If you run a Minecraft, Rust, Garry's Mod, or FiveM server, you're probably familiar with the routine: download a plugin update, open FileZilla, connect via SFTP, navigate to the right folder, upload, restart, and hope nothing breaks. (For a detailed Minecraft-specific walkthrough, see our guide on automated Minecraft server deployments with DeployHQ.)
Now multiply that across multiple servers, multiple admins, and dozens of plugins. One wrong config file overwrites another, there's no record of who changed what, and rolling back means restoring from a backup — if you even have one.
We're introducing Game Panel integration to DeployHQ, starting with native support for the Pterodactyl protocol. This means you can deploy plugins, mods, configs, and scripts to your game server directly from Git — with automatic deployments on push, full deployment history, and one-click rollback.
Why deploy your game server from Git?
If you're managing a community Minecraft server with 30+ plugins, a DarkRP Garry's Mod server with custom Lua addons, or a Rust server with uMod configurations, you're managing a codebase — whether you think of it that way or not.
Version control with Git gives you:
- Full history of every change. Know exactly when a plugin was updated, which config was modified, and who did it. No more
who changed server.properties?
- Instant rollback. A plugin update breaks your server? Revert to the last working deployment in DeployHQ with one click. No digging through backup archives.
- Branches for testing. Set up a test server alongside your production server. Make changes in a branch, test them, then merge and deploy to production when you're confident.
- Team coordination. Multiple admins can work on configs in their own branches and merge via pull requests. No more stepping on each other's changes over SFTP.
This is how professional development teams have worked for decades. Game server admins deserve the same workflow.
How it works
The setup takes about five minutes:
Put your server files in a Git repository. Your plugins, mods, configs, and custom scripts go in a Git repo on GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. World files, player data, and logs stay out (add them to
.gitignore).Create a DeployHQ project. Connect your repository and add your game server — either using SFTP credentials from your hosting panel, or with the new Pterodactyl protocol for hosts that run Pterodactyl.
Push to deploy. Every time you push to your repository, DeployHQ uploads only the files that changed to your game server. No full re-uploads, no missed files.
That's it. No YAML files to write, no CI/CD pipelines to configure, no SFTP credentials saved in browser bookmarks.
Pterodactyl protocol support (beta)
Pterodactyl is the open-source game server management panel used by dozens of hosting providers. If your host's panel lets you manage your server through a web interface with a file manager, console, and power controls — there's a good chance it runs on Pterodactyl (or one of its forks like Pelican or Pyrodactyl).
Hosts running Pterodactyl include:
- BisectHosting (branded as
Starbase Panel
) - PebbleHost
- Bloom.host
- GGServers
- Sparked Host
- And many more
Until now, connecting DeployHQ to a Pterodactyl-based server meant configuring SFTP manually — finding the right hostname, using port 2022 instead of the standard 22, and figuring out the username format (username.serverid).
With the new Pterodactyl protocol, DeployHQ connects natively. Select Game Panel
as your server type, enter your panel URL and API credentials, and DeployHQ handles the rest.
What can you deploy?
Anything that lives on your game server's filesystem:
| File type | Examples | Games |
|---|---|---|
| Plugins | .jar files (Spigot, Paper, Bukkit), .cs files (uMod, Carbon), .lua scripts | Minecraft, Rust, GMod |
| Mods | Forge/Fabric mods, BepInEx plugins, modpack configs | Minecraft, Valheim |
| Configurations | server.properties, YAML/JSON configs, game settings | All games |
| Custom scripts | Lua addons, DarkRP configs, FiveM resources | GMod, FiveM |
| Maps and worlds | Custom maps, level files | Minecraft, ARK, CS2 |
Use Excluded files to keep server-generated content (world saves, player data, logs) out of your deployments. Use Config files to manage server-specific settings that shouldn't live in your repository.
The alternative: 50 lines of YAML
The only other way to automate game server deployments today is to build a CI/CD pipeline yourself using GitHub Actions. GGServers published a guide for this — it involves writing a YAML workflow file, storing SFTP credentials as GitHub Secrets, configuring LFTP mirror commands, and managing file exclusion patterns manually.
It works, but it requires DevOps knowledge that most game server admins don't have (and shouldn't need). There's no deployment history UI, no rollback button, no way to see what was deployed and when without reading CI logs.
DeployHQ replaces all of that with a configured server connection and a deploy button.
Works with every game server host
Game Panel integration with Pterodactyl is just the beginning. DeployHQ already connects to any game server with FTP or SFTP access — which is virtually all of them.
We have step-by-step guides for connecting to:
- Apex Hosting (FTP, port 21)
- BisectHosting (SFTP, port 2022)
- GPortal (FTP/SFTP)
- Nitrado (FTP/SFTP, port 21)
- Nodecraft (FTPS, port 121)
- PebbleHost (SFTP, port 2022)
- Physgun (SFTP)
- Shockbyte (SFTP)
Running your own server on a VPS? Connect via SSH/SFTP as usual — we have guides for DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Akamai (Linode), and many more.
Getting started
- Sign up for a free DeployHQ account
- Connect your Git repository (GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket)
- Add your game server — via Game Panel (Pterodactyl), SFTP, or FTP
- Push a commit and watch it deploy
No more FileZilla. No more manual uploads. No more who broke the server?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need SSH access to my game server? No. DeployHQ works with FTP and SFTP, which virtually every game server host provides. SSH is not required. If your host runs Pterodactyl, the upcoming Game Panel integration makes setup even easier.
Will DeployHQ restart my server after deploying? Not automatically via SFTP/FTP — you'll restart from your game panel after deployment. With the Pterodactyl Game Panel integration, we're exploring webhook-based restart support so your server can restart automatically after a successful deployment.
Can I deploy to multiple servers at once? Yes. Add multiple servers to your DeployHQ project and deploy to all of them with a single push. This is useful for server networks or test/production setups.
What if a deployment breaks my server? Use DeployHQ's rollback feature to revert to the last working deployment in one click. Every deployment is recorded, so you can always go back to a known good state.
Should I put my entire server in Git?
No — only put files you actively manage in your repository. Plugins, mods, configs, and custom scripts belong in Git. World saves, player data, logs, and server-generated files should be excluded using a .gitignore file and DeployHQ's Excluded files feature.
Does this work with modpacks? Yes. Store your modpack configuration (mod JARs, config files, resource packs) in a Git repository and deploy as normal. For large modpacks with hundreds of files, DeployHQ only uploads files that have changed — so updates are fast even on large servers.
Is DeployHQ free? DeployHQ offers a free plan for personal projects with 1 project and 3 deployments per day. Paid plans start at €9/month with unlimited deployments and a free 10-day trial — no credit card required.
I use Multicraft, not Pterodactyl. Can I still use DeployHQ? Yes. The Game Panel integration is specifically for Pterodactyl-based hosts, but DeployHQ connects to any server via standard FTP or SFTP — regardless of which control panel your host uses.
Have questions about deploying to your game server? Contact our support team or reach out on Twitter.