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Run a Minecraft Bedrock Server in Docker With itzg and Backups

A complete guide to running itzg's Minecraft Bedrock server image in Docker Compose, including EULA setup, persistent worlds, BDS 1.26.50+ ports, upgrades, administration, and verified backups.
WorldDocker With itzg and Backups Length9 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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The reliable pattern is simple: run itzg/minecraft-bedrock-server, set EULA=TRUE, publish the Bedrock ports required by your server version, and mount /data to a persistent directory or volume. Manage it with Docker Compose so upgrades, configuration changes, logs, and rollback use a repeatable file instead of one-off container commands.

For Bedrock Dedicated Server (BDS) 1.26.50 and later, the itzg README’s NetherNet example uses TCP port 19132 for the initial connection and UDP ports 19140–19155 for gameplay. The image downloads the server software from Mojang when the container starts, so the image’s release cycle and Mojang’s BDS releases are separate.

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What you need before creating the container

  • A Docker Engine installation with Docker Compose (the docker compose command).
  • A host directory or Docker volume with enough space for the Bedrock server, world data, and configuration.
  • A network plan: players on the same LAN need the Docker host’s LAN address; internet players also need firewall and router forwarding configured on the host network.
  • A deliberate version choice. VERSION=LATEST is the default, VERSION=PREVIEW selects the latest preview, and a specific version can be pinned when reproducibility or temporary bug avoidance matters.

The image does not contain the BDS binary. At startup it downloads or upgrades the selected server release from Mojang. The first launch therefore needs outbound network access, and a restart can fetch a newer release when VERSION=LATEST is in use.

Use Docker Compose for a repeatable Bedrock server

Create a directory for the service, then save the following as compose.yaml. The example follows the current NetherNet layout for BDS 1.26.50 and later.

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services:
  bds:
    image: itzg/minecraft-bedrock-server
    environment:
      EULA: "TRUE"
      SERVER_UDP_PORTS: "192.168.1.10:19140-19155:19140-19155"
      GAMEMODE: survival
      DIFFICULTY: normal
    ports:
      - "19132:19132/tcp"
      - "19140-19155:19140-19155/udp"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/data
    stdin_open: true
    tty: true

Replace 192.168.1.10 with the Docker host’s LAN or public address as appropriate for your network. The address in SERVER_UDP_PORTS is part of the image’s transport configuration; it is not a substitute for router port forwarding or a host firewall rule.

What the Compose settings do

Setting Purpose
image Selects the itzg Bedrock server image. BDS itself is downloaded at container startup.
EULA Must be TRUE; without it the container will not run the server.
SERVER_UDP_PORTS Declares the host address and UDP range used by the NetherNet example.
GAMEMODE and DIFFICULTY Generate the corresponding Bedrock server properties.
ports Publishes TCP 19132 and UDP 19140–19155 from the container.
volumes Maps the host’s ./data directory to the container’s persistent /data directory.
stdin_open and tty Keep an interactive terminal available for container administration.

Start and inspect the service

  1. From the directory containing compose.yaml, run docker compose up -d.
  2. Follow startup and download messages with docker compose logs -f.
  3. Wait for the server to finish initialization before connecting. The first run creates the expanded server files, server.properties, and the world data below ./data.
  4. Connect using the Docker host address and the Bedrock port required by your client and server transport.

Compose stores the exact environment, port mappings, and volume declaration in one file. That makes a replacement container use the same world and settings instead of silently creating a new installation.

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Keep worlds and configuration when containers change

The important mount is /data. It contains the expanded server installation, server.properties, worlds, and other runtime configuration. Mapping ./data:/data means docker compose down, image updates, and container recreation do not remove the world from the host directory.

Bind mount or named volume

A bind mount is visible directly on the host and is convenient for inspection and ordinary file backups. A named volume is managed by Docker and can be preferable when you want Docker to own the storage location. Both approaches preserve data only if the same mount is attached to every replacement container.

