Run the binary

NetherNode is a single static binary with the web panel built in. Running it directly is useful when you’d rather not put the Docker socket in a container.

1. Download nethernode-v<version>-linux-amd64.tar.gz (or arm64), such as nethernode-v0.2.9-linux-amd64.tar.gz, and SHA256SUMS from the releases page. Check the download and unpack it:

   sha256sum -c --ignore-missing SHA256SUMS
   tar -xzf nethernode-*-linux-amd64.tar.gz
   sudo install -m 0755 nethernode /usr/local/bin/

2. Create a user that may use Docker, and a data folder:

   sudo useradd --system --home /var/lib/nethernode --create-home nethernode
   sudo usermod -aG docker nethernode

3. Add /etc/systemd/system/nethernode.service:

   [Unit]
   Description=NetherNode
   After=docker.service network-online.target
   Requires=docker.service
   
   [Service]
   User=nethernode
   WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/nethernode
   Environment=NETHERNODE_DATA__DIR=/var/lib/nethernode/data
   ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/nethernode serve
   Restart=on-failure
   
   [Install]
   WantedBy=multi-user.target

4. Start it:

   sudo systemctl daemon-reload
   sudo systemctl enable --now nethernode
   journalctl -u nethernode -f

Servers run as the same user ID as NetherNode, so it can always manage their files. (If NetherNode runs as root, servers keep the Minecraft image’s own user, 1000.)

Commands

Command	What it does
nethernode serve	Runs the panel, API and proxy (the default)
nethernode migrate	Updates the database and exits
nethernode reset-admin [--username NAME]	Gives an owner a new one-time password, turns off their two-factor sign-in, and signs them out everywhere
nethernode agent --join URL --code CODE	Runs as an agent for a panel on another machine (see More machines)
nethernode version	Prints the version

reset-admin is the way back in if an owner loses their password, phone and recovery codes. It needs access to the machine, which is the point.