To host an alt:V server in 2026, choose Windows or Linux for the server, install the JavaScript or C# server module, download and extract the current server build, configure server.toml, add your resources, expose the configured network port, and test with a small player group before announcing the server publicly. The alt:V server and the alt:V client are separate platform questions: Linux has native server builds, while the official client does not have official Linux support.
This guide follows the official setup and configuration documentation, but hardware figures are guidance rather than a capacity guarantee. Your scripts, database, voice systems, concurrent players and operating-system overhead determine the real limit.
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What you need before installing an alt:V server
Decide what you are actually deploying before downloading files. alt:V supports server scripting with JavaScript or C#. The setup sequence below uses the JavaScript module, whose documented prerequisites are:
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- Windows 10 or newer, or a supported Linux server distribution.
- The latest Node.js release for JavaScript resources.
- A code editor and basic command-prompt or terminal knowledge.
- The latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable on Windows.
libatomic1on Linux, installed withapt-get install libatomic1on Debian-based systems.- A folder with write access for the server files, logs, resources and any database files.
- A network path that allows the port you configure in
server.toml.
Download the server files from the official JavaScript setup guide and its linked server-download page. The download page asks you to select a branch, data files, the module you want, a sample configuration and, optionally, example resources. Match those selections to your scripting language instead of installing every available component.
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Choose rented hosting or your own hardware
There is no official one-size-fits-all cloud plan or provider recommendation. The practical choice is between an always-on rented machine and hardware that you manage yourself.
| Decision factor | Rented VPS or dedicated machine | Self-hosted hardware |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Designed to remain online in a data centre, subject to the host’s service and maintenance. | Depends on your electricity, internet connection, cooling and ability to recover from failures. |
| Administration | You still manage alt:V, scripts, updates, backups and security; the host manages the underlying facility and virtualisation or hardware. | You manage the operating system, hardware, router, firewall, power and the game server. |
| CPU and memory | Choose a plan with sufficient dedicated or consistently available CPU performance and memory headroom. | You select and maintain the processor, memory, storage and cooling directly. |
| Storage | Confirm space and I/O for the server, resources, logs, database and backups. | Provide reliable storage and a backup destination; database growth is your responsibility. |
| Network access | Open the service port in the host firewall and any cloud security rules. | Open the host firewall and forward the port through your router or upstream network. |
| Player latency | Pick a region close to most players. | Your home’s upstream route and geographic location determine latency. |
| Cost | Recurring rental cost; current prices vary by provider, region and resources. | Up-front hardware and continuing power, connectivity and maintenance costs. |
Do not select a machine solely by a promised player count. A heavily scripted role-play server with a database can need more CPU, memory and storage than a lightly populated test server. Compare processor performance, available cores, memory margin, storage, operating-system support and network reachability against your actual workload.
Install and launch the server
1. Select the server operating system and module
Use Windows if your operational tools or scripts require it, or Linux if you prefer a native Linux server environment and can administer it. Select the JavaScript module for JavaScript resources or the C# module for C# resources. A server can contain both module entries when your resources require them, but each resource’s documentation remains authoritative for its dependencies.
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2. Download and extract a current build
- Open the official setup instructions at https://docs.altv.mp/js/articles/setup.html.
- Download the latest server build and choose the branch, data files, module, sample configuration and optional example resources you need.
- Extract the archive into a dedicated server directory. Avoid placing it inside a temporary downloads folder that may be cleaned automatically.
- Keep the directory structure intact. The executable, configuration file, modules and resource folders must remain where the build expects them.
3. Start the process on Windows
Open PowerShell, Command Prompt or an editor terminal in the extracted server directory and run altv-server.exe. The setup guide illustrates this Windows command. The process writes startup information to the terminal and continues running while the server is online. Press Ctrl+C in that terminal to stop it cleanly.
Linux builds are available, but the Windows executable command above is not a Linux launch command. Use the startup instructions distributed with the Linux server build and the permissions appropriate to your distribution.
