How to Upload Server Files with SFTP

Collect the correct SFTP connection details

Use the connection information shown by the hosting panel or provider. Guessing the port or using the game server port normally will not work.

Keep credentials private. An SFTP account can provide access to server files, so screenshots containing usernames, passwords or connection strings should be treated carefully.

• SFTP host or server address.
• SFTP port.
• Username.
• Password or supported authentication credential.

Connect with an SFTP client

Clients such as FileZilla and WinSCP can connect using the SFTP protocol. Make sure the protocol is SFTP rather than plain FTP.

The first connection may show a host-key fingerprint confirmation. Verify that you are connecting to the intended host before accepting it.

1. Open your SFTP client.
2. Choose SFTP as the protocol.
3. Enter the host, port and username from the hosting panel.
4. Enter the password or supported authentication credential.
5. Connect and verify that the expected server files are visible.

Know the server's working directory

Many container-based hosting environments expose the server files from a working directory. Your SFTP account may already open directly inside that directory.

Upload files to the location expected by the application. A plugin JAR placed beside the server JAR instead of inside the plugins directory will not be loaded as a plugin.

plugins/
mods/
config/
server.properties

Stop the application before replacing important files

Some files are actively written while the application is running. Replacing or editing them during writes can result in inconsistent data.

For configuration, worlds or application files that require a clean state, stop the server normally, create a backup and then perform the transfer.

Upload archives carefully

Uploading a ZIP or other archive does not automatically make its contents available to the application. Extract it in the correct location using a supported file-management feature.

Check for an accidental extra directory level. An archive containing my-server/plugins may create a nested path when you expected plugins directly in the server root.

• Inspect archive structure before extraction.
• Avoid overwriting important configuration without a backup.
• Confirm available disk space for both the archive and extracted files.
• Remove temporary archives after confirming the extraction is correct.

Troubleshoot failed transfers

A connection timeout usually indicates the client cannot reach the SFTP service, while authentication failure means the service responded but rejected the credentials.

A permission error after connecting is different again: the account is connected but cannot modify that path or file.

• Timeout: verify host, SFTP port and network reachability.
• Authentication failed: verify username and password.
• Permission denied: check whether that path is writable.
• Disk full: free space before retrying large transfers.

Verify the upload before restarting

A completed transfer only confirms that bytes were sent. It does not confirm that the file is valid or located where the application expects it.

Check the final filename and path, then start the server and read the startup log for errors related to the changed files.

1. Confirm the transfer reports completion.
2. Check the destination path.
3. Compare file size when appropriate.
4. Start the server normally.
5. Read startup output for load or configuration errors.
6. Test the feature that depends on the uploaded file.

Frequently Asked Questions

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