MaNGOS
The legendary foundation of WoW emulation — an open-source C++ server application that first proved Azeroth could be rebuilt from scratch, spawning an entire ecosystem of projects.
Enter HubThe premier nexus for WoW emulator developers, coders, learners, and players. Master the core, contribute to open-source, and build the future of private servers.
Every great private server begins with a core. Explore the foundational emulator projects that power the WoW emulation scene — from legendary legacy code to cutting-edge modern C++.
The legendary foundation of WoW emulation — an open-source C++ server application that first proved Azeroth could be rebuilt from scratch, spawning an entire ecosystem of projects.
Enter HubThe continuous, community-driven evolution of classic MaNGOS — meticulously maintained across Vanilla, TBC, and WotLK branches with a relentless focus on blizzlike accuracy.
Enter HubHigh-performance, modern C++20 architecture optimized for stability and extensibility — the dominant framework for WotLK 3.3.5a servers, with a massive scripting database.
Enter HubModular, scalable, and the most actively maintained WoW 3.3.5a emulator — featuring a powerful module system that allows plug-and-play server customization without core modification.
Enter HubThe bleeding edge of modern private server development — reverse-engineering current expansion clients, tackling Shadowlands and Dragonflight emulation challenges.
Enter HubFrom zero to compiled server — every guide, snippet, and reference you need to master WoW emulator development lives in this curated compendium.
New to WoW emulator development? Start here. This guide walks you through the conceptual architecture of a typical emulator stack — from client packet handling to world simulation — and helps you choose the right core for your goals.
Decide which expansion you want to host (Vanilla 1.12.1, TBC 2.4.3, WotLK 3.3.5a, Cataclysm 4.3.4). Each expansion has dedicated core projects with different community sizes and completion levels.
Install prerequisites: CMake 3.16+, Boost 1.74+, MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6+, and a C++20-compatible compiler (GCC 11+, Clang 12+, or MSVC 2022). Use Docker for a reproducible build environment.
Fork the upstream repository, clone your fork locally, and run CMake with your desired module flags. Familiarize yourself with the CMakeLists.txt configuration options before your first build.
Download the latest world database SQL dump and execute the import scripts against your MySQL instance. The world DB contains all creature spawns, quest data, game objects, and loot tables.
Start with the authserver (authentication/realm list), then launch worldserver. Monitor the console output for any missing DBC file errors or database connection failures before connecting a client.
Building your own binary gives you full control over compile-time flags, custom patches, and debug symbols. Below is the canonical build sequence for AzerothCore on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS.
# ─── Install Prerequisites ──────────────────────────────────────────── sudo apt-get install -y \ cmake make gcc g++ clang \ libmysqlclient-dev libssl-dev libboost-all-dev \ libreadline-dev libncurses-dev libace-dev # ─── Clone Repository ───────────────────────────────────────────────── git clone https://github.com/azerothcore/azerothcore-wotlk.git cd azerothcore-wotlk # ─── Create Build Directory & Configure CMake ───────────────────────── mkdir build && cd build cmake .. \ -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo \ -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/azerothcore/ \ -DTOOLS_BUILD=db-only \ -DSCRIPTS=static \ -DMODULES=static # ─── Compile (use -j$(nproc) to parallelize) ────────────────────────── make -j$(nproc) && make install # ─── Verify Binaries ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ls /opt/azerothcore/bin/ # Expected output: authserver worldserver mapextractor vmap4extractor
WoW emulators rely on a multi-database schema. Understanding the separation between auth, characters, and world databases is critical for both setup and custom scripting.