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Configure server.toml
server.toml is the central configuration file. The sample and the complete server configuration reference document the available keys. Treat sample values as examples: the documentation specifically warns against copying every option without understanding it.
| Setting | Purpose | Operational guidance |
|---|---|---|
name |
The name shown for the server. | Use a clear name that identifies your community or test environment. |
host |
The interface on which the server listens. | The sample uses 0.0.0.0, which listens on available interfaces; restrict the bind address only when your network design requires it. |
port |
The service port. | The documented default is 7788. If you change it, update every firewall, security-group and forwarding rule to match. |
players |
The configured player-slot ceiling. | Set it according to tested workload and hardware, not an arbitrary marketing number. |
announce |
Whether the server is announced to the masterlist. | Keep announcement disabled while configuring a private development server. |
token |
The private token used for masterlist announcement and cloud-auth testing. | A token is not required for ordinary development. Obtain one through Server Manager when you need those services. |
gamemode |
The displayed or configured game mode value. | Use the value expected by your project and resources. |
language |
The server’s language metadata. | Set it to match the audience you intend to serve. |
description |
Descriptive server text. | Keep it accurate; do not advertise features your resources do not provide. |
modules |
The server modules to load. | Include the JavaScript module for JavaScript resources and the C# module for C# resources as required. |
resources |
The resource directories to start. | Use folder names exactly as they appear; JavaScript resource folder names are case-sensitive. |
The reference also covers password protection, debug mode, CDN settings, logging and thread settings. Enable only options your deployment needs. Debug mode is a development aid, not a reason to expose diagnostic behaviour on a production server. The setup documentation describes reconnect as experimental, so do not rely on it as a production recovery mechanism without testing.
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Place resources in the expected directory
Copy each resource into the server’s resources directory, preserving its folder structure and any manifest or configuration files supplied by its author. Add the folder name to the resources array in server.toml. Check spelling and capitalization: the JavaScript setup guide notes that resource folder names are case-sensitive.
Match resources to modules
Confirm that the module listed in modules matches the code in each resource. The configuration reference documents entries such as js-module and csharp-module. A resource that requires C# will not become usable merely because its folder appears in the resource list; it also needs the appropriate module and any dependencies specified by its own documentation.
Start with a minimal set
For a first boot, load the core resources required to connect and one resource you understand. Add larger packages incrementally. This makes a missing dependency, malformed manifest or case mismatch easier to identify in the startup log than launching dozens of unfamiliar resources at once.
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Make the server reachable
With no CDN, the default port 7788 uses both TCP and UDP according to the official networking documentation. When a CDN is used, the documentation says the server connection uses UDP only. A CDN is optional for a basic deployment; do not add one merely to make a local server work.
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server.toml, leaving7788unless another service already uses it. - Allow that port in the operating-system firewall for the transport required by your configuration.
- On a rented machine, mirror the rule in the provider’s cloud firewall, security group or network ACL.
- On a self-hosted machine, forward the port from your router to the server’s private address and ensure the address does not change unexpectedly.
- Restart the server after changing the configuration, then verify that the process is listening on the intended interface and port.
- Have a player outside the local network test the connection. A local test can succeed even when upstream forwarding is incorrect.
If you change port, every layer must use the same value. A mismatch between server.toml, the host firewall and router or cloud rules is the most common reason a correctly started server remains unreachable.
Tokens, announcement and development testing
You can develop and test without a token. The official FAQ explains that a token is required when you announce a server on the masterlist or test cloud authentication. To obtain one, create a server in Server Manager and copy its private token into the configuration as directed by the documentation.
Keep announcement disabled while you are installing resources, checking permissions and testing connectivity. Once the server is stable, set the announcement option and token required by your deployment, restart it, and confirm that the listing information matches the name, description, language and player capacity you intend to publish.
How much CPU and RAM does an alt:V server need?
The official server-specifications page provides orientation rather than a universal sizing formula. Its figures are undated vendor documentation accessed in 2026, not an independent benchmark or guarantee.
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| Official guidance | What it means |
|---|---|
| Suggested minimum for a performant server above 100 players: 3.2 GHz CPU | A starting point for a workload expected to exceed 100 players; sustained performance depends on the processor architecture and scripts. |
| Suggested minimum: 4 cores | Four cores are a documented minimum suggestion, not a promise that every four-core machine can sustain the same population. |
| Suggested minimum: 4 GB RAM, with additional memory for databases and similar workloads | Reserve extra memory for the operating system, database, caches, monitoring and resource-specific needs. |
| Named mid-tier average: CPU utilization 6–42% | The page says this range depends on players and other factors; it is not a target or a measured result for your server. |
| Named mid-tier average: approximately 300–600 peak-hour players | This is an orientation figure from the documentation, not a capacity guarantee for a particular gamemode or resource set. |
| Named mid-tier average: less than 1.25 GB RAM | The figure is presented as an average and does not include every database, script or operating-system requirement in your deployment. |
| Named mid-tier average: around 8 cores and 3.7 GHz | These are documentation examples for a mid-tier server, not a purchase requirement. |
The specification page cautions that its guidance can change with upcoming features or performance changes. Capacity is bounded by hardware according to the official FAQ, so size player slots only after observing your own CPU, memory, database and network behaviour under representative load. Keep headroom for peak activity instead of configuring the machine to run continuously at its limit.
