Choosing Your Minecraft Server Software

One of the first decisions you'll make when setting up a Minecraft server is choosing the server software. This guide covers all the popular options and helps you pick the right one for your needs.

Server Software Comparison

Software	Type	Plugin Support	Mod Support	Performance
Vanilla	Official	❌	❌	Baseline
Paper	Bukkit Fork	✅ Bukkit/Spigot	❌	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Purpur	Paper Fork	✅ Bukkit/Spigot	❌	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Forge	Modded	❌	✅ Forge	⭐⭐⭐
Fabric	Modded	❌	✅ Fabric	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mohist	Hybrid	✅ Bukkit	✅ Forge	⭐⭐⭐

Vanilla

The official Minecraft server software from Mojang.

Pros:

• Official and always up-to-date
• Guaranteed compatibility
• Simple setup

Cons:

• No plugin or mod support
• Lower performance
• Limited customization

Best for: Pure vanilla experience, technical Minecraft servers

Paper (Recommended for Plugins)

The most popular server software for plugin-based servers.

Pros:

• Excellent performance optimization
• Bukkit/Spigot plugin compatibility
• Active development and community
• Many built-in optimizations
• Asynchronous chunk loading

Cons:

• Some vanilla mechanics may be altered
• No mod support

Best for: Most servers, especially those wanting plugins

Installing Paper

1. In your game panel, go to Settings > Server Software
2. Select Paper from the dropdown
3. Choose your Minecraft version
4. Restart your server

Purpur

A Paper fork with additional features and customization options.

Pros:

• All Paper benefits
• Extra gameplay tweaks
• More configuration options
• Rideable mobs
• AFK system built-in

Cons:

• Slightly behind Paper updates
• More complex configuration

Best for: Servers wanting maximum customization

Notable Purpur Features

# Example purpur.yml customizations
purpur:
  ridable:
    bees: true
    dolphins: true
  gameplay-mechanics:
    player:
      idle-timeout:
        kick-if-idle: false

Forge

The go-to choice for modded Minecraft with extensive mod libraries.

Pros:

• Massive mod library
• Well-established ecosystem
• Most popular for modpacks

Cons:

• Higher resource usage
• No native Bukkit plugin support
• Slower updates for new MC versions

Best for: Modded servers, modpacks (FTB, ATM, etc.)

Installing Forge

1. Select Forge as server software
2. Choose Minecraft and Forge versions
3. Upload your mods to /mods/ folder
4. Restart server

⚠️ Important: All players must have matching mods installed!

Fabric

A lightweight, modern modding platform.

Pros:

• Lightweight and fast
• Quick updates for new MC versions
• Growing mod library
• Good for performance mods

Cons:

• Smaller mod library than Forge
• Mods not cross-compatible with Forge

Best for: Lightweight modded servers, performance-focused setups

Popular Fabric Mods

• Lithium - Server optimization
• Starlight - Lighting engine rewrite
• FerriteCore - Memory optimization
• Carpet - Technical features and fixes

Mohist & Hybrids

Hybrid servers that support both mods AND plugins.

Pros:

• Best of both worlds
• Flexibility for complex setups

Cons:

• Potential compatibility issues
• More complex troubleshooting
• May lag behind updates

Best for: Advanced users wanting both mods and plugins

⚠️ Warning: Hybrid servers can have stability issues. Test thoroughly!

Quick Decision Guide

graph TD
    A[What do you want?] --> B{Mods or Plugins?}
    B -->|Plugins| C{Extra customization?}
    B -->|Mods| D{Which ecosystem?}
    B -->|Both| E[Mohist/Hybrid]
    C -->|Yes| F[Purpur]
    C -->|No| G[Paper]
    D -->|Large modpacks| H[Forge]
    D -->|Performance/New features| I[Fabric]

In Summary

• Just starting? → Paper
• Want plugins? → Paper or Purpur
• Playing modpacks? → Forge
• Want modern, light mods? → Fabric
• Need both? → Mohist (advanced users)

Version Recommendations

Use Case	Software	Version
Public SMP	Paper	Latest stable
Private friends	Paper/Purpur	Latest stable
Modpack server	Forge	Modpack specified
Technical server	Fabric	Latest
Development	Paper	Latest snapshot (optional)

Performance Expectations

With a NodeByte plan, here's what you can expect:

Plan	Software	Expected Players
4GB	Paper	20-30 players
4GB	Forge (light)	5-10 players
8GB	Paper	40-60 players
8GB	Forge (modpack)	15-25 players

Next Steps

After choosing your server software:

1. Configure your server.properties
2. Install plugins (if using Paper/Purpur)
3. Optimize performance

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Need help deciding? Ask in our Discord!