How to Install Pterodactyl Panel with the One-Line Installer (2026 Guide)

Pterodactyl One-Line Install Script

Log in to your server as root (or a user with full sudo privileges) and run:

bash <(curl -s https://pterodactyl-installer.se)

This script is an open-source, community-maintained installer that automates the full stack: PHP 8.3, MariaDB, NGINX, Redis, Docker, and the latest stable Pterodactyl Panel and Wings releases.

When the menu appears, choose option 2 to install both the Panel and Wings on the same machine. For a single Citadel Servers VPS or dedicated server, this is the setup we recommend.

Server Requirements and Supported Operating Systems

Before you run the script, make sure your machine is clean—no existing web panels, control panels, or game servers. Conflicting packages are the fastest way to break an automated install.

• Access: Root or full sudo access via SSH
• Memory: At least 2 GB RAM for the panel, plus extra for your game servers
• Disk: 20–40 GB minimum for the OS and panel; more for game data

The installer currently supports:

Older distributions (such as Ubuntu 20.04 and CentOS) are no longer targeted by the script. For new installs, we recommend Ubuntu 24.04 LTS—long-term support, great documentation, and a huge community.

What Is Pterodactyl Panel?

Pterodactyl is a free, open-source game server management panel that runs each server inside an isolated Docker container. Instead of juggling multiple SSH sessions or Windows consoles, you manage everything from a single web interface.

Its “egg” system lets you add support for a wide range of games and tools—Minecraft, Rust, ARK, voice servers, bots, and more—without custom scripting for each one.

At Citadel Servers, we use Pterodactyl extensively for multi-tenant game hosting, and it remains one of the most flexible panels available in 2026.

Step-by-Step: Running the Install Script

Step 1: SSH into Your Server

Connect to your Citadel Servers VPS or dedicated machine via SSH:

ssh root@your-server-ip

Once logged in, paste the installer command and press Enter:

bash <(curl -s https://pterodactyl-installer.se)

Step 2: Choose What to Install

When the script menu appears:

• Option 1: Panel only
• Option 2: Panel + Wings (recommended)
• Option 3: Wings only

For a single-server deployment, select Option 2. This sets up the web panel and the Wings daemon on the same host.

Step 3: Answer the Prompts

The script will ask a series of questions. Safe defaults for most Citadel Servers setups:

• Database name / user: Press Enter to accept defaults
• Database password: Choose a strong, unique password
• Timezone: Enter your region (e.g. America/Los_Angeles)
• Email address: Used for the admin account and SSL
• Admin username/password: Your panel login credentials
• FQDN: Domain like panel.yourdomain.com, or your server IP if you don’t have a domain yet
• Firewall (UFW): Yes, to automatically open required ports
• HTTPS / Let’s Encrypt: Yes if you entered a domain, No if you used an IP

Confirm the configuration when prompted. The full installation usually completes in 10–15 minutes on a fresh server.

Step 4: Log In to Your New Panel

Once the script finishes:

1. Open your browser and go to your domain or server IP.
2. You should see the Pterodactyl login page.
3. Sign in with the admin username and password you set during installation.

If the page doesn’t load, don’t reinstall yet—check the troubleshooting section below first.

Adding a Node and Getting Wings Online

In Pterodactyl, a node is a machine that runs game servers via the Wings daemon. Even if Wings is installed on the same server as the panel, you still need to configure a node inside the panel.

1. Create a node: In the admin area, add a new node and set its FQDN/IP and ports.
2. Copy the configuration: Pterodactyl will generate a YAML config for Wings.
3. Paste the config: Save it to /etc/pterodactyl/config.yml on the node.
4. Restart Wings: systemctl restart wings

When the node shows a green heartbeat in the panel, you’re ready to create your first game server.

Using Citadel Servers for Your Pterodactyl Host

You can run Pterodactyl on almost any provider, but it works best on clean, unmodified OS images. Citadel Servers offers VPS and dedicated machines with stock Ubuntu and Debian templates—perfect for automated installers like this.

1. Deploy a server: Choose Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and a location close to your players.
2. Size the machine: Start with 2–4 GB RAM for small Minecraft or Rust communities.
3. Grab credentials: Note the IP, username, and password from the control panel.
4. SSH in and install: Follow the steps above to run the one-line installer.

From there, you can attach additional Citadel Servers nodes for larger clusters or specific regions.

Manual Installation (If You Want Full Control)

Prefer to configure everything yourself? You can install Pterodactyl manually using the official documentation: set up PHP 8.3, Composer, MariaDB, Redis, NGINX, and then deploy the panel, run migrations, and configure queue workers and cron jobs.

Expect 30–60 minutes for a manual install if you’re comfortable with Linux administration. The end result is functionally identical—the script simply automates those same steps.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

“Unsupported OS” Error

If the script reports an unsupported distribution or version, reinstall with a supported OS—Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is the safest choice for most users.

Panel Page Won’t Load

Check that NGINX and PHP-FPM are running:

systemctl status nginx
systemctl status php8.3-fpm

If you enabled HTTPS but your domain wasn’t pointing at the server yet, the Let’s Encrypt step may have failed. Fix your DNS A record, then re-run certbot or the SSL portion of the script.

SSL Fails When Using an IP

Let’s Encrypt requires a valid domain name. If you installed using an IP address, choose HTTP only (no SSL), or add a domain and point it to your server before enabling HTTPS.

Wings Not Connecting / Node Heartbeat Red

Make sure the required ports are open in your firewall (commonly 8080 and 2022), and confirm that the node configuration is correctly saved in /etc/pterodactyl/config.yml before restarting Wings.

Script Fails Mid-Install

The most frequent cause is a non-fresh OS with conflicting packages or previous panels. In most cases, it’s faster and cleaner to reinstall the operating system and run the script again than to patch a half-completed install.

Is Pterodactyl Still Maintained in 2026?

Pterodactyl continues to receive bug fixes and security updates, though development has slowed compared to earlier years. Recent releases of Panel and Wings shipped in 2026, and the installer tracks the latest stable versions.

If you’re exploring alternatives, community forks like Pelican Panel build on the same egg ecosystem while adding new features—but Pterodactyl remains a solid, production-ready choice for most Citadel Servers users.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an auto installer for Pterodactyl?

Yes. The community script at pterodactyl-installer.se installs the Panel, Wings, or both with a single command.

What operating systems are supported?

Ubuntu 22.04/24.04/26.04, Debian 10–13, Rocky Linux 8/9, and AlmaLinux 8/9. Older CentOS releases are no longer targeted by the script.

Is Pterodactyl free?

Pterodactyl is open-source software under the MIT license. The installer is also free; your only cost is the server you run it on.

How long does the install take?

On a fresh Citadel Servers machine, the one-line installer typically completes in 10–15 minutes for Panel + Wings.