Turn an Android phone into a real Minecraft Java Edition server. Minicraft installs and runs the official server software, manages mods and worlds, shows a live console and resource usage, and can expose the server through a playit.gg tunnel so friends can join without opening router ports.
Version 1.0.1. Free and open source under GPL-3.0-or-later.
Source: github.com/leonaryto/MiniCraft · Issues: report a bug
Minicraft is a free, non-commercial project. It is not a Termux script, a PRoot container or a remote-control app for a PC: the Java server runs on the phone itself, with no root required.
Running Java on Android is the hard part, because Android does not ship a Java runtime and blocks executing binaries from normal app storage. Minicraft solves this in three pieces:
- Java runtime — on first use the app downloads a bionic OpenJDK 21 runtime (built from Termux packages), verifies it, and installs it into app-private storage (
files/jre, ~250 MB). It is downloaded, not bundled in the APK. - Native launcher — a small C/JNI library starts the JVM with
fork+execvefrom the app'snativeLibraryDir. That directory is executable and sits outside Android's W^X restriction, which is what lets a full JVM start on a non-rooted phone. - Playit agent —
playitdis bundled as a native library and controlled by the app over a local abstract socket (@playit_ipc). Each install claims its own agent and creates its own tunnel.
The server runs inside a foreground service with a wake lock, so it keeps running with the screen off. A boot alarm re-arms the service after a reboot.
- Android 8.0 (API 26) or newer.
- arm64-v8a device (64-bit ARM). 32-bit, x86 and emulators are not supported.
- No root, no Termux, no PC.
- Internet on first setup (JRE, server jar and libraries are downloaded).
- Free space for the runtime (~250 MB) plus the server, libraries and worlds.
- A recent phone is recommended: vanilla needs roughly 1 GB of heap (default), and Fabric with mods needs more.
- Server types: Vanilla (base game, no mods) and Fabric (mod loader). Forge and NeoForge are not supported.
- Minecraft versions: 1.21.1 is the tested version. The app also lists 1.21, 1.20.6 and 1.20.5; all four require Java 21, but only 1.21.1 has been verified end to end (1.20.5 is known not to start).
- Mods: Fabric mods for 1.21.1, either searched on Modrinth or imported as local
.jarfiles.
- Server install: pick a Minecraft version and server type, and Minicraft downloads and provisions everything.
- Mod manager: browse Modrinth (server-side, Fabric 1.21.1) or import local
.jarmods; enable, disable and delete them. - World manager: import, export and delete the worlds of the active server.
- Live console: watch server output and send commands in real time.
- Resource monitor: CPU, memory and device temperature, with a temperature graph.
- Tunnel (playit.gg): a public address with no router configuration, and a switch to keep the server LAN-only.
- Server settings: JVM heap, thread count, port, view/simulation distance, and a
server.propertieseditor (MOTD, difficulty, game mode, and more). - Background service: keeps the server alive while the screen is off.
- i18n: English (default) and Spanish, switchable in Settings.
| Home | Console | Mods |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
Get the latest APK from Releases and sideload it on the device.
- The APK is arm64-v8a only; it will not install on other architectures.
- If a previous build was signed with a different key (for example an older debug build), uninstall it first.
- The first launch needs an internet connection to download the Java runtime and the server (~250 MB total).
- Installing a server means accepting the Minecraft EULA; the app writes
eula=truefor you.
Runtime (downloaded, not bundled)
| Dependency | Version | Why |
|---|---|---|
| OpenJDK (bionic build from Termux packages) | 21 | Runs the Minecraft server |
| Vanilla server jar | Matches the selected version | Downloaded from Mojang's version_manifest_v2.json |
| Fabric loader + installer | Latest for the selected version | Installed on top of a vanilla server.jar |
Bundled in the APK
| Dependency | License | Why |
|---|---|---|
playitd (jniLibs/arm64-v8a/libplayitd.so) |
BSD-2-Clause | playit.gg agent |
Java launcher stub (libmcjvmboot.so) |
Part of this project | Enters the JVM from nativeLibraryDir |
minicraft_launcher (built from cpp/launcher.c) |
Part of this project | JNI fork/execve launcher |
App libraries
| Dependency | License | Why |
|---|---|---|
org.tukaani:xz |
Public domain / 0BSD | XZ decompression (runtime archive) |
org.json (Android SDK) |
Apache-2.0 | JSON parsing |
| — | — | Networking uses HttpURLConnection; there is no HTTP client library |
APIs used at runtime: Mojang version manifest, Fabric Meta/installer, Modrinth API v2, and the playit.gg agent API.
Build
| Tool | Version |
|---|---|
| JDK | 17 or newer |
| Android SDK | compile/target 34, min 26 |
| Android NDK + CMake | CMake 3.22.1 |
| Gradle wrapper | 8.14.3 |
| Android Gradle Plugin | 8.7.3 |
| Kotlin | 2.0.21 |
| Path | What it is |
|---|---|
app/src/main/java/ |
App source (UI, server lifecycle, JRE provisioning, mods/worlds, playit tunnel) |
app/src/main/cpp/ |
Native launcher (execve without breaking W^X) |
app/src/main/jniLibs/ |
playitd (BSD-2-Clause) and the Java launcher stub |
app/src/main/res/ |
Layouts, strings (EN/ES), icon and theme |
app/src/main/assets/licenses/ |
Full license texts shown inside the app |
LICENSE / NOTICE |
Project license (GPL-3.0) and copyright notice |
THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md |
Third-party licenses and trademark notices |
CONTRIBUTING.md |
How to build and contribute |
SECURITY.md |
How to report vulnerabilities privately |
.github/ |
Issue and pull request templates |
You need JDK 17+, the Android SDK (platform 34) and the NDK with CMake 3.22.1. Point Gradle at the SDK with local.properties (sdk.dir=...).
./gradlew :app:assembleDebug # debug
./gradlew :app:assembleRelease # release (needs a local keystore.properties)keystore.properties and the keystore are intentionally not committed.
- Minicraft is not affiliated with Mojang Studios or Microsoft. "Minecraft" is a trademark of Mojang Synergies AB.
- The app downloads the official server jar from Mojang; it does not redistribute it. Running a server is subject to the Minecraft EULA.
playitdis distributed under the BSD-2-Clause license; its notice must be kept in binary distributions.- The bundled Java launcher stub comes from Termux's OpenJDK 21 package (GPL-2.0 with Classpath Exception). Full texts are in
THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.mdand inside the app under Settings → About → Licenses and notices. - playit.gg and Modrinth are independent services; Minicraft is not affiliated with them.
- Mods installed from Modrinth or imported locally keep their own licenses.
- The launcher icon was generated with an AI image tool.
Minicraft is licensed under the GNU General Public License, version 3 or later (GPL-3.0-or-later). See LICENSE and NOTICE.
You can use, study, share and modify it. If you distribute a modified version, you must keep it under the GPL and make the source available. Third-party components keep their own licenses; see THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md.
The app also shows this information offline: Settings → About → Licenses and notices.
Contributions are welcome. Read CONTRIBUTING.md, use the issue templates for bugs and feature requests, and send a pull request. Open an issue first for larger changes. By contributing you agree to license your work under GPL-3.0-or-later (inbound = outbound). For security problems, follow SECURITY.md instead of opening a public issue.