> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://minefleet.dev/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Get minecraft-gateway running on your Kubernetes cluster in minutes.

This guide walks you through installing minecraft-gateway and routing your first Minecraft connection.

## Prerequisites

* A Kubernetes cluster (1.27+)
* `kubectl` configured to talk to your cluster
* Cluster-admin permissions

## Install Gateway API CRDs

minecraft-gateway builds on the Kubernetes Gateway API. Install the standard channel CRDs first:

```bash theme={null}
kubectl apply -f https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/gateway-api/releases/download/v1.5.1/standard-install.yaml
```

## Install minecraft-gateway

Apply the minecraft-gateway install manifest, which includes the controller, CRDs, and RBAC:

```bash theme={null}
kubectl apply --server-side -f https://github.com/minefleet/minecraft-gateway/releases/latest/download/install.yaml
```

Verify the controller is running:

```bash theme={null}
kubectl get pods -n minecraft-gateway-system
```

```
NAME                                            READY   STATUS    RESTARTS   AGE
minecraft-gateway-controller-manager-...        1/1     Running   0          30s
```

## Create a GatewayClass

A `GatewayClass` tells the controller which gateways it should manage.

```yaml theme={null}
apiVersion: gateway.networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: GatewayClass
metadata:
  name: minecraft
spec:
  controllerName: minefleet.dev/gateway-controller
```

Apply it:

```bash theme={null}
kubectl apply -f gatewayclass.yaml
```

## Create a NetworkInfrastructure

`NetworkInfrastructure` configures how the gateway discovers your game servers and how the network proxy is deployed. Create it in the same namespace as your gateway:

```yaml theme={null}
apiVersion: gateway.networking.minefleet.dev/v1alpha1
kind: NetworkInfrastructure
metadata:
  name: my-infrastructure
  namespace: default
spec:
  discovery:
    namespaceSelector:
      from: Same
    labelSelector:
      matchLabels:
        minefleet.dev/gameserver: "true"
```

```bash theme={null}
kubectl apply -f infrastructure.yaml
```

## Create a Gateway

A `Gateway` represents your Minecraft entry point. It creates an Envoy edge proxy and a network proxy for each listener.

```yaml theme={null}
apiVersion: gateway.networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: Gateway
metadata:
  name: my-gateway
  namespace: default
spec:
  gatewayClassName: minecraft
  infrastructure:
    parametersRef:
      group: gateway.networking.minefleet.dev
      kind: NetworkInfrastructure
      name: my-infrastructure
  listeners:
    - name: main
      port: 25565
      protocol: JAVA
      allowedRoutes:
        kinds:
          - group: gateway.networking.minefleet.dev
            kind: MinecraftJoinRoute
          - group: gateway.networking.minefleet.dev
            kind: MinecraftFallbackRoute
```

```bash theme={null}
kubectl apply -f gateway.yaml
```

## Label your game server Service

The controller discovers game servers by label. Add the label to your server's Service:

```bash theme={null}
kubectl label service my-gameserver minefleet.dev/gameserver=true
```

Your Service must expose port 25565 (or a port named `minecraft`).

## Create a MinecraftJoinRoute

A `MinecraftJoinRoute` maps a hostname to a backend game server:

```yaml theme={null}
apiVersion: gateway.networking.minefleet.dev/v1alpha1
kind: MinecraftJoinRoute
metadata:
  name: survival
  namespace: default
spec:
  parentRefs:
    - name: my-gateway
      kind: Gateway
      group: gateway.networking.k8s.io
  backendRefs:
    - name: my-gameserver
      port: 25565
  filterRules:
    - type: any
      rules:
        - domain: play.example.com
```

```bash theme={null}
kubectl apply -f route.yaml
```

## Verify

Check that the route was accepted:

```bash theme={null}
kubectl get minecraftjoinroute survival
```

Connect your Minecraft client (Java Edition) to `play.example.com`. The handshake hostname is matched by the edge proxy and your connection is forwarded to `my-gameserver`.

## Next steps

* [Architecture overview](/minecraft-gateway/concepts/overview) — understand how the three layers work together
* [Domain routing guide](/minecraft-gateway/guides/domain-routing) — wildcards, priorities, and conflict handling
* [Service discovery guide](/minecraft-gateway/guides/service-discovery) — how backends are discovered
* [NetworkInfrastructure reference](/minecraft-gateway/reference/network-infrastructure) — full configuration options