Minecraft Server Management with Built-in Tunneling, Backups & Automation
Features • Quick Start • Documentation
ZeroBlockBridge is a desktop app for creating and managing Minecraft servers — a friendly interface that turns any computer into a server, so you can play with friends without complex setup, port forwarding, or unsafe configurations.
- Guided Server Creation — 6-step wizard covering every major flavor (Vanilla/Fabric/Forge/Paper/Purpur), with templates, RAM allocation, and an integrated console with search and colored log lines.
- Zero-Config Tunneling — Built-in Playit.gg integration gets you a persistent, shareable join URL — no port forwarding or router setup required.
- Auto-Healing — Watchdog crash recovery with JSON crash reports, zombie detection, lag-spike monitoring, and command sanitization keep a server running unattended. See ARCHITECTURE.md.
- One-Click Backups & Scheduling — Scheduled restarts and backups with countdown warnings, plus
.zbbpackexport/import to move a server between machines. - Integrated Mod Browser — Search, install, and update mods/plugins straight from Modrinth, with automatic client-only filtering and a one-click Optimizer Bundle per loader.
- Zero Java Hassle — Detects the required Java version per server and auto-installs the matching JDK — no manual installs, no version mismatches.
Also included: Discord notifications, light/dark/system theming, and experimental Linux support.
- Grab the latest build from the Releases page —
ZeroBlockBridge-windows.exe(Linux build also available, experimental). - Run it, then jump straight to First Server below.
Windows SmartScreen warning? That's expected. I'm a student and independent developer, and this executable isn't code-signed — signing certificates cost money I can't justify yet. Windows flags any unsigned
.exefrom an unrecognized publisher, regardless of whether it's safe. Click "More info" → "Run anyway" to proceed, or if you'd rather verify for yourself first, the full source is public — read it, or build it yourself with Option B below.
- Python 3.10+ (Download) — on Windows, remember to check "Add python.exe to PATH" during install.
- Java: nothing to install by hand — ZeroBlockBridge grabs and caches the right JDK for you automatically.
Verify Python is installed and on PATH before continuing:
py --versionIf that fails, try
python --version. If both fail, reinstall Python and make sure "Add to PATH" was checked.
-
Get the source
Clone with git:
git clone https://github.com/DesvoSoft/ZeroBlockBridge.git cd ZeroBlockBridgeNo git? Download the ZIP, extract it, then open a terminal in that folder.
-
Create and activate a virtual environment (recommended, keeps dependencies isolated)
Windows (PowerShell):
py -m venv venv .\venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1If you get an error about execution policies, run
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Bypassfirst, then retry the activate command.Windows (cmd.exe):
py -m venv venv .\venv\Scripts\activate.bat
Linux:
python3 -m venv venv source venv/bin/activateYour prompt should now be prefixed with
(venv). -
Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt
-
Run the application
py app/launcher.py
Depending on your OS, you might need
pythonorpython3instead ofpy.The ZeroBlockBridge window should open within a few seconds. If nothing opens and the terminal shows an error, see Troubleshooting below.
- Click "Create Server" in the sidebar.
- Follow the 6-step wizard (identity, engine/version, resources, rules/security, world/network, summary) — optionally tick "Start server after creation" on the summary step.
- The wizard shows detailed progress (download, verify, scaffold, bytecode analysis, tunnel setup). This step needs internet access and can take a few minutes on the first run.
- If you didn't check "start after creation", click "Start Now" when prompted to launch your server.
- Optional: Click "⚡ Link" to enable tunneling via Playit.gg, a third-party service. Skip this if you already forward ports yourself.
- First time only: this opens a browser to link a free Playit.gg account — takes under a minute, no server restart needed after.
- Useful if you don't know how to safely open ports on your router/firewall — Playit tunnels the connection for you, no port forwarding required.
- Gives you a shareable join URL that stays the same even when your server is offline, so friends can bookmark it once.
'py' is not recognized/'python' is not recognized: Python isn't on PATH. Reinstall Python and check "Add python.exe to PATH", or use the full path topython.exe.pip installfails on a package: Upgrade pip first —py -m pip install --upgrade pip— then retry.- Antivirus flags or deletes the downloaded JDK/server jar: These are legitimate downloads from Adoptium/Mojang/Fabric/Forge; add an exclusion for the
.zbb_cache/andservers/folders if this happens. - PowerShell blocks
Activate.ps1: See the execution-policy note above.
ZeroBlockBridge/
├── app/
│ ├── ui/ # Presentation layer (main window, wizard, editors, browser)
│ ├── core/ # Orchestration & business logic (ZBBManager, EventBus, logic)
│ └── services/ # Specialized services (watchdog, heartbeat, backups, API clients)
├── docs/ # Documentation
├── assets/ # App icon and logo
├── servers/ # (Generated) per-server directories
├── backups/ # (Generated) ZIP archives
├── bin/ # (Generated) playit agent binary
├── .zbb_cache/ # (Generated) JDK cache
└── config/ # (Generated) app configuration
- ARCHITECTURE.md — Auto-healing system, technical details, architecture overview.
- STANDARDS.md — Master technical standards and architecture guide.
ZeroBlockBridge © 2025-2026 by DesvoSoft.
Licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 — free software, copyleft.
Found a bug or have a feature request? Open an issue. Pull requests are welcome.