Deploying a Minecraft Server on AWS with Terraform: A Step-by-Step Guide

Minecraft’s sandbox universe has captivated millions globally, and running your own server opens endless possibilities for customization, multiplayer fun, and performance tuning. In this guide, we’ll walk through the deployment of a Minecraft server on AWS using Terraform, automating the infrastructure and reducing setup complexity.

Why Deploy Minecraft on AWS?

• Scalability: AWS offers flexible compute capacity, perfect for growing player bases.
  
  

• Availability: Take advantage of AWS's global infrastructure to reduce latency.
  
  

• Automation: Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using Terraform ensures repeatable, auditable, and maintainable deployments.
  
  

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

• An AWS Account
  
  

• Terraform installed on your machine
  
  

• AWS CLI configured with appropriate credentials
  
  

• A basic understanding of Terraform syntax and AWS EC2
  
  

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Step 1: Set Up Your Terraform Project

Create a new directory for your project:

mkdir minecraft-aws-terraform && cd minecraft-aws-terraform

Create a main.tf file and begin with the AWS provider configuration:

provider "aws" {

  region = "us-east-1"

}

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Step 2: Create an EC2 Instance for Minecraft

Define your EC2 instance in ec2.tf:

resource "aws_instance" "minecraft_server" {

  ami                    = "ami-0c2b8ca1dad447f8a" # Amazon Linux 2 AMI

  instance_type          = "t3.medium"

  key_name               = "your-key-pair-name"

  associate_public_ip_address = true

  user_data = <<-EOF

              #!/bin/bash

              yum update -y

              amazon-linux-extras install java-openjdk11 -y

              cd /home/ec2-user

              wget https://launcher.mojang.com/v1/objects/YOUR_SERVER_JAR.jar -O minecraft_server.jar

              echo "eula=true" > eula.txt

              nohup java -Xmx2G -Xms2G -jar minecraft_server.jar nogui &

              EOF

  tags = {

    Name = "MinecraftServer"

  }

  vpc_security_group_ids = [aws_security_group.minecraft_sg.id]

}

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Step 3: Define the Security Group

Allow inbound traffic for Minecraft (default port 25565):

resource "aws_security_group" "minecraft_sg" {

  name        = "minecraft_sg"

  description = "Allow Minecraft traffic"

  vpc_id      = aws_vpc.main.id

  ingress {

    from_port   = 25565

    to_port     = 25565

    protocol    = "tcp"

    cidr_blocks = ["0.0.0.0/0"]

  }

  egress {

    from_port   = 0

    to_port     = 0

    protocol    = "-1"

    cidr_blocks = ["0.0.0.0/0"]

  }

}

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Step 4: Set Up VPC and Subnet

Basic networking for your EC2 instance:

resource "aws_vpc" "main" {

  cidr_block = "10.0.0.0/16"

}

resource "aws_subnet" "main" {

  vpc_id                  = aws_vpc.main.id

  cidr_block              = "10.0.1.0/24"

  map_public_ip_on_launch = true

}

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Step 5: Provision the Infrastructure

Run the following commands:

terraform init

terraform apply

Terraform will prompt you to confirm before provisioning your Minecraft server on AWS.

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Step 6: Connect and Test

Once the EC2 instance is running:

1. Retrieve the public IP from the Terraform output or AWS console.
   
   

2. Launch Minecraft.
   
   

3. Enter the IP under “Multiplayer > Direct Connect.”
   
   

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 Step 7: Tear Down

To avoid unnecessary charges, destroy the infrastructure when done:

terraform destroy

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Final Thoughts

With Terraform, deploying a Minecraft server on AWS becomes fast, repeatable, and easy to manage. Whether you're hosting friends or experimenting with server mods, AWS + Terraform is a winning combo.