How to Install Jackal on Void Linux

Jackal is a high performance, low overhead game server that is designed to be scalable and customizable. It is a popular choice for game developers who want to build their own game servers.

In this tutorial, we will walk you through the process of installing Jackal on Void Linux.

Prerequisites

Before you get started with the installation, you need to make sure that your system meets the following requirements:

• A running instance of Void Linux
• A user account with sudo privileges

Step 1: Install Dependencies

Before installing Jackal, you need to install some dependencies. Open up the terminal and run the following command to install the required packages:

sudo xbps-install -S git gcc make cmake openssl-devel libsodium-devel sqlite-devel

This command will install Git, GCC, Make, CMake, OpenSSL, Libsodium, and SQLite packages.

Step 2: Clone Jackal

Next, you need to clone the Jackal repository from GitHub. Run the following command:

git clone https://github.com/ortuman/jackal.git

This command will create a new directory called jackal in your current working directory.

Step 3: Build and Install Jackal

Once you have cloned the repository, navigate to the jackal directory and run the following commands:

cd jackal
mkdir build && cd build
cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
make && sudo make install

This command will build and install Jackal on your system. The make command can take a few minutes to complete, depending on your system's specifications.

Step 4: Configure Jackal

After the installation is complete, you can configure Jackal to run games. Navigate to the jackal directory and create a config folder by running the following command:

cd ..
mkdir config

Next, navigate to the config folder and create a new configuration file:

cd config
nano jackal.json

Add the following content to the jackal.json file:

{
  "server": {
    "port": 8080,
    "tickrate": 60,
    "max_clients": 16
  }
}

This configuration file sets the server port to 8080, the tickrate to 60, and the maximum number of clients to 16.

Save and close the file.

Step 5: Run Jackal

Finally, you can start the Jackal server by running the following command:

sudo jackal --config config/jackal.json

This command starts the server with the configuration file that we created in the previous step.

You can verify that the server is running by visiting http://localhost:8080 in your web browser.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed and configured Jackal on your Void Linux system.

If you want to self-host in an easy, hands free way, need an external IP address, or simply want your data in your own hands, give IPv6.rs a try!