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Server Software Overview
Choosing the right server software is essential for an optimal gaming experience when setting up your Minecraft server. This guide provides a detailed overview of various Minecraft server software options, highlighting their features and optimizations. You can make informed decisions tailored to your specific needs by understanding these differences.
Choose the best fit for your needs, considering the trade-offs in performance, stability, and feature set. Selecting the appropriate server software ensures smooth operation and enhances gameplay for you and your players.
TL;DR
- Vanilla: For a pure Minecraft experience with no plugins or mods.
- Bukkit: The original software that supported plugins has now been replaced by Spigot. There isn't a reason to use this.
- Spigot: The first widely used server software with good optimizations, but Paper has now superseded it.
- Paper: A copy of Spigot modified to improve performance and patch exploits.
- Purpur: This is for those who like Paper but want even more features and customizability. You can even enable things Paper disables, like end portal duplication.
- Fabric: Used for modded servers with custom mods or a popular modpack. It is a lightweight version of the forge with a different framework.
- Forge: The well-known and trusty mod API allows users to create custom content and modify MC. It is widely known and used by many, especially on older versions or for heavily modified servers.
Introduction
- When it comes to setting up a Minecraft server, there are various server software options.
- These software types offer different features, optimization methods, and compatibility with plugins or mods.
- Below is an overview aimed at helping new Minecraft server owners understand the differences and make an informed choice.
Vanilla
- Vanilla Minecraft is the purest form of Minecraft that you can experience.
- Developed and maintained directly by Mojang, it offers a no-frills, authentic gameplay experience.
- When you host a server using Vanilla, you provide your players with the game as it was intended to be played—no plugins or mods, just Minecraft.
- Ideal for players who want an essential, unmodified Minecraft experience.
- Directly from Mojang, it is always up-to-date with the latest Minecraft version.
- It is at least optimized and may need help with a high number of players.
- No support for plugins or mods. Customization would rely on Datapacks and command blocks, etc.
- Exploits such as dupes and crashes wouldn’t be patched.
Use Case:
Downsides:
Bukkit
- Bukkit served as an early foundation for customizable Minecraft server software, allowing for the addition of plugins to enhance gameplay.
- Over time, its descendants, like Spigot and Paper, have improved upon its base, offering better optimizations and more extensive support.
- While Bukkit may hold historical significance, newcomers are advised to opt for Paper as a more modern and superior alternative.
- There is no support for it. Everyone uses paper, whether it's forks or Spigot. It's meant to be used as something other than server software now due to how development stopped in 2015. The Spigot team maintains it as a part of their process in developing Spigot
Downsides:
Spigot
- Spigot is built upon Bukkit’s foundation, providing better performance alongside its plugin support.
- Regarding the new version release, Spigot will be the first on the scene, as the other plugin software are copies of Spigot with modifications.
- However, in the present context, Paper has outshines Spigot regarding performance, support, and added features.
- Paper and its forks are generally recommended for those looking for the best Bukkit-based software.
Paper
- When you plan to run a Minecraft server, you'll need both top-notch performance and the ability to use plugins. This is where you go.
- A fork of Spigot is designed to increase performance, patch exploits, and provide plugin developers with an API on top of the other APIs so they can create the tools that server owners love.
- Public and Private Servers: Paper’s performance enhancements make it an excellent choice for larger public servers with many players and smaller private servers looking for a smooth experience. Cheaters should beware of paper’s dupe/exploit patching and its built anti-Xray.
- Plugin Support: Paper is perfect if you’re keen on adding special gameplay elements, mini-games, or admin tools to your server. It supports Bukkit plugins, offering a wide range of customization possibilities.
- Chunk Loading: One of Paper’s key strengths is its improved chunk loading compared to Vanilla and Spigot. This means less lag and a better experience for players exploring new or complex terrains.
- Configurable Features: Paper allows for more granular control over gameplay mechanics and system performance. You can tweak settings in a way you can’t with Vanilla.
- Updates: Paper is usually up-to-date with the latest official Minecraft releases, making it easier to keep your server current. It often includes additional fixes and optimizations not present in Vanilla or Spigot, enhancing stability, security, and performance.
Use Case:
Optimization Differences:
Purpur
- A fork of paper, so at the very least, you can be guaranteed its performance and security benefits.
- As stated on its website, its design case is “providing as much configurability as possible, to allow server owners to customize their server to their liking.”
- Similar to Paper but with a focus on additional features and customizability.
- It is best for server owners who want extra features without adding many plugins and worrying about performance tanking.
- Purpur also uses “Pufferfish” patches (a server software fork of Paper) that promise to increase the performance even more by doing things that Paper doesn't, meaning Purpur offers more performance.
- It requires more configuration. You may end up with a feature you do not like or have to spend more time setting up your server as you want it.
Use Case:
Downsides
Fabric
- Fabric is lightweight, fast, and modern server software geared toward the future of Minecraft modding. It was created due to beliefs that Forge was too slow in development and sometimes buggy.
- It’s the perfect choice for running a server with modern client-side and server-side mods that are less buggy.
- Fabric has caught up to the popularity of Forge.
- Ideal for modern client-side and server-side mods.
- Suitable for lightweight modpacks/mods.
- Technical users who want to modify their server without invasive performance changes made in Paper.
- Exploits are not patched as Fabric tries to be as Vanilla as possible.
- It may be limited in terms of crazy Minecraft modifications.
Use Case:
Downsides:
Forge
- Forge is the veteran of Minecraft server software for modding, and it’s the go-to choice for running large, complex modpacks.
- It’s built for those who want to alter the gameplay experience drastically and offers developers countless development options.
- A lot of the well-known old modpacks use Forge.
- The go-to choice for large modpacks.
- It is ideal for heavily modded servers with many gameplay alterations.
- It is more resource-intensive compared to Fabric.
- Slower updates for compatibility with the latest Minecraft versions.
- Performance can be worse.
- Exploits are useable because Forge does not explicitly protect against them all.
Use Case:
Downsides:
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