Introduction to Want to host your own GTA V multiplayer world with

Important Notice (March 2026): alt:V is shutting down permanently on July 6, 2026, following a Rockstar cease and desist. New server creation is already disabled. If you're looking to start a GTA V multiplayer server, use FiveM instead — it's the only authorized platform. Read our alt:V shutdown guide and FiveM migration walkthrough or jump straight to How to Create a FiveM Server.

Want to host your own GTA V multiplayer world with alt:V? This guide shows you two reliable setup paths (Windows & Linux), gives you a clean server.toml, a first working JavaScript resource, firewall/ports, and optional systemd service so you can go from zero to a public, masterlisted server fast.

What you’ll need

A legitimate copy of GTA V (players need this; the server does not).
Windows 10/11 or Ubuntu 22.04+ (or any recent x64 Linux).
Basic terminal/PowerShell skills.

alt:V servers are standalone; you don’t install GTA on the server.

Folder layout (we’ll create this)

altv-server/ ├─ altv-server.exe (Windows) or altv-server (Linux) ├─ libnode.dll / libnode.so ├─ server.toml ├─ package.json ← sets ESM (type: module) for JS resources └─ resources/ └─ example/ ├─ resource.toml ├─ server.mjs └─ client/ └─ client.mjs

Download AltV Server Files

Option A — Quickstart (Windows & Linux) with `altv-pkg`

This pulls the latest official binaries for you.

Create a working directory

mkdir altv-server && cd altv-server

Initialize Node (for tooling only)

npm init -y npm i --save-dev altv-pkg

Download server binaries

npx altv-pkg release

Re-run npx altv-pkg release any time you want to update.

Option B — Manual install

Download the Server build from the official alt:V downloads page (choose Windows or Linux).
Extract into altv-server/.

Create `package.json` (top-level)

This enables ESM syntax (import ...) for your JS resources.

"name": "altv-server", "private": true, "type": "module"

Minimal `server.toml`

Create server.toml in the server root:

Create server.toml in the server root:

# Displayed name in the alt:V client name = "My alt:V Server"

Bind to all interfaces

host = "0.0.0.0"

Default game port (TCP & UDP)

port = 7788

Player slots

players = 128

Show on masterlist? (set true for public)

announce = true

Obtain a token from the alt:V dashboard and paste here when going public

token = "YOUR_MASTERLIST_TOKEN"

Load the JS module and our example resource

modules = ["js-module"] resources = ["example"]

Helpful in development

debug = true logStreams = ["console", "file"]

Tip: Ports when using external voice are typically 7798 (server) and 7799 (client); open them only if you run the voice server separately. The basic in-process voice needs only your game port.

Your first resource (JavaScript)

Create resources/example/resource.toml:

# Server-side language for this resource type = "js"

Client-side language for this resource

client-type = "js"

Entry files

main = "server.mjs" client-main = "client/client.mjs"

Files the client may download

client-files = [ "client/*", ]

`resources/example/server.mjs`

import * as alt from 'alt-server';

alt.on('playerConnect', (player) => { lua

  alt.log(\`+ ${player.name} connected\`);
  player.emit('welcome:notify', \`Welcome to ${alt.getServerConfig().name}!\`);
```lua
```lua
});

alt.on('playerDisconnect', (player, reason) => &#123; ```lua
  alt.log(\`- ${player?.name ?? 'unknown'} left (${reason})\`);
});

`resources/example/client/client.mjs`

import * as alt from 'alt-client';

alt.onServer('welcome:notify', (msg) => { lua

  alt.log(\`Server says: ${msg}\`);
  // Simple on-screen help text
  alt.everyTick(() => &#123; ```lua
    alt.drawText2d(msg, 0.5, 0.9, 0.5, 255, 255, 255, 255, 0, true, true, 0);
  });
  // Remove after ~8 seconds

alt.setTimeout(() => alt.clearEveryTick(), 8000);

});

That’s a complete resource

That’s a complete resource. When a player connects they receive a welcome text.

Start the server

Windows (PowerShell)

cd C:\path\to\altv-server ./altv-server.exe

Linux

cd /opt/altv-server # or your path chmod +x altv-server ./altv-server

If startup is clean, you’ll see logs and the server will be reachable at your.ip:7788. Join via the alt:V client (Direct Connect) or from the Masterlist (if announce = true and a valid token is set).

