If you have ever hosted a Minecraft server, a Discord bot or pretty much any game server, you probably have heard about Pterodactyl.
Pterodactyl is one of the most popular open source game server panels out there. It makes it pretty easy to create servers, manage files, use the console, setup resources and many other things without having to use the terminal everytime.
But what if you want something different?
Thats where Reviactyl comes in.
What is Reviactyl?
Reviactyl is an open source game server management panel and an alternative to Pterodactyl.
The idea behind Reviactyl isn't to completely change how game hosting panels works. Instead, its focused on giving users a more modern experience while keeping a lot of the things people already know from Pterodactyl.
It can be used by people hosting their own servers, developers, communities and hosting providers who need to manage multiple servers from one panel.
You can check the website here:
The source code is also available on GitHub:
https://github.com/reviactyl/panel
Why make another panel?
This is probably what most people are going to ask.
"Pterodactyl already exists, why make another one?"
And yeah, thats a valid question.
Pterodactyl is already a really good panel and has been around for years. But every project has its own goals and ideas.
Reviactyl was made because we wanted to experiment with a different UI, more customization and just a different overall experience.
Sometimes you dont need to completely change your hosting infrastructure. You just want the panel you are using to look and feel better.
Thats basically one of the reasons Reviactyl exists.
Built around the same concept
If you already used Pterodactyl before, Reviactyl shouldnt feel completely unfamiliar.
The general idea is still the same. You have a web panel where you can manage your servers, while the actual server workloads are running on your infrastructure.
You get things you would expect from a game server panel such as:
- Server management
- Console
- File manager
- Resource limits
- Startup configuration
- User management
- Networking
- Multiple servers
- Docker based server environments
So if you are coming from Pterodactyl, you will probably understand most of it pretty quickly.
Open Source
One of the main things about Reviactyl is that it is open source.
The code is publicly available on GitHub, so you can actually see what the panel is doing and make your own changes if you want.
You can fork the project, make modifications, build your own integrations or even contribute changes back to Reviactyl.
GitHub:
https://github.com/reviactyl/panel
For developers, this is probably one of the best parts of the project.
A more modern UI
The user interface is one of the areas where Reviactyl tries to be different.
A hosting panel is something you might use almost everyday, so the UI actually matters more than people think.
Reviactyl focuses on a modern dashboard instead of making everything look like a old server administration panel.
The goal is pretty simple, you should be able to open the panel and understand whats going on with your servers without having to search around for everything.
Checking CPU usage, opening the console, uploading files or changing settings shouldnt feel complicated.
Can hosting providers use it?
Yes.
Reviactyl can also be used by hosting providers and communities which are managing multiple servers.
You can manage users, servers and resources from the panel and build your hosting infrastructure around it.
Obviously, a game hosting business is not just installing a panel and calling it done. You still need proper servers, networking, backups, monitoring and support.
Reviactyl is just one part of that whole setup.
Reviactyl vs Pterodactyl
We are not going to say that Pterodactyl is bad.
Actually, its the opposite.
Pterodactyl has a huge community and has been used by tons of hosting providers. There are also alot of guides and tutorials available online.
Reviactyl is simply another option.
If Pterodactyl works perfectly fine for you, there is no reason you have to switch.
But if you want to try something different, or you are just curious about Reviactyl, give it a try.
Should you switch?
If you already have production servers running on Pterodactyl, dont just replace everything instantly.
Try Reviactyl on a test VPS first.
Install it, create a few servers and play around with it. See how it feels and if it fits your requirements.
Honestly, thats probably the best way to judge any software.
Reviactyl is still growing
Reviactyl is still being worked on.
There are always new things that can be improved, bugs to fix, UI changes and new features that can be added.
Since its open source, developers can also contribute to the project and help improve it.
Thats one of the good things about open source projects. You dont have to just wait for a company to decide what feature gets added next.
Give it a try
If you are looking for a Pterodactyl alternative, Reviactyl is definitely worth checking out.
🌐 Website: https://reviactyl.app
💻 GitHub: https://github.com/reviactyl/panel
You can check out the project, read through the documentation and see if it fits your setup.
And if you're a developer, you can contribute too. Even small contributions can help an open source project grow.
Maybe Reviactyl will end up being the panel you use for your next server. Who knows :)
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