Visibility Modes (Public, Friends Only, Invite Only)
Granular control over who can discover and join your server.
Overview
Visibility modes give you complete control over who can discover and join your Minecraft server. This three-tier system balances accessibility with privacy, letting you choose the perfect level of openness for your game session.
Quick Summary
- Public: listed for any authenticated user
- Friends Only: visible and joinable by accepted friends
- Invite Only: not listed; requires invite or known endpoint
- Enforced at UI, DB (RLS), and relay layers
How It Works
Public mode makes your server visible in the global server browser to all authenticated users. Anyone can see your server details and join instantly.
Friends Only restricts visibility and access to users on your accepted friends list. Your server won't appear in public listings but will show up in your friends' lobbies.
Invite Only hides your server completely from all listings. Players can only join if you share the direct endpoint URL or send them an invite.
All three modes are enforced at multiple layers: the UI filters what users see, database Row-Level Security controls data access, and the relay validates join attempts.
Use Cases
Real-World Examples
Community Event
Weekly Game Night
Content Creation
Technical Details
- Visibility changes take effect immediately across all systems with no caching delays.
- The relay server validates every join request against the current visibility setting before establishing a connection.
- RLS policies in Supabase ensure that even API manipulation cannot bypass visibility rules.
- Switching modes mid-session doesn't disconnect existing players but affects future join attempts.
Best Practices
- Start with Friends Only if you're unsure - you can always open it to Public later.
- Use Invite Only when streaming or recording to prevent stream sniping.
- Remember that Public servers may fill up quickly during peak hours.
- Friends must be mutually accepted before they can see Friends Only servers.