated — Regularly update your server software, plugins, and dependencies.
Use descriptive names — Name servers clearly, e.g. "Production Paper MC" or "Dev Debian VM".
Document your configs — Keep notes on custom configurations, port mappings, and startup settings.
Open a ticket when stuck — If you cannot resolve an issue, open a support ticket with the server ID, error messages, and steps to reproduce.

For onboarding help, see Getting started. For app deployment and template details, see Deploying apps. For Linux VM setup and security, visit the KVM guide.