Hytale server settingsThe server's config.json and the config.json of each world explained

Published on October 4, 2026 · last updated on November 8, 2026

Two levels, two files

The structure follows a simple logic: what applies to all worlds sits at the top, what only affects one world sits with that world.

• config.json in the server directory - server name, welcome message, password, maximum player count, view distance, default world and default game mode.
• universe/worlds/<World>/config.json - seed, PvP, fall damage, NPC spawns, game time and other rules for that one world.

The most common mistake is therefore looking for PvP in the wrong file: it does not belong in the central configuration, but in that of the respective world. That has an advantage - a peaceful building world and a PvP world can run side by side on one server.

The golden rule: stop the server

Hytale reads the configuration files at startup and rewrites them as soon as something changes in the game - such as permissions granted by command. Changes to a running instance are therefore overwritten or simply do not take effect. The safe process is always the same:

1. Stop the server in the web interface.
2. Edit the file in the config editor or via WebFTP.
3. Save and start the server again.

Before bigger changes, a copy of the file is worth it. A forgotten comma or a wrong bracket makes the JSON invalid, and the server can no longer read it. With the copy, the old state is back in seconds. How to back up files and worlds is explained in Create a backup.

The central config.json

MaxPlayers is entirely your decision with us: we do not sell slots, and the plans differ in memory and performance. A realistic value depends on how your players move around - more on this in Slots explained.

MaxViewRadius is the most important value in the whole file. Hypixel recommends limiting the view distance to at most 12 chunks - that is 384 blocks, because a Hytale chunk is 32 blocks wide. No other lever affects memory requirements as strongly. How to set it sensibly is explained in Hytale server performance.

The password, and the whitelist as an alternative, are covered in detail in Make your server private.

The world configuration

Every world under universe/worlds has its own config.json. The most important switches:

You should only touch a few values if you know exactly why. If you switch off saving chunks or players, for example, you lose progress at the next restart. That is intended for an event or minigame world, but a disaster for your group's main world. It is best to fix the Seed before the world is explored - if you want a completely new landscape, create a new world instead of changing the value of a world that has already been played.

Turning on PvP

PvP is off by default on Hytale worlds. To turn it on:

1. Stop the server.
2. In the file manager, open universe/worlds and select the world you want.
3. In its config.json, change the value "IsPvpEnabled": false to true.
4. Save and start the server.

Because the setting applies per world, you can restrict PvP to an arena world and keep the building world peaceful.

What happens on death

Hytale lets you define the consequences of a death: whether players keep their items, lose everything or only part of it. The related settings sit in the world's configuration. With ItemsLossMode, you choose between None (keep everything), All (lose everything) and Configured, where a percentage of items is lost and gear loses durability.

For a relaxed group of friends, None is often the better choice; for a demanding survival server, a middle setting. Here, too: only make changes while the server is stopped, then restart.

Several worlds side by side

A Hytale server manages one universe, and several worlds can live inside it. Each runs on its own thread and comes with its own configuration. Which world new players enter is set by Defaults → World in the central file. In the game, you manage the worlds with the /world command - /help shows the subcommands, and an overview of further commands is in Hytale server commands.

Every additional active world also means additional load, though. If you want to run a second or third world permanently, plan for a bit more memory. You bring a finished world from single player onto the server via Upload a world.

Frequently asked questions