Minecraft allows you to play together with friends, explore a single world, build cities, organize competitions, or create your own game rules. For this, a server is needed — a system that stores the world, coordinates player actions, and supports the game even when the owner is not online.
You can run such a server on a home computer. However, it will only be accessible if the computer is constantly turned on and the internet is working without interruptions. Therefore, for a permanent gaming world, a VPS server is often used.
Let's figure out what is needed to create a Minecraft server, how to choose resources, and what settings should be checked before inviting players.
What is a Minecraft server on VPS
VPS — is a virtual server with its own operating system, IP address, RAM, and other resources. It operates independently of the home computer, allowing players to access Minecraft at any time.
Special server software for Minecraft is installed on the VPS. It creates the game world, stores buildings and items, processes player actions, manages mobs, weather, time of day, and other processes.
The owner of such a server receives administrator rights. They can define the game mode and difficulty, install mods or plugins, add participants to the whitelist, and create backups of the world.
Java Edition or Bedrock Edition
Before creating a server, you need to decide on the version of Minecraft. Java Edition and Bedrock Edition use different server software and have their own features.
Minecraft: Java Edition is primarily used on computers with Windows, Linux, and macOS. A large number of mods, plugins, and various server cores are available for it. This is a popular option for private worlds and large gaming projects.
Bedrock Edition is designed for Windows, smartphones, tablets, and gaming consoles. Its main advantage is the ability to play from different devices, although connecting from some consoles to private servers may have limitations.
The Java and Bedrock versions are incompatible without additional tools. Therefore, before launching, it is worth clarifying which devices the participants will be playing on.
Also read: VPS for Telegram bot: what tariff is needed and what affects the load
What VPS is needed for Minecraft
Minecraft can create quite a serious load on the server. This is especially noticeable when players are actively moving around the world and the system has to quickly generate new territories.
The power of the VPS depends on several factors:
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the number of simultaneous players;
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the size of the game world;
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the render distance;
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the number of mobs and complex mechanisms;
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the use of mods and plugins;
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the chosen server core.
For a small private world with 2-5 players, usually 2 CPU cores, 4 GB of RAM, and 25-30 GB of disk space is sufficient. If the game is planned for 5-10 people, it is better to provide 4 cores and 6-8 GB of memory. A server with a large number of mods may require 8-16 GB of RAM or more.
These values are approximate. Two servers with the same number of players can create completely different loads. For example, a regular world without add-ons will run more easily than a build with a hundred mods, automated farms, and large cities.
For Minecraft, the speed of a single CPU core is important, as a significant portion of game processes is executed sequentially. It is also better to choose a fast disk, preferably NVMe. It stores the world, which is constantly changing during the game.
The location of the hardware should also be considered. If most participants are in Ukraine, it is better to choose a server in Ukraine or the nearest European countries. A large distance increases latency, causing blocks to break with a delay, and players and mobs to move in jerks.
Which server core to choose
The server core — is the software on which the game world will run. The choice depends on whether the owner needs standard Minecraft features, mods, or plugins.
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Vanilla — the official server from the developers of Minecraft. Suitable for regular play without significant changes and a small private world with friends.
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Paper — an optimized core with plugin support. Allows adding new commands, territory protection, an authorization system, mini-games, and other features. It is often chosen for servers with a large number of players.
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Spigot — a popular core that also supports plugins. Paper is built on its basis but contains additional optimizations, so it is often preferred over Spigot now.
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Fabric and Forge — platforms for modded gameplay. Mods can add new items, worlds, creatures, and mechanisms or completely change the familiar Minecraft. The same set of mods usually needs to be installed on both the server and the players' computers.
For the first private server, it is easiest to choose Vanilla. If additional features are needed later, the world can be transferred to another compatible core after creating a backup.
How to create a Minecraft server
Creating a server can be divided into four main stages: preparing the VPS, installing the server core, configuring the world, and opening access for players.
Step 1. Rent and prepare VPS
First, you need to rent a VPS and choose an operating system. Ubuntu is often used for Minecraft: this system is free, does not require many resources, and has a large number of instructions available.
After activating the VPS, the user receives an IP address and login data. The server can be managed through a special panel or remote connection. The second option requires a bit more attention but gives full control over the system.
Step 2. Install the server core
For Minecraft: Java Edition on VPS, the corresponding version of Java is first installed. It must match the version of the game, as an old release of Java may not run the new server core.
After that, the chosen server software is downloaded: Vanilla, Paper, Fabric, Forge, or another option. During the first launch, the system creates the main files and asks to accept the Minecraft license agreement.
Step 3. Configure the game world
In the settings, you can specify the game mode and difficulty, the maximum number of participants, render distance, presence of PvP, and other parameters.
At this stage, it is also worth granting the owner administrator rights and, if necessary, creating a whitelist. Then only added players will be able to connect to the server.
Step 4. Open access for players
For users to connect, the game port on the VPS network firewall needs to be opened. For Java Edition, the standard port is 25565. The server is launched in the background so that it does not turn off after the management session ends.
After that, players can be given the VPS IP address. They add it in the network game section and enter the created world. Instead of a digital IP address, a domain or subdomain that has been previously linked to the server can also be used.
Is a dedicated server needed for Minecraft? For a small private world, a dedicated server is usually not needed. A VPS with sufficient RAM and a powerful CPU can handle the game for a few friends, and its resources can be increased if necessary.
A dedicated server makes sense for large public projects with dozens or hundreds of simultaneous players, a large world, complex mechanisms, and a significant number of mods or plugins. In this case, all resources of the physical hardware are used by one owner, ensuring more stable operation under high load.
Therefore, it is better to start with a VPS and switch to a dedicated server when the current configuration is no longer sufficient even after increasing resources and optimizing settings.
What is important after installing the Minecraft server
After launching, it is worth checking the main settings, taking care of world protection, and monitoring the load on the VPS.
Check the settings
Set the required game mode and difficulty, number of participants, PvP, and render distance. For a private world, it is advisable to enable the whitelist and keep the verification of licensed accounts active.
Gradually add mods and plugins
Plugins for Paper or Spigot and mods for Fabric or Forge must match the version of Minecraft. Add them gradually and check the server's operation after each change: this will make it easier to find the add-on that caused an error.
Create backups
World copies are needed before updating the game, changing the core, and installing add-ons. At least one current copy should be stored separately from the VPS to avoid losing it along with the server.
Monitor the load
Causes of delays can include a large render distance, new territories, excessive numbers of mobs, complex mechanisms, or poorly optimized add-ons. If the server has started to run slower, first check the latest changes and the most resource-intensive settings.
For a small private world, an ultra-powerful configuration or dozens of add-ons are not needed. Start with basic capabilities, and add mods, plugins, and additional resources according to the actual load.