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Basic Admin Tasks (Docker CLI)

Minecraft Docker Admin Cheat Sheet

All commands assume you're using the itzg/minecraft-server Docker image with RCON enabled. Replace <container> with your container name (find it with docker ps). Replace <player> with the Minecraft username.

🔧 Connecting to the Server

Task Command
List running containers docker ps
Attach to server console docker attach <container> (detach with Ctrl+P + Ctrl+Q)
Run a single server command docker exec <container> rcon-cli <command>
Open interactive RCON shell docker exec -it <container> rcon-cli
View server logs docker logs <container>
Follow live logs docker logs -f <container>

👑 Player Management

Task Command
Make player an op (admin) docker exec <container> rcon-cli op <player>
Remove op from player docker exec <container> rcon-cli deop <player>
List all ops docker exec <container> rcon-cli ops list
Kick a player docker exec <container> rcon-cli kick <player> <reason>
Ban a player docker exec <container> rcon-cli ban <player> <reason>
Ban a player by IP docker exec <container> rcon-cli ban-ip <ip> <reason>
Unban a player docker exec <container> rcon-cli pardon <player>
Unban an IP docker exec <container> rcon-cli pardon-ip <ip>
List banned players docker exec <container> rcon-cli banlist
Whitelist a player docker exec <container> rcon-cli whitelist add <player>
Remove from whitelist docker exec <container> rcon-cli whitelist remove <player>
Enable whitelist docker exec <container> rcon-cli whitelist on
List online players docker exec <container> rcon-cli list

🌍 World Management

Task Command
Save the world manually docker exec <container> rcon-cli save-all
Enable auto-save docker exec <container> rcon-cli save-on
Disable auto-save docker exec <container> rcon-cli save-off
Set time to day docker exec <container> rcon-cli time set day
Set time to night docker exec <container> rcon-cli time set night
Set specific time docker exec <container> rcon-cli time set <ticks>
Clear weather docker exec <container> rcon-cli weather clear
Set weather to rain docker exec <container> rcon-cli weather rain
Set weather to thunder docker exec <container> rcon-cli weather thunder
Teleport player docker exec <container> rcon-cli tp <player> <x> <y> <z>

⚙️ Game Settings

Task Command
Change game mode (player) docker exec <container> rcon-cli gamemode <survival|creative|adventure|spectator> <player>
Set default game mode docker exec <container> rcon-cli defaultgamemode <mode>
Toggle difficulty docker exec <container> rcon-cli difficulty <peaceful|easy|normal|hard>
Enable/disable PvP Edit server.properties: pvp=true or pvp=false
Set a gamerule docker exec <container> rcon-cli gamerule <rule> <value>
Keep inventory on death docker exec <container> rcon-cli gamerule keepInventory true
Disable mob griefing docker exec <container> rcon-cli gamerule mobGriefing false
Give item to player docker exec <container> rcon-cli give <player> <item> <amount>

🐳 Docker Container Management

Task Command
Start the server docker start <container>
Stop the server (graceful) docker exec <container> rcon-cli stop
Restart the container docker restart <container>
Force stop container docker stop <container>
Update server image docker pull itzg/minecraft-server && docker restart <container>
Backup world data docker cp <container>:/data/world ./world-backup
Copy file into container docker cp <localfile> <container>:/data/<destination>

📢 Communication

Task Command
Broadcast message to all docker exec <container> rcon-cli say <message>
Send title to all players docker exec <container> rcon-cli title @a title {"text":"<message>"}
Broadcast in-game alert docker exec <container> rcon-cli broadcast <message>

📁 Key Files & Paths (inside container at /data/)

File Purpose
server.properties Main server configuration
ops.json List of operators
whitelist.json Whitelist players
banned-players.json Banned players
banned-ips.json Banned IPs
world/ World save data

To edit a config file:

docker exec -it <container> nano /data/server.properties
# After saving, restart for changes to take effect:
docker restart <container>

Generated for use with itzg/minecraft-server Docker image.

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