Matt Sijbers
ed70ff52e9
The previous check covered version, launcherVersion/Url, and a single
sampled self-hosted URL. Expanded to cover every field that has ever
been a foot-gun:
Required (must always be present and match pack.lock.json):
name, version, minecraft.version, loader.type, loader.version,
launcherVersion, launcherUrl
Optional but consistency-checked: if pack.lock.json declares the
field, the manifest MUST also have it (and defaultServer must include
a non-empty ip). Catches the case where someone removes the field
from pack.lock or Build-Pack drops it silently:
panelUrl, defaultShader, defaultServer
files[]: every entry validated for path/url/sha1/size shape; every
self-hosted (non-CDN) url checked for the expected host. Catches
partial-update bugs where some URLs migrate hosts but others don't.
URL host checks use the configured $ManifestPublicUrl host as the
source of truth; CDN-hosted mods (modrinth/forgecdn/curseforge) are
intentionally exempt.
Brass & Sigil
Self-hosted Minecraft modpack distribution + administration system. Three components, one repo:
brass-and-sigil/
├── launcher/ ← Avalonia desktop client (Windows .NET 8)
│ Auths with Microsoft, syncs the modpack, launches the game.
├── server/ ← brass-sigil-server daemon (Linux .NET 8)
│ Wraps the MC subprocess, exposes the admin web panel,
│ syncs mods, runs backups + BlueMap, handles whitelist.
├── pack/ ← Modpack content
│ ├── pack.lock.json Source of truth for mod versions / URLs / hashes
│ ├── tweaks/ Hand-written data-only tweak source
│ └── overrides/ Build output / hand-placed local files (gitignored)
├── scripts/ ← Build + deploy entry points (run from repo root)
│ ├── Update-Pack.ps1 Refresh pack.lock.json from Modrinth/CurseForge
│ ├── Check-Updates.ps1 Non-mutating "what's new?" report
│ ├── Build-Tweaks.ps1 Compile tweaks/ into pack/overrides/mods/*.jar
│ ├── Build-Pack.ps1 Generate manifest.json from the lockfile
│ └── Deploy-Brass.ps1 One-shot build + deploy everything
└── docs/ ← Operational notes, deploy runbook, schema docs
Quick start
# Pull dependencies, copy and edit the deploy profile
git clone <remote> brass-and-sigil
cd brass-and-sigil
Copy-Item scripts\deploy.config.template.ps1 scripts\deploy.config.ps1
notepad scripts\deploy.config.ps1 # fill in deploy share, SSH host, etc.
# Build + deploy everything in one go
.\scripts\Deploy-Brass.ps1
deploy.config.ps1 is gitignored -- local values never get committed.
Component reference
| Component | What it does | Technology |
|---|---|---|
launcher/ |
Friend-distributed client. Auths with Microsoft via WebView2 + XboxAuthNet, downloads mods, launches Minecraft. Single self-contained .exe published from publish/. |
Avalonia 12 + CmlLib.Core |
server/ |
Daemon running alongside the MC process on Linux. Hosts a Kestrel web panel for admin (cookie-auth, rate-limited), bridges RCON, runs scheduled backups + BlueMap renders, handles whitelist requests. | ASP.NET Core minimal APIs |
pack/ |
Lockfile-driven modpack content. pack.lock.json resolves mod slug → URL+SHA-1; Build-Pack.ps1 walks it and produces manifest.json for the launcher and the server-tool to consume. |
PowerShell tooling |
Workflow
- Bump mod versions:
.\scripts\Update-Pack.ps1(queries Modrinth + manual CurseForge entries). - Sanity-check:
.\scripts\Check-Updates.ps1for a non-mutating availability report. - Edit tweaks under
pack/tweaks/<name>/if you're changing recipes / loot / etc. - Deploy:
.\scripts\Deploy-Brass.ps1-- builds launcher + server, regenerates manifest, mirrors everything to the deploy share, scp's the server binary.
Secrets / config files
| File | Tracked? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
launcher/launcher-config.template.json |
✓ | Empty placeholders, public-safe |
launcher/launcher-config.json |
✗ | Local override; merged into the published exe at build time if present |
server/deploy/server-config.example.json |
✓ | Template; rename to server-config.json on the server with real values |
server/deploy/server-config.json |
✗ | Production config; lives on the server only |
scripts/deploy.config.ps1 |
✗ | Local deploy profile (paths, SSH host, share location) |
License
See LICENSE.