How to Setup a Classic Minecraft 1.8.8 Server (Java 8) on AlmaLinux, CentOS, Rocky Linux & Fedora

Classic Minecraft versions from the 1.7.10 through 1.16.5 era require Java 8 for legendary stability. This guide covers the entire classic range. For modern version requirements, check our Minecraft Java Server Compatibility Guide.

Legacy versions often have known security vulnerabilities in third-party libraries. NEVER run these versions as root; always use a dedicated, low-privilege user account.

Supported Versions #

This Java 8 guide is fully compatible with:

• 1.16 Era: 1.16.5, 1.16.4, 1.16.3, 1.16.2, 1.16.1, 1.16
• 1.13 – 1.15: 1.15.2, 1.15.1, 1.15, 1.14.4, 1.13.2
• Classic (1.7 – 1.12): 1.12.2, 1.11.2, 1.10.2, 1.9.4, 1.8.9, 1.8.8, 1.7.10

To visit our Minecraft Vanilla Server Download Links Archive, check for the exact link for your version.

Prerequisites #

• A VPS running AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, or CentOS (Available on Premium VPS).
• Root or sudo access via SSH (for installing Java).
• A restricted non-root user to run the server software safely.

Step 1: Install Java 8 #

First, perform a full system update to ensure your package lists are ready.

On standard enterprise servers (AlmaLinux 8 & 9, Rocky Linux 8 & 9), Java 8 is available natively:

sudo dnf check-update
sudo dnf install java-1.8.0-openjdk-headless wget -y

Troubleshooting (EL10 & Modern Fedora): If you receive a No match for argument error, it means your Linux distribution is too new and has officially retired Java 8 from its default repositories. You can easily install the highly-optimized Amazon Corretto 8 distribution by running:

sudo rpm --import https://yum.corretto.aws/corretto.key
sudo curl -L -o /etc/yum.repos.d/corretto.repo https://yum.corretto.aws/corretto.repo
sudo dnf install java-1.8.0-amazon-corretto-devel wget -y

Step 2: Create a Dedicated User #

For security, never run your server as root. Even legacy versions should be isolated. If you are new to Linux permissions, check our guide on How to Create and Manage Users on AlmaLinux/Rocky.

sudo useradd -m -r -s /bin/bash minecraft
sudo su - minecraft
mkdir server && cd server

Step 3: Download the 1.8.8 JAR #

Looking for a different classic version? You can find direct Mojang download links for all historical releases in our Minecraft Server Download Archive.

wget https://launcher.mojang.com/v1/objects/5fafba3f58c40dc51b5c3ca72a98f62dfdae1db7/server.jar

Step 4: Accept the EULA #

Run the server once to generate the required configuration files:

java -jar server.jar nogui
sed -i 's/eula=false/eula=true/' eula.txt

Step 5: Create Launch Script #

Pro Tip: Using the Nano Editor
Nano is a beginner-friendly text editor for the terminal. If the nano command is not found, install it using sudo dnf install nano -y.

• To Save: Press CTRL + O, then hit ENTER.
• To Exit: Press CTRL + X.

Since 1.8.8 is much lighter than modern versions, 2GB of RAM is often enough for a small group.

nano start.sh

In the editor, paste:

#!/bin/bash
java -Xmx2G -Xms2G -jar server.jar nogui

Make it executable:

chmod +x start.sh

Step 6: First Launch & Administrator Setup #

Before setting up the automatic background service, you should run the server manually at least once to grant yourself administrator (OP) rights.

1. Start the server manually
Run the launch script you just created:

./start.sh

2. Grant Administrator (OP) rights
Once the server has finished loading (you see the "Done!" message), type your command directly into the console:

op your_minecraft_username

3. Stop the server
To save the world data and prepare for background hosting, type:

stop

This will return you to the normal Linux command line.

Step 7: Configure Systemd Service #

For a professional setup, we use systemd. This ensures your server starts automatically if the VPS reboots and handles crashes gracefully.

Exit the minecraft user back to your root/sudo account:

exit

Create the service file:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/minecraft.service

Paste the following configuration:

[Unit]
Description=VoxiHost Minecraft 1.8.8 Server
After=network.target

[Service]
User=minecraft
WorkingDirectory=/home/minecraft/server
ExecStart=/home/minecraft/server/start.sh
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable and start your server:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable minecraft
sudo systemctl start minecraft

Managing Your Server #

• Check Status: sudo systemctl status minecraft
• View Logs: sudo journalctl -u minecraft -f
• Stop Server: sudo systemctl stop minecraft

Next Steps: Security & Management #

Now that your server is running, don't forget to:

1. DDoS Protection: All VoxiHost servers include automatic VoxiShield protection. Your server is already being monitored to prevent downtime during attacks.
2. Open the Firewall: Allow traffic on port 25565 by running: sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=25565/tcp followed by sudo firewall-cmd --reload. For more details, see our Firewalld Setup Guide.
3. Transfer Files: Want to upload an existing world? Use SFTP as explained in our FileZilla Tutorial.
4. Hardening & Monitoring: Protect your VPS further by securing SSH and setting up Fail2ban. You can also monitor your system resources using htop.

Experience high TPS on our Budget VPS plans!