Set Up a Minecraft Snapshot 22w17a Server for Goat Horn Testing

Minecraft Snapshot 22w17a brought goat horns into testing, along with several smaller but important gameplay changes. If you want to try those features with friends, everyone needs the snapshot installed and the server needs to run the same version.

This guide explains the main additions in Snapshot 22w17a, then walks through both home-hosted and paid server options.

Snapshot 22w17a Highlights

Snapshot 22w17a is not one of the largest Minecraft snapshots, but it has plenty worth testing. The headline feature is goat horns, which drop when goats ram into solid blocks. There are eight variants, and each one plays a different sound that can be heard from far away. Subtle? Not exactly. Useful for annoying friends across a mountain range? Very likely.

The Warden also changed in this snapshot. Its ranged attack now bypasses shields and armor, deals ten points of damage, and has a cooldown reduced from five seconds to two. Wardens now drop a sculk catalyst when defeated, although surviving long enough to collect one is still the tricky part.

Allays received note block improvements as well. Their connection to note blocks has clearer visual feedback, and wool can once again block that connection.

Finally, TNT lit by players now causes blocks to drop experience as if those blocks had been mined.

Install Minecraft Snapshot 22w17a

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A player can only join a Snapshot 22w17a server if their client is also running Snapshot 22w17a. Mojang describes the process in the official Snapshot 22w17a post: open the Minecraft Launcher and enable snapshots from the Installations tab.

Then create a new installation using the snapshot and launch it from the launcher. Before opening important worlds, make backups. Snapshots are test versions, and older worlds can be damaged if loaded without caution.

Create a Minecraft Snapshot 22w17a Server

Snapshot servers can be made at home without paying for hosting, but paid hosting is often easier and more reliable. Experimental builds can already be unstable, so reducing setup problems helps. At least 4GB of server RAM is recommended either way.

Home Hosting Snapshot 22w17a

Download the official server jar from the Minecraft Snapshot 22w17a article. Put the jar in a fresh folder that will store the server files.

Run the jar once and let it generate the first files. Open the Minecraft EULA file, change the value to true, then edit any server properties you want to customize. Start the jar again, and the Snapshot 22w17a server should come online.

If friends cannot connect, the issue is often outside Minecraft itself. Port forwarding, firewalls, router settings, and local security software can all block access. The host computer also needs enough CPU, memory, and network stability to run the server.

Paid Hosting Snapshot 22w17a

Many hosts offer Snapshot 22w17a as a pre-install option or through a jar menu after purchase. Server details such as the IP address and panel login are usually sent by email, though the exact process depends on the provider.

At HolyHosting, Java Edition snapshots are added to the jar menu for Budget and Premium servers when released. If the snapshot is not available as a checkout option, it can be selected later from the jar selection menu inside the Multicraft panel for free. Select Snapshot 22w17a, start the server, and join with the matching launcher installation.

Try the Horns and Test the Changes

After the server is running and everyone has the right client version, Snapshot 22w17a is ready for multiplayer testing. Bring a goat horn, give the Allay changes a look, and avoid treating the Warden like it became friendlier. It did not.