Hytale Server Permissions: Groups, /op, /perm and the Whitelist

Make yourself operator first

On a dedicated server, the first operator is set from the server console: type “op add” and your player name (in the console, without “/”). “op add” accepts the name of a connected player or their UUID, so join the server first. If you can't join yet because the server isn't linked, first link it to your account.

Operators go into the hytale:Admin group, which can do everything. To take it away from someone, “/op remove” and their name.

“/op self” (making yourself operator from chat) only works in a single-player world, for its owner. On a dedicated server, the server itself says you have to do it in permissions.json with the server stopped, or start it temporarily with the --allow-op option. It's easier from the console.

The groups the server comes with

In 0.7.2 these come built in: hytale:Admin (the operators' group), hytale:Adventurer, hytale:Builder, hytale:WorldEditor and hytale:ServerEditor. To see what each one allows, “/perm group list” and the group name, for example “/perm group list hytale:Builder”.

A player can be in several groups at once. If a permissions plugin handles them, “/op” stops working and the server tells you so.

Giving a player a group

With “/setgroup” and “/op add”, the player's name works if they're connected. The “/perm user” commands need their UUID.

1. /setgroup <group> <player>

   Puts them in that group. With the player connected, their name is enough. Without a player, it applies to you.

2. /perm user group add <UUID> <group>

   Adds one more group without removing the ones they have. “/perm user group remove” takes them out of one.

3. /perm user group list <UUID>

   Shows which groups that player is in.

Giving just a single permission

Each permission is a “node” with dots. Command permissions follow the form hytale.command. plus the command: for example, since Update 6, giving armour to another player with /give is hytale.command.give.armor.other.

1. /perm user add <UUID> <permissions>

   Gives one or more permissions to a player. “/perm user remove” takes them away and “/perm user list” shows theirs.

2. /perm group add <group> <permissions>

   Gives them to a whole group. “/perm group remove” takes them away.

3. /perm list

   Shows your permissions. With “--all”, every one that exists on your server.

4. /perm test <permission>

   Checks whether you have that permission.

The whitelist is now a permission too

Since Update 6 (August 2026), the whitelist works with the hytale.server.join permission: “/whitelist add” and the name gives it to a player, and “/whitelist remove” takes it away. If you had an older whitelist.json, the server renamed it to whitelist.json.migrated.

“/whitelist enable” turns it on (only people with the permission can join) and “/whitelist disable” turns it off. “/whitelist list” shows who's on it, “/whitelist status” whether it's on, and “/whitelist clear” empties it. As it's a permission, you can also give it to a whole group with “/perm group add” and hytale.server.join. If what you want is a password to join, that goes in the server's config.json.

Editing permissions.json by hand

Permissions are stored in permissions.json, in the server folder. Using the commands is safer. If you edit it by hand, do it with the server stopped: the server rewrites the file when permissions change and could overwrite yours. If you've already changed it with the server running, “/perm reload” reads it from disk again.

On NapNodes

Commands are typed in “Console”, without “/”. That's where you can make yourself operator the first time: “op add” and your name, with your character on the server. The file is in “Files” → Server → permissions.json; if you're going to edit it, “Stop” first. The rest of the commands (kick, ban, game mode, time…) are in the Hytale admin commands.

Frequently asked questions