Terasology is a free, open source gaming project written in Java and released under Apache-2.0. It has 3,898 GitHub stars, 1,376 forks and 462 open issues, and was last pushed 38 hours ago. On this registry it ranks #35 of 54 tracked projects in Gaming, with 5 head-to-head comparisons available.

What is Terasology?

Terasology is an open-source voxel world game engine written in Java for players, modders, and developers who want a Minecraft-inspired platform they can build on, host, and modify themselves.

What it is

Terasology is a 3D voxel sandbox game engine and world, written in Java and licensed under Apache-2.0. It began life as a Minecraft-inspired tech demo and has grown into a stable platform for various types of gameplay settings in a voxel world, maintained by a mixed group of software developers, designers, game testers, graphic artists, and musicians who welcome contributions under a code of conduct.

The project solves the problem of having a voxel game you can actually extend and control: instead of being locked into a single closed title, developers get a modular codebase they can clone, run from source, and extend through separate module repositories, while players get a game they can host themselves. Its workspace is deliberately a multi-repo setup, where every subdirectory under ./modules/ is its own clone of a Terasology module repository, so gameplay logic is split into independently maintained packages rather than living in one monolith.

Key capabilities

  • Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux (64-bit) with modest hardware: a dual-core CPU, 4 GB of RAM, OpenGL 3.3-capable graphics (Intel HD Gen 7, GeForce 8xxx or higher, or Radeon HD 2000 or higher), and 1 GB of storage.
  • Distributes gameplay features as modules, each hosted in its own repository under the Terasology GitHub organization and cloned into the workspace's ./modules/ directory.
  • Provides a dedicated launcher (MovingBlocks/TerasologyLauncher) for easy game setup, with internet connectivity required only for the initial download and offline play supported afterwards.
  • Ships two build channels: stable releases published to the GitHub release section, and a cutting-edge develop build produced by Jenkins at jenkins.terasology.io as TerasologyOmega.zip.
  • Supports direct-download installs from source for users who already have a JDK, requiring Java version 17, which is also the baseline version CI verifies against.
  • Offers documented play and server-hosting instructions in docs/Playing.md and module documentation in docs/Modules.md.
  • Guides contributors through an official Contributor Quick Start geared to IntelliJ IDEA (the free Community Edition works), with alternative setups possible.

Who uses it and how

  • Players install through the launcher from terasology.org/downloads/, then switch to offline play for everyday sessions.
  • Server hosts follow the hosting section of docs/Playing.md to run their own worlds rather than relying on a third-party service.
  • Developers clone MovingBlocks/Terasology and each module repo into a multi-repo workspace, then run the engine from source on Windows, Linux, or macOS with a properly set up JDK.
  • Contributors work through GitHub forks and pull requests — the README explicitly expects familiarity with forks — and verify against the Java 17 CI baseline, raising issues such as #3976 when newer Java versions break the build.
  • Artists, testers, designers, and musicians participate alongside programmers in the wider MovingBlocks community.

Getting started

Install the launcher from the Terasology downloads page for the recommended setup, or, with JDK 17 installed, download a stable release from the GitHub releases section or the latest TerasologyOmega.zip develop build from Jenkins.

How it compares

This registry does not include a list of paid products that Terasology replaces, and the project's own material names no comparable tools in this directory; it therefore stands alone here.

When to use it — and when not

It suits people willing to work with a multi-repo workspace, Git forks, and a Java 17 toolchain, and who want to run both client and server themselves. Do not pick it if you want a one-file install or a guaranteed stable experience: there are 462 open issues, the README warns that newer Java versions may cause issues, and prospective users should check current project activity and the Apache-2.0 licence details before committing to it.

project readme (upstream, from github) — read inline

Release License (Code) License (Art) Code climate maintainability Code climate tech debt Code climate issues

Community | Installation | Development | License | Knowledge Base

The Terasology project was born from a Minecraft-inspired tech demo and is becoming a stable platform for various types of gameplay settings in a voxel world. The creators and maintainers are a diverse mix of software developers, designers, game testers, graphic artists, and musicians. We encourage others to join! We encourage contributions from anybody and try to keep a warm and friendly community and maintain a code of conduct.

