> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/minekube/gate/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick Start

> Get Gate up and running in minutes with this step-by-step guide.

# Quick Start

This guide will help you install and configure Gate as a Minecraft proxy for your server network. For extending Gate with custom plugins, see the [Developers](/developers/introduction) section.

## Install Gate

Choose your preferred installation method:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Linux/macOS">
    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -fsSL https://gate.minekube.com/install | bash
    ```

    This script installs Gate to `/usr/local/bin/gate` and adds it to your PATH.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows">
    ```powershell theme={null}
    powershell -c "irm https://gate.minekube.com/install.ps1 | iex"
    ```

    This script installs Gate to `%LOCALAPPDATA%\gate\bin\gate.exe` and adds it to your PATH.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Go">
    ```bash theme={null}
    go run go.minekube.com/gate@latest
    ```

    This runs Gate directly without installation. Great for testing!
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Docker">
    ```bash theme={null}
    docker run -p 25565:25565 ghcr.io/minekube/gate:latest
    ```

    Run Gate in a container. See [Docker guide](/installation/docker) for more options.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Info>
  For detailed installation instructions, see the [Installation](/installation/binary) guides.
</Info>

## Run Gate

After installation, start Gate with the default configuration:

```bash theme={null}
gate
```

You should see output similar to this:

```
INFO	gate/root.go:93	logging verbosity	{"verbosity": 0}
INFO	gate/root.go:94	using config file	{"config": ""}
INFO	config	gate/gate.go:205	config validation warn	{"warn": "java: No backend servers configured."}
INFO	java	proxy/proxy.go:299	Using favicon from data uri	{"length": 3086}
INFO	java	proxy/proxy.go:472	listening for connections	{"addr": "0.0.0.0:25565"}
```

Gate is now running on `0.0.0.0:25565` and ready to accept connections!

<Warning>
  The warning about "No backend servers configured" means Gate is running but has nowhere to route players. Let's fix that in the next step.
</Warning>

## Configure Backend Servers

Gate needs to know about your Minecraft servers. You can generate a simple configuration file:

```bash theme={null}
gate config -t simple -w
```

This creates a `config.yml` file in the current directory. Edit it to add your server addresses:

```yaml config.yml theme={null}
config:
  bind: 0.0.0.0:25565
  onlineMode: true
  
  servers:
    lobby: localhost:25566
    survival: localhost:25567
    creative: localhost:25568
  
  try:
    - lobby
    - survival
```

### Configuration Breakdown

* **`bind`**: The address Gate listens on for player connections
* **`onlineMode`**: Whether to authenticate players with Mojang (set to `false` for offline mode)
* **`servers`**: A map of server names to their addresses
* **`try`**: The order in which to try connecting players (fallback list)

## Test Your Setup

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start your backend servers">
    Make sure your Minecraft servers (lobby, survival, etc.) are running on the ports you specified.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Restart Gate">
    ```bash theme={null}
    gate
    ```

    You should now see messages about registered servers:

    ```
    INFO	java	proxy/proxy.go:450	registered server	{"name": "lobby", "addr": "localhost:25566"}
    INFO	java	proxy/proxy.go:450	registered server	{"name": "survival", "addr": "localhost:25567"}
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect from Minecraft">
    Open Minecraft and connect to `localhost:25565` (or your server's address). You should be connected through Gate to your lobby server!
  </Step>

  <Step title="Try server switching">
    Use the `/server` command in-game:

    ```
    /server survival
    ```

    You'll be seamlessly transferred to the survival server without disconnecting!
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next Steps

Now that you have Gate running, explore these features:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Bedrock Cross-Play" icon="mobile" href="/features/bedrock-crossplay">
    Enable Bedrock Edition players (Mobile, Console, Windows) to join your Java server
  </Card>

  <Card title="Configuration" icon="gear" href="/configuration/overview">
    Learn about all available configuration options
  </Card>

  <Card title="Lite Mode" icon="feather" href="/features/lite-mode">
    Use Gate as a lightweight hostname-based reverse proxy
  </Card>

  <Card title="Security" icon="shield" href="/security/forwarding-modes">
    Secure your network with player information forwarding
  </Card>

  <Card title="Deployment" icon="cloud" href="/deployment/overview">
    Deploy Gate to production with Docker or Kubernetes
  </Card>

  <Card title="Plugin Development" icon="code" href="/developers/introduction">
    Build custom plugins with Gate's Go API
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Common Issues

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Connection refused / Can't connect">
    Make sure:

    * Gate is running and listening on the correct address
    * Your firewall allows connections on port 25565
    * You're connecting to the right IP address
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Backend server connection failed">
    Verify that:

    * Your backend servers are actually running
    * The addresses in `config.yml` are correct
    * There are no firewall rules blocking Gate → server connections
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Players can't see each other">
    This is expected! Gate forwards players to different backend servers. Use cross-server plugins or Gate's event system to sync player data.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Unknown command: /server">
    Make sure `builtinCommands: true` is set in your config.yml. If you want to use permissions, see [Built-in Commands](/features/builtin-commands).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Getting Help

Need more help? Check out these resources:

* **[Discord](https://discord.gg/6vMDqWE)** - Get help from the community
* **[GitHub](https://github.com/minekube/gate)** - Report issues or contribute
* **[Documentation](/introduction)** - Comprehensive guides and references