Devlog #03 - HostForge

Hi guys, in the last few days I sadly wasn’t able to work much on my project, because I was busy doing a whole lot of nothing. I just couldn’t motivate myself, and I don’t want this project to become an annoyance, because I really love working on it.

Anyways…

The Progress

Today I wanted to get a lot done, so I started with the development of creating and setting up the different server types. I began with the entry page where you can select between vanilla, modded, plugin/performance, and proxy servers. It took me a lot longer than it should have, because it was actually a simple task: fetch the version list of each server mod to display it in a dropdown menu, let the user select one, and save the selected server so I can make another API call to download the server file. But my mushy brain had a lot of other ideas on how to get the list displayed, and I stuck to what I learned in school, which didn’t make it any better. In the end I found a way simpler solution.

Problems

Even though I rarely use AI in this project, I still used it for a few bugs today, things like fixing styles or figuring out why the version wasn’t showing up. But I want to figure all of this out by myself. I’m just too lazy sometimes and fall back on it, which means I don’t learn as much, and that isn’t my goal. I want to be the pilot of my own project without relying much on AI, grinding through the debugger instead. Even though it’s annoying, it’s necessary if you want a clear understanding of what you’re actually doing.

Progress

We’re getting closer to an actual server setup with all the functions like setting RAM, port, address, etc. There are still a few rocks in the way, but I’ll probably have something showable after about 10 more hours of programming.

You can check out my github to see all my progress. Bye (^_^)/

Devlog #02 – HostForge

What have I done?

I have mostly finished the header and sidebar of the interface, including all the navigation functions for the buttons. ╰(°▽°)╯

The Problem

I’m not completely satisfied with the overall design. Of course, there are a few things I couldn’t implement yet because they require actual Minecraft server data, which isn’t available at this stage of the project.

Another thing that bothers me is that I used AI for a few tasks. I think using AI is perfectly fine for things like setting up the folder structure, fixing .json files, managing dependencies, or installing packages. However, I also used it for parts of the frontend, especially CSS. If something wasn’t aligned or centered, I wasn’t going to waste time trying to center a single element for 10 minutes.

What are the next steps?

Now I can finally move on to the real work: figuring out how to automate server creation and how to display and manage servers inside the application.

From this point on, the project will focus much more on logic and backend development. I’ll be using Rust, which I’ve never used before. I’ve heard it’s somewhat similar to C, which I’ve used a few times in school. We’ll see how it goes.

My goal is to actually read the documentation and figure things out myself instead of relying on AI generated code. I didn’t generate everything with AI mostly just some CSS and a few things like deciding which packages to use for my application (for example, opening URLs or creating separate windows). I will still use AI to help me research specific problems or give me hints when I’m stuck, but I want to understand and write the code myself.

That’s it for this devlog. Bye! (^_^)/

Devlog #01 HostForge

The Idea

The idea behind my project is to simplify the process of creating and managing Minecraft servers.

Instead of manually downloading server software, configuring files, accepting the EULA, forwarding the port, and setting everything up by hand, this application will provide a setup wizard.

Users will choose the server type, Minecraft version, and a few options other options like the port or an description, while the application automatically downloads, configures, and launches the server with a start button.

The goal is to make Minecraft server creation fast and simple.

My Goal

My goal is to build a modern desktop application that acts as a management service.

It will streamline the entire setup and management process through a clean interface.

Tech Stack

Rust

Backend responsibilities:

• File management
• Server management
• Downloads
• Process handling

React + Typescript

Frontend responsibilities:

• Modern user interface
• Responsive design
• User interaction

Tauri v2

Used to create a cross-platform desktop application for:

• Windows
• Linux
• macOS
• Connecting the React frontend with the Rust backend

What have I already finished?

Nothing :<

So, I just started with this project. I already set up the project structure with all the folders, etc., so I can start programming.

But I have already created a Figma mockup, which you can see in the screenshots. I have to mention that it was created with their AI and my high-definition prompt xD.

This will definitely not be the final design. A lot of things will change, but I just wanted to create a concept of how it could look with all the buttons and functions.

Footnote

My DevLogs may sound AI generated because the are. Well not completely let me explain, I write them on my own in my native language and give them Chatgpt to translate them fix my grammer and typos. I also use it so i have more time for programming . But i read it my DevLogs througly before i post them.

bye ( ^_^)／