The quick decision guide
You can host Java Edition versions from 1.8 to 1.21 and Bedrock Edition with us. Paper, Spigot, Fabric, Forge, Vanilla and BungeeCord are available to deploy. Start here:
| What you want | Pick this |
|---|---|
| A normal survival, SMP, Skyblock or minigame server with plugins | Paper |
| Paper, with extra gameplay options and settings | Purpur |
| Pure vanilla with no plugins or mods | Vanilla |
| A lightweight modded server on a recent version | Fabric |
| A large modpack or classic mod content | Forge or NeoForge |
| Players on mobile, console or Windows 10/11 Bedrock | Bedrock (or Paper with Geyser) |
| Several servers joined together as a network | A proxy such as BungeeCord in front of your servers |
Plugin servers: Paper, Spigot and Purpur
These servers run plugins, which change how the game works on the server only. Players join with a normal, unmodified game client.
- Spigot is the long-standing plugin server. It runs a huge library of plugins.
- Paper is built on Spigot and is tuned for performance. It runs the same plugins and is the best default choice for most community servers.
- Purpur is built on Paper and adds many extra settings and gameplay options. Paper plugins work on it.
Our recommendation
If you are unsure, choose Paper. It is fast, widely supported and easy to find help for.
Mod servers: Fabric, Forge and NeoForge
Mods add new blocks, items, mobs and mechanics. Unlike plugins, players normally need the same mods installed on their own game, so everyone must use a matching modpack.
- Fabric is lightweight and tends to support new Minecraft versions quickly. It is popular for smaller modpacks and performance mods.
- Forge is the long-running loader behind many large modpacks.
- NeoForge is a newer fork of Forge used by many mods on recent versions.
Mods are made for one specific loader and one specific Minecraft version, so check the mod page before you choose. Modpacks also use more memory, so see How much RAM does your Minecraft server need?
Do not mix plugins and mods
A normal Paper server cannot load Forge or Fabric mods, and a Forge or Fabric server cannot load Paper plugins. Decide which kind of server you want before you start building.
Bedrock and cross-play
Bedrock Edition is the version played on mobile, consoles and Windows 10/11. A Bedrock server is only for Bedrock players, and Java plugins do not work on it.
If you want Java and Bedrock players on the same world, a common approach is a Paper server with the Geyser plugin, which lets Bedrock players join a Java server.
Choosing a version
- Pick the version your players will use, and make sure every plugin or mod you need supports it.
- Newer versions use a little more memory and have newer features. Older versions such as 1.8 are popular for certain PvP servers.
- Do not change versions on an existing world without a backup. Going to a newer version is usually fine, but going back to an older one can corrupt your world.