Does alt:V work on Linux?
Yes, for the server: the official FAQ states that native Linux server builds exist. No, for the official client: the same FAQ says the alt:V client has no official Linux support. Some users have attempted to run the client through Wine or Proton, but the documentation gives no guarantee of stability comparable to a native Windows client.
This distinction lets you host on a Linux VPS or self-managed Linux machine while serving players whose client platform is officially supported. It does not make Linux client support official. If your administrators also need to run the client locally, plan that workstation separately from the server operating system.
First-boot checklist
- Server files were downloaded from the official build page and extracted without changing their required structure.
- The selected module matches the language used by your resources.
- Windows has the current Visual C++ Redistributable, or Linux has the required
libatomic1package. server.tomlcontains the intended name, bind address, port, slots, modules and resources.- Every resource folder name matches its entry exactly, including capitalization.
- The host firewall and any router or cloud firewall allow the configured transport and port.
- The server starts without module, manifest or resource errors.
- A player outside the server’s local network can connect.
- Development debugging and experimental reconnect behaviour are not enabled without a specific testing reason.
- Announcement and token settings remain private until the server is ready for public listing.
Troubleshooting common failures
The process closes immediately
Run it from a terminal so the error remains visible. Check that the build is complete, the executable has permission to run, the required Windows runtime or Linux library is installed, and the configuration is valid TOML. Remove recently added resources and reintroduce them one at a time.
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Check the resource folder’s spelling and capitalization, its manifest, dependencies and required module. Confirm that the corresponding module appears in the modules array and read the resource’s own installation instructions rather than assuming it is interchangeable with another package.
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Local players connect but internet players cannot
Verify the configured port, operating-system firewall, provider firewall and router forwarding. Confirm that the server is listening on an externally reachable interface and that your internet connection permits inbound traffic. Test from a genuinely different network.
Performance deteriorates as players join
Measure CPU, memory, database activity and network use during the busiest scenario you can reproduce. Reduce or optimize expensive resources, add memory for database and script growth, and lower the configured slot ceiling until the workload is stable. Do not infer a guaranteed population from the documentation’s mid-tier averages.
Operating the server after launch
Keep the server directory, configuration and resources under a backup plan. Back up server.toml, resource configuration and database data before upgrades. Record which server build, module versions and resource versions are deployed so a rollback is possible when a change causes a regression.
Apply operating-system security updates, restrict administrative access, use strong credentials and avoid exposing management services unnecessarily. Review logs for repeated connection failures, script exceptions and resource startup errors. Schedule maintenance during a quiet period, stop the process with Ctrl+C on Windows or the equivalent graceful signal on Linux, and confirm that the database is consistent before restarting.
For a public server, choose a hosting region near most players, monitor latency and resource usage, and leave CPU and memory margin for peak-hour activity. A rented VPS or dedicated machine is usually the simpler route when the server must remain online without relying on a home connection; self-hosting is reasonable when you are prepared to manage power, routing, hardware and recovery yourself.
Final decision: what should you deploy?
Use the smallest setup that meets your real workload, then scale from measurements. For a private development server, install the selected module, keep announcement off, use the default port or a deliberately chosen alternative, and test resources locally. For a public always-on server, select a reachable Windows or Linux host with sufficient CPU performance, at least the documented starting memory plus database headroom, reliable storage and a region close to players. Configure server.toml, open the matching network path, obtain a token only when masterlist or cloud-auth features require it, and increase player slots only after representative testing.
The official documentation remains the authority for current keys and compatibility: platform overview, JavaScript setup, server.toml reference, server specifications and FAQ. Its hardware note is explicit: “This will always be subject to change based on upcoming features or performance changes.”
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