firefrost-operations-manual/docs/tasks-index/task-104-mod-deployment-automation.md

task_number, title, status, priority, is_blocker, owner, tags, estimated_hours

task_number	title	status	priority	is_blocker	owner	tags	estimated_hours
104	Server-Side Mod Deployment Automation	In Progress	P1-High	false	Holly	automation pterodactyl mods	8

Task #104: Server-Side Mod Deployment Automation

Problem

Every time we deploy a new public modpack, Holly has to manually install and configure 14 server-side mods per server. With 10 servers and ~1 hour per server, that's 10 hours of repetitive file manager work.

Solution

Automate deployment via Trinity Console using Pterodactyl API.

Architecture Decision

Chosen: Option B — Trinity Console Push (API)

Per Gemini consultation (April 9, 2026), we evaluated three approaches:

Option	Approach	Verdict
A	Egg Startup Script (self-healing pull)	Future — after 50+ servers
B	Trinity Console Push (API)	NOW — fast to build, we control it
C	Hybrid	Effectively B with intent to revisit A

Why B for now:

• 6 days from soft launch — speed matters
• Holly needs relief NOW
• We already have Pterodactyl API in Arbiter
• Can test on single server before mass deploy
• No egg modifications needed

Revisit Option A post-launch when stability > flexibility.

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Implementation Plan

Phase 1: Bundle Creation (Holly)

Holly creates 3 mod bundles:

MC Version	Bundle Contents
1.16.5	14 mods + configs
1.20.1	14 mods + configs
1.21.1	14 mods + configs

Bundle structure:

1.20.1.zip
├── mods/
│   ├── mod1.jar
│   ├── mod2.jar
│   └── ...
└── config/
    ├── mod1.toml
    └── ...

Storage location: Command Center /var/www/html/deploy/ or Gitea LFS

Phase 2: Trinity Console Integration (Claude/Michael)

Add to Servers page:

1. Display MC version on each server card (from Pterodactyl egg variables)
2. "Deploy Server Mods" button per server
3. Button workflow:
   • Stop server (power action)
   • Wait for offline status
   • Upload correct bundle via Files API
   • Extract zip
   • Start server

Phase 3: Mass Deploy

Add "Deploy Mods to All [version] Servers" button for batch operations.

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Gemini Consultation Summary

Key recommendations:

1. Storage: Web-accessible directory on Command Center
2. Never push to running servers — stop first, then deploy
3. Skip CurseForge API — overkill for 14 mods, manual download is fine
4. Self-healing (Option A) is better long-term but invasive now

Full consultation: docs/consultations/gemini-mod-deployment-automation-2026-04-09.md

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Safety Protocol

Stop Server → Wait for Offline → Upload Files → Extract → Start Server

Never overwrite JARs while JVM is running (causes crashes).

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Open Questions

1. Where exactly to store bundles? (Command Center web dir vs Gitea LFS)
2. How to detect MC version from Pterodactyl API? (egg variable name)
3. Should configs overwrite existing or merge?

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Notes

• Holly is working on this with her Catalyst in parallel
• Compare approaches and merge best ideas
• This is P1 because it directly affects Holly's workload before launch

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