When using a named volume, plan permissions before the first start. Non-root UID/GID operation may require you to create the volume in advance and change its ownership so the container process can write to it. A permission failure commonly appears as an inability to create files below /data, not as a networking problem.

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Do not edit ephemeral container state

Put gameplay choices in Compose environment variables rather than changing a disposable container manually. The image maps variables such as LEVEL_NAME, MAX_PLAYERS, ONLINE_MODE, VIEW_DISTANCE, and TICK_DISTANCE to Bedrock server properties. Permission-related variables include OPS, MEMBERS, and VISITORS. Allow-listing can be configured with ALLOW_LIST, ALLOW_LIST_USERS, and the image’s allowlist.json mechanism.

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After changing Compose, recreate or restart through Compose so the same /data mount is reused. Editing a file inside a running container may work until that container is replaced and is therefore not a durable configuration method.

Which ports a Bedrock Docker server needs

Port requirements depend on the BDS version and transport. For BDS 1.26.50 and later, the itzg NetherNet example uses the following mappings:

Transport Container and host ports Role in the example
TCP 19132:19132 Initial connection.
UDP 19140–19155:19140–19155 Gameplay traffic for NetherNet.

Publish the protocol explicitly, as in 19132:19132/tcp and 19140-19155:19140-19155/udp. If you are running another BDS version or transport, follow that version’s transport-specific instructions rather than assuming the NetherNet range applies unchanged.

LAN and internet access

  • On a LAN, allow the Docker host’s LAN address through the host firewall and have clients connect to that address.
  • For internet access, forward the required TCP and UDP ports from the router to the Docker host, then permit them in the host firewall.
  • Expose only the ports required by the selected transport. The image does not provide host firewalling, router configuration, or an independently tested internet-hardening profile.

Choose a version and upgrade without losing the world

VERSION=LATEST is the default. With that value, restarting the container checks for a newer Bedrock release and upgrades the downloaded server software when one is available. VERSION=PREVIEW selects the latest preview; a specific version pins the server for reproducibility or lets you avoid a release temporarily.

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The image and the BDS package are independent: updating the Docker image does not mean the BDS software was bundled into it. The package is downloaded or upgraded only during container startup. Treat a version change as a server upgrade, not merely an image refresh.

Upgrade checklist

  1. Set VERSION deliberately in compose.yaml; do not rely on an accidental tag or an undocumented container change.
  2. Make a readable copy of the mounted /data directory before upgrading, including the worlds directory and configuration files.
  3. Apply the change through Compose and restart the service so the existing data mount is reused.
  4. Watch docker compose logs -f until startup completes, then check that the intended world and settings load.
  5. If the release causes a problem, stop the service, restore the pre-upgrade data copy, select the prior known-good version, and start again.

For long-running servers, the project recommends a management layer such as Docker Compose or Kubernetes because it supports incremental reconfiguration and image upgrades.

Back up an itzg Bedrock server

A backup is useful only if it captures the data needed to recreate the server and you know how to restore it. Back up the mounted /data tree, especially worlds, server.properties, allow-list files, permission files, and any other configuration generated for your installation.

Filesystem backup of a bind mount

  1. Stop or otherwise quiesce the server so no world files are being changed while they are copied.
  2. Copy the complete host directory mapped to /data to a separate storage location.
  3. Keep the Compose file and the selected VERSION alongside the backup; the data alone does not document the image configuration or port mappings.
  4. Read a sample archive or restore it into a temporary directory to confirm that it is not merely a zero-byte or inaccessible copy.

If you use a named volume, create a temporary helper container or another Docker-supported method to read the volume contents, then archive the same complete /data tree. Do not assume that a Docker volume is automatically backed up just because Docker manages it.

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Separate backup component

The Docker Hub listing identifies kaiede/minecraft-bedrock-backup as a solution for backing up data. Treat it as a separate component: verify its current configuration, destination, scheduling, retention, and restore behavior before deploying it with your server. The itzg image documentation does not define a complete retention, destination, or recovery policy for that component.

