How to install Forge on a Minecraft server

Hostd installs Forge for you in one click. Pick the loader at order time or switch an existing server from the Settings tab.

The short version

Pick Forge as the loader at order time, or switch an existing Minecraft server to Forge from the Settings tab. Hostd downloads and installs the matching Forge build for you. Once it boots, put your mod jars in /data/mods and restart. Every player needs the same mods and the same Forge version.

Hostd installs Forge for you. You do not need to download the Forge installer, run it, edit run.bat, or chase the right Java version. Pick Forge at order time or switch an existing server, and the loader is ready on first boot.

#At order time

On the Configure page for Minecraft Java, toggle Modded and pick Forge (or NeoForge, the maintained fork) under loader. The version selector defaults to the recommended Forge build for the Minecraft version you chose. Finish checkout and the server provisions with Forge already on it; drop mods into Files → /data/mods and restart.

#On an existing server

Dashboard → your server → Settings → Loader. Switch from Vanilla (or Paper) to Forge. Pick the Forge build, save, and restart. We swap the server jar, leave your world and configs intact, and the next boot is on Forge. If you are coming from a Paper or Spigot setup, your plugins under /data/plugins will stop loading; Forge does not run Bukkit plugins. Take a backup before switching (Taking a manual backup).

#Picking the right Forge version

Forge releases multiple builds per Minecraft version: latest (newest), recommended (most stable), and older pinned builds. Match the build to the mods you plan to install; a mod's CurseForge or Modrinth page lists the exact Forge version it supports.

NeoForge is the community fork that took over active maintenance after the 1.20 era. If you are installing a 1.20.4 or 1.21+ modpack, NeoForge is almost certainly what it uses; the dashboard selector lists both.

#Mods folder

Drop .jar files into Files → /data/mods. Restart the server to load them. If a mod is for a different loader (Fabric mod on a Forge server) or a different Minecraft version, it will fail to load and you will see it called out in the console; remove or rename the file to .jar.disabled and restart.

#Memory

Forge needs more memory than vanilla. Even a light Forge install on the 3 GB plan will struggle; the 6 GB plan is the practical floor. Heavy packs (ATM, FTB Skies, RLCraft) want the 10 GB plan. See allocating more RAM for the upgrade flow.

#Where to go next

#Frequently asked questions

Which Forge version should I pick?

Match the Forge version to the mods you intend to run, not the other way round. Open the mod's download page, note the Minecraft version and loader build it targets, and pick that. Mods built for a different major Minecraft version will not load.

Where do I upload Forge mods?

Open Files and put the jars in /data/mods, then restart. Server-side and universal mods belong there; client-only mods will crash the server on boot, so check each mod's page before uploading it.

Is Forge or NeoForge the right choice?

For Minecraft 1.20.1 and earlier, Forge. For 1.20.2 and later, most active packs and mods have moved to NeoForge. Pick whichever loader the mods you want are actually published for.

Written and maintained by the Hostd engineering team. Last updated 2026-05-23. Notice a mistake? Tell us.

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