Community

If you want to get in contact with the Terasology community and the whole MovingBlocks team, you can easily connect with us, share your ideas, report and solve problems. We are present in nearly the complete round-up of social networks. Follow/friend us wherever you want, chat with us and tell the world.

 

                             

Installation

Minimum Requirements
System (OS) Windows, MacOS, Linux (64 bit)
Processor (CPU) dual-core CPU
Memory (RAM) 4 GB
Graphics* (GPU) Intel HD Graphics (Gen 7)
GeForce 8xxx series (or higher) or
Radeon HD 2000 series (or higher)
with OpenGL 3.3
Storage (HDD) 1 GB

* Please note, that if you have both integrated (chip) and dedicated (card) graphics, you should make sure that you're actually using your dedicated graphics when running Terasology.

Internet connectivity is required for downloading Terasology via the Launcher, afterwards playing offline is possible.

For easy game setup (recommended) you can use our launcher - download it here.

For more information about playing, like hot keys or server hosting, see the dedicated page or check out the modules.

Alternative Installation Methods

If you already have a Java Development Kit (JDK) installed, you may use a direct download release as an alternative to using the launcher. Java version 17 is required.

ßDirect download stable builds are uploaded to our release section here on GitHub while the cutting-edge develop version can be downloaded direct here from our Jenkins.

Development

Development is possible on all common platforms (Windows, Linux, MacOS) as long as the JDK is properly set up.

Requirements

Technical Requirements:

  • Java SE Development Kit (JDK) 17. The CI will verify against this baseline version.


Using newer Java versions may cause issues (see #3976).

  • Git to clone the repo and commit changes.

Non-Technical Requirements:

Workspace Setup

To be able to run Terasology from source, you'll need to setup your workspace. Follow the Contributor Quick Start Guide. This guide is designed for IntelliJ IDEA (you can use the free community edition), but alternative setups are possible.

:warning: Note, that a Terasology workspace is a multi-repo workspace.

While your workspace itself is a clone of MovingBlocks/Terasology, every subdirectory in your workspace directory ./modules/ is a clone of a Terasology module repo.

Accordingly, if you want to contribute to modules, you'll need to navigate into the respective subdirectory and work with Git from in there. Any Git commands executed in your workspace root will target MovingBlocks/Terasology.

For more information, see our wiki entry on Understanding Terasology's Git Setup.

Contributing

Detailed information on how to contribute can be found in CONTRIBUTING.md. Remember, that all submissions must be licensed under Apache License, Version 2.0.

Terasology has a rather steep learning curve in the beginning. To help you with the learning process, our Terasology Knowledge Base, formerly known as the Terasology Engine wiki, helps you find the resources you need according to the field of contribution you're interested in. Additional learning resources can be found in our tutorial modules.

If you find errors or issues in any of our resources, please report them using GitHub issues and help fix them.

For developers that have not worked with complex software systems or dealt with the intricacies of Java yet, we recommend to start with Good First Issues in Module Land.

Developers with previous experience in rendering, physics and other less trivial aspects of game development are welcome to give the Good First Issues in Engine a go.

License

Terasology is fully open source and licensed Apache License, Version 2.0 for code and Creative Commons Attribution License, Version 4.0 for artwork (unless indicated otherwise - see credits for minor exceptions).

Frequently asked questions

Is Terasology free to use?

Terasology is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. There is no licence fee and no seat count — you can self-host it or, where the project offers one, pay a vendor for a managed version instead.

What does Terasology do?

Terasology - open source voxel world

What is Terasology written in?

Terasology is primarily written in Java. Its source is publicly available at https://github.com/MovingBlocks/Terasology, and it has 3,898 GitHub stars.