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The explicit setting PACKAGE_BACKUP_KEEP=2 is a package-backup default, not a complete world-backup policy. It does not establish how many world copies you have, where they are stored, or whether a restore has been tested.

Design a restore procedure before you need it

  1. Stop the Bedrock service.
  2. Preserve the current /data directory in case you need to undo the restore.
  3. Restore the backup’s complete /data contents, including worlds and configuration files, with ownership and permissions suitable for the container process.
  4. Confirm that compose.yaml points to the restored directory or named volume and uses the intended VERSION.
  5. Start with docker compose up -d and inspect logs before allowing players to connect.

Official material does not publish a tested recovery-time target, backup frequency, storage estimate, maximum-player figure, or disaster-recovery benchmark. Choose those policies for your own world and verify them with a real restore rather than treating the package-backup setting as proof of resilience.

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Administer the running server

The image includes send-command, which lets you issue a Bedrock command without attaching an interactive console. For example:

docker exec CONTAINER_NAME_OR_ID send-command gamerule dofiretick false

The command’s output appears in the container logs. Use the container name or ID shown by docker compose ps, and keep administrative commands in your operational notes so another administrator can reproduce them.

For private communities, enable an allow-list and configure operators, members, and visitors deliberately. Bedrock’s ONLINE_MODE and permission settings are server configuration; they do not replace host firewall rules or a network access policy.

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Compose versus one-off Docker commands

Operational need Compose approach Why it matters
Repeatable configuration Keep image, environment, ports, and volumes in compose.yaml. A recreated container receives the same settings.
Persistent worlds Declare ./data:/data or a named volume. Worlds and properties remain outside the container lifecycle.
Logs Use docker compose logs -f. Startup, downloads, command output, and errors are visible in one stream.
Upgrades Change VERSION or environment values, then restart through Compose. The same data mount is reused and the change is reviewable.
Rollback Restore a pre-upgrade /data copy and select the prior version. Data and software can be returned to a known combination.

A single docker run command can launch the image, but its long list of flags is easier to mistype and harder to review later. Compose is the safer default for a server that will be maintained over time.

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Troubleshoot the common failure modes

The container exits immediately

Check that EULA is exactly TRUE and inspect docker compose logs. A missing or false EULA setting prevents the server from running.

Players cannot connect

Confirm that the client is using the Docker host’s address, the TCP mapping is present, and the UDP range matches the selected BDS transport. Then check the host firewall and, for remote players, router forwarding. A correct Compose file cannot open a blocked port outside Docker.

The world disappeared after recreation

Inspect the volume declaration and verify that the expected files are in the host directory or named volume mounted at /data. Starting a replacement container without the original mount creates a separate data store.

The server cannot write files

For a named volume, check ownership and UID/GID requirements. For a bind mount, check host directory permissions. The symptom is usually a write error under /data, while networking may be completely correct.

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A version change behaves unexpectedly

Review the effective VERSION value, read the startup logs, and verify the backup before changing again. LATEST can download a newer BDS package on restart; pin a specific version when you need reproducibility.

A practical operating routine

  • Keep compose.yaml, the selected version, and backup instructions under controlled change management.
  • Back up the complete mounted /data tree before upgrades and periodically according to the value of the world.
  • Store at least one copy away from the Docker host if loss of that host is in your threat model.
  • Test that an archive can be read and perform a restore rehearsal before calling the setup resilient.
  • After every restart or version change, review logs and confirm the expected world, permissions, and allow-list behavior.
  • Publish only the transport ports you actually use and apply firewall rules outside the container.

The Bottom Line

For a maintainable Bedrock server, use itzg/minecraft-bedrock-server with EULA=TRUE, persist /data, publish the ports required by your BDS transport, and keep the entire setup in Docker Compose. Back up and verify the complete data tree before upgrades, and treat any backup helper as a separate system whose retention and restore process you have tested yourself.

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