Open the firewall

Windows (PowerShell, run as Admin)

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "altV 7788 TCP" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 7788 -Action Allow New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "altV 7788 UDP" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 7788 -Action Allow

Linux (UFW)

sudo ufw allow 7788/tcp
sudo ufw allow 7788/udp

If using an external voice server, also allow 7798/udp and 7799/udp.

(Optional) Run alt:V as a service on Linux

Create /etc/systemd/system/altv.service: | [Unit] Description=alt:V Server After=network.target | [Service] User=altv WorkingDirectory=/opt/altv-server ExecStart=/opt/altv-server/altv-server --port 7788 Restart=on-failure | | --- | --- | | [Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target | Enable and start: | | sudo systemctl daemon-reload sudo systemctl enable --now altv | journalctl -u altv -f |

Quality-of-life for development

Debug mode: keep debug = true while building; toggle off for production.
Node inspector (server JS): add this to resources/example/resource.toml if you need server-side debugging: [js-module] inspector = true Then attach Chrome DevTools → Node target.
TypeScript: add a tsconfig.json, compile to dist/, and point main/client-main to compiled files. Install types: npm i -D @altv/types-server @altv/types-client.

Updating & backups

Update binaries: rerun npx altv-pkg release (Option A) or re-download the ZIP (Option B).
Backups: zip resources/, server.toml, and any database/external configs. Automate with a cron or scheduled task.

Production hardening checklist

Set a strong token and announce = true for the masterlist.
Keep debug = false in production.
Use logStreams = ["file"] in prod and rotate logs externally if needed.
Only expose needed ports (7788; 7798/7799 if external voice).
Consider useCdn = true for large downloads; generate packages with --justpack and serve via HTTPS.
Monitor with a watchdog (systemd Restart=on-failure) and set up alerts.

Troubleshooting (fast fixes)

Can’t see server on the list: ensure announce = true, valid token, open 7788 TCP/UDP on host and router/NAT; wait a few minutes for propagation.
Clients stuck on download: if you added big assets, consider useCdn = true and packaging (--justpack).
Ports already in use: pick a different port in server.toml or stop the conflicting service.
Nothing happens on connect: confirm resource names match resources = ["example"] and your folder lives under resources/example.

FAQ – alt:V Servers

Do I need GTA V installed on the server machine? No

Do I need GTA V installed on the server machine?
No. Only players need a legitimate GTA V copy. The server itself runs without the game installed.

Which operating systems are supported for hosting alt:V?
Windows 10/11 and modern Linux distributions (Ubuntu 22.04+ or any recent x64 Linux) are supported.

What ports must be open for alt:V to work?
By default, TCP/UDP port 7788 must be open. If you run an external voice server, also open 7798/UDP and 7799/UDP.

Why doesn’t my server show up in the masterlist?
Make sure you set announce = true, added a valid masterlist token, and allowed 7788 TCP/UDP through your firewall and router. It may take a few minutes for the listing to propagate.

How do I update the server binaries?
If you installed via altv-pkg, simply run:

npx altv-pkg release

If you installed manually, download the latest build from the official alt:V download page.

Can I run the server as a background service?
Yes. On Linux, you can set up a systemd service (altv.service) to start automatically and restart on failure.

How do I make my server more secure for production?

Disable debug mode.
Set logStreams = ["file"].
Use a strong masterlist token.
Expose only required ports.
Automate backups for resources and configs.

Where can I find more resources for my server

Where can I find more resources for my server?
The official alt:V Hub and community GitHub repositories contain many example resources. You can also check guides on FiveMX for optimization and server growth.

Where to go next

Add more resources from the community Hub and example repositories.
Set up a voice server externally for big populations.
Automate CI/CD to push updates to your box.

Copy‑paste snippets (quick reference)

Windows start:

./altv-server.exe

Linux start:

./altv-server

Open ports (Windows):

Open ports (Linux):

sudo ufw allow 7788/tcp && sudo ufw allow 7788/udp

You’re set. Spin it up, connect from the alt:V client, and start building resources!