-- ─── Custom Spell Loot Template ────────────────────────────────────────── -- Adds a 0.5% chance drop of Azeroth Dev Token (item 900001) -- to all creatures using the Arcane Blast scripted spell (spell 36032) -- Author: DevHub Scripting Team | Patch: 3.3.5a | Date: 2024-11-15 DELETE FROM spell_loot_template WHERE Entry = 36032 AND Item = 900001; INSERT INTO spell_loot_template (Entry, Item, Reference, Chance, QuestRequired, LootMode, GroupId, MinCount, MaxCount, Comment) VALUES (36032, 900001, 0, 0.5, 0, 1, 0, 1, 1, 'Azeroth Dev Token — 0.5% from Arcane Blast'); -- ─── Creature Loot Template Update ─────────────────────────────────────── -- Kel'Thuzad (NPC Entry: 15990) drops the Phylactery Shard at 100% UPDATE creature_loot_template SET Chance = 100.0, Comment = 'Guaranteed drop — heroic 25-man only' WHERE Entry = 15990 AND Item = 47557; -- ─── Verify Changes ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────── SELECT Entry, Item, Chance, MinCount, MaxCount, Comment FROM spell_loot_template WHERE Entry = 36032;
Custom C++ scripts let you override default server logic with precise, event-driven behavior. Below is a production-quality example of a boss spell script — specifically an arcane overload ability with phased cast logic and creature AI hooks.
/* * AzerothCore — Custom Spell Script * Spell: Arcane Overload (ID: 68019) * Boss: High Arcanist Vex'tara — Nexus (Heroic 10-Man) * Author: AzerothDevHub Team * License: GPL-2.0-or-later */ #include "ScriptMgr.h" #include "SpellScript.h" #include "SpellAuras.h" #include "Unit.h" #include "Player.h" // ─── Spell Entry Constants ───────────────────────────────────────────── constexpr uint32 SPELL_ARCANE_OVERLOAD = 68019; constexpr uint32 SPELL_ARCANE_PHASE_SHIFT = 68020; constexpr uint32 SPELL_ARCANE_RESONANCE = 68021; constexpr float OVERLOAD_DAMAGE_MULT = 1.35f; // Heroic bonus // ─── SpellScript: Arcane Overload ────────────────────────────────────── class spell_arcane_overload : public SpellScript { DECLARE_SPELLSCRIPT(spell_arcane_overload); public: /** * Validate that all dependent spells exist in the DBC. * Prevents crashes if the spell table is incomplete. */ bool Validate(SpellInfo const* /*spellInfo*/) override { return ValidateSpellInfo({ SPELL_ARCANE_OVERLOAD, SPELL_ARCANE_PHASE_SHIFT, SPELL_ARCANE_RESONANCE }); } /** * OnHit: Scale damage in heroic mode & apply Phase Shift debuff * if target is a Player with Arcane Resonance aura active. */ void HandleOnHit() { Unit* target = GetHitUnit(); Unit* caster = GetCaster(); if (!target || !caster) return; // Scale damage for heroic difficulty if (caster->GetMap()->IsHeroic()) { int32 dmg = GetHitDamage(); SetHitDamage(static_cast<int32>(dmg * OVERLOAD_DAMAGE_MULT)); } // Apply Phase Shift if target already has Arcane Resonance if (target->HasAura(SPELL_ARCANE_RESONANCE)) caster->CastSpell(target, SPELL_ARCANE_PHASE_SHIFT, true); } void Register() override { OnHit += SpellHitFn(spell_arcane_overload::HandleOnHit); } }; // ─── Register Script with ScriptMgr ──────────────────────────────────── void AddSC_spell_arcane_overload() { RegisterSpellScript(spell_arcane_overload); }
Access the latest stable builds, release candidates, and development snapshots for all major WoW emulator cores. Always verify checksums before deploying to production.
| Project | Branch / Version | Last Updated | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AzerothCore
WotLK 3.3.5a — Modular Architecture
|
master |
2 hours ago
|
Stable | Download |
|
TrinityCore
WotLK 3.3.5a & Master Branch
|
3.3.5 |
6 hours ago
|
Stable | Download |
|
CMaNGOS
Vanilla 1.12.1 / TBC 2.4.3 / WotLK
|
wotlk-dev |
1 day ago
|
RC | Download |
|
MaNGOS
Original Legacy Core — Historical
|
v21.5-beta |
3 days ago
|
Beta | Download |
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