| name | setup-bedrock-server |
| description | Step 1 of 4 of the Minecraft Bedrock MCP setup. Install and configure a Minecraft Bedrock Dedicated Server (BDS) — the foundation the MCP stack runs on. Use when the user wants to set up a dedicated Minecraft Bedrock server, start setting up Minecraft for AI/MCP control from scratch, or asks how to get a Bedrock server running so Claude can build in it. |
Set up a Bedrock Dedicated Server (Step 1 of 4)
You are guiding the user through the first of four setup phases. Work
interactively: do one thing, confirm it worked, then move on. Do not dump the
whole procedure at once.
The big picture — explain this first
The user is building a stack that lets Claude read and change a live Minecraft
world. It has four pieces, set up by four skills in order:
| Phase | Skill | What it does |
|---|
| 1 | setup-bedrock-server (this one) | A Minecraft Bedrock Dedicated Server (BDS). |
| 2 | setup-minecraft-world | A world with the Beta APIs experiment, plus the bridge behavior pack. |
| 3 | setup-mcp-server | The minecraft-bedrock-mcp-server, configured and running. |
| 4 | connect-claude | Register the MCP server with Claude so the mc_* tools appear. |
Tell the user this is Phase 1, and that each phase ends by handing off to the
next. They need: a host for the server, Node.js 20+ on that host (used in
Phase 3), and a copy of Minecraft: Bedrock Edition on a PC/device (used once in
Phase 2 to create the world). Budget ~20–30 minutes total.
Experimental-API warning — say this out loud. This stack depends on
Mojang's Bedrock Script API, including the beta modules
@minecraft/server-net and @minecraft/server-admin. A Bedrock update can
change or remove these. Pin BDS to a known-good version, disable
auto-update, and upgrade BDS, the behavior pack, and the MCP server together.
Gather context
Ask the user, before downloading anything:
- What OS will the server run on? BDS ships for Linux (Ubuntu is the
well-trodden path) and Windows. Branch the instructions accordingly.
- Where does it run? Same machine as Claude, another box on the LAN, or a
cloud VM. This matters in Phase 4 for the URL Claude connects to — note
their answer.
The MCP server (Phase 3) runs on the same host as BDS, so the host must
also have Node.js 20+. If it doesn't yet, that's fine — flag it for Phase 3.
Step 1 — Download BDS
Send the user to the official download page and have them accept the EULA /
privacy prompts to reveal the link:
https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/download/server/bedrock
Have them pick the build matching their server OS. Record the exact version
number — it must be pinned and kept in lockstep with the behavior pack and
MCP server. BDS 1.21.0 or newer is required.
Step 2 — Unzip it
Linux (Ubuntu):
sudo mkdir -p /opt/bedrock-server
sudo unzip bedrock-server-*.zip -d /opt/bedrock-server
sudo chown -R "$USER" /opt/bedrock-server
cd /opt/bedrock-server
Windows: extract the zip to a stable path with no spaces, e.g.
C:\bedrock-server. Avoid Program Files (the server writes files alongside
itself) and avoid OneDrive-synced folders.
Use this folder as <bds> for the rest of the setup. Record its absolute path.
Step 3 — First test run
Run BDS once so it generates its default files (server.properties,
worlds/, config/, etc.), then stop it with Ctrl+C.
Linux:
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=. ./bedrock_server
If it reports a missing library:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y libcurl4 unzip.
Windows: double-click bedrock_server.exe, or run it from a terminal in
the folder.
Confirm with the user that it started, printed a few lines, and that the
worlds/ and config/ folders now exist. Then have them stop it — BDS must
not be running while later phases edit its files.
Step 4 — Edit server.properties
Open <bds>/server.properties and set:
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|
level-name | leave as-is for now | Phase 2 sets this to the MCP world's folder. |
allow-cheats | true | Required for mc_run_command and command-backed tools. |
gamemode | creative | Lets agents place, break, and spawn freely. |
Leave everything else at its defaults. Note for the user that level-name
gets its final value in Phase 2 once the world folder exists.
Wrap up
Confirm with the user:
Then hand off: tell the user Phase 1 is done and the next step is creating a
compatible world and installing the behavior pack. Offer to continue with the
setup-minecraft-world skill now.
