Can I install npm packages or import from the root filesystem via the panel?
On a managed game server, you work entirely within your own server's directory rather than the host's root filesystem. That keeps your server secure and isolated, but it also means package installs and file access follow the panel's model rather than a raw shell. Here's what you can and can't do.
What you can access
Your Files tab and SFTP give you full control inside your server's own directory. For bot and app eggs like Node.js, dependency installs are handled by the egg's startup and install process — not a root shell you log into.
Working within your server
- Upload and manage files inside your server via Files or SFTP.
- For bot/app eggs (e.g. Node.js), let dependency installs run through the egg's startup/install process.
- Understand that you can't reach outside your server into the host filesystem — that's by design.
Note: Arbitrary package installs and full filesystem or root control were VPS features, and VPS plans aren't sold any more.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add Node packages for a Discord bot? They're installed by the bot egg's install step — see the Discord bot docs for the specifics.
More in Server Settings & Configuration
- How do I configure a brand-new server from scratch?
- How do I edit server.properties and other config files?
- How do I set a server icon or description (MOTD)?
- How do I set the startup jar/script and fix "invalid or corrupt jarfile" errors?
- How do I set up a specific server type (Bedrock, Spigot, Mohist, Velocity, Waterfall, Forge)?
- How do I install a resource/texture pack that prompts players?