How to Make a Minecraft Server (Java Edition, 2026)
Updated · MCJarHub
To make a Minecraft Java server you need three things: a server jar (Vanilla, Paper, Fabric…), the Java version that jar requires, and TCP port 25565 reachable from the internet. Start the jar once, accept the EULA in eula.txt, start it again, and share your public IP.
1. Choose your server software
The "server jar" decides what your server can do. All of them host the same Java Edition game:
| You want… | Use |
|---|---|
| The pure game, a few friends | Vanilla (Mojang's own server) |
| Plugins (permissions, protection, economy, minigames) and better performance | Paper, or Purpur for extra gameplay options |
| Mods (new blocks, mobs, tech, magic) | Fabric, NeoForge or Forge — whatever your modpack uses |
| Several servers joined into one network | A proxy such as Velocity in front of Paper servers |
| Players on phones and consoles | A Bedrock server — see Bedrock Dedicated Server |
Not sure? Our "which server jar?" picker asks five questions. Most first servers with friends run Paper.
2. Pick a Minecraft version and install Java
Server and players must use the same Minecraft version (unless you add a protocol plugin on a plugin server). The newest release is Minecraft 26.3, which needs Java 25 or newer. Modpacks often stay on older versions such as 1.20.1 or 1.21.1 — use the version your mods support.
Each Minecraft version requires a minimum Java version (see the full table). Install a JDK such as Eclipse Temurin, then check it:
java -version
If the server later fails with UnsupportedClassVersionError, it is running on a Java that is too old — here is the fix.
3. Download the jar and create a folder
- Create an empty folder, for example
minecraft-server. The server writes all its files (world, configs, logs) into the folder it is started from. - Download the jar for your version from its page — e.g. Paper 26.3 — and put it in that folder. Each download page shows its source and checksum; verifying the checksum takes a minute.
- Rename it to something short such as
server.jar(optional, but it keeps the start command simple).
4. Start it once and accept the EULA
Open a terminal in the folder and start the server with 4 GB of memory:
java -Xms4G -Xmx4G -jar server.jar nogui
The first start creates eula.txt and stops. Open it, change eula=false to eula=true — which means you accept the Minecraft EULA — and start again. The server generates the world and prints Done when it is ready. Stuck here? See the EULA fix.
Instead of typing the command every time, save it as a start script — see how to run a server jar or build one with the start script generator.
5. Let players connect
- Same computer: connect to
localhost. - Same home network: connect to the server PC's local IP (e.g.
192.168.1.20; find it withipconfigon Windows orip addron Linux). - Over the internet: forward TCP port 25565 on your router to the server PC's local IP, allow Java through the operating system's firewall (Windows asks on the first start), and give friends your public IP address. Some internet providers use carrier-grade NAT, which makes port forwarding impossible — then you need a VPS, a tunnel service or a hosting provider.
"Failed to bind to port" means another program (or a second copy of the server) already uses 25565 — how to fix it.
6. Basic settings in server.properties
Stop the server before editing server.properties; changes apply on the next start.
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
motd | Text shown in the multiplayer server list |
max-players | Player limit |
difficulty, gamemode | Default difficulty and game mode |
white-list | When true, only players you add with /whitelist add <name> can join — recommended for a private server |
online-mode | Keep true: it checks accounts with Mojang. Only proxies need backends set to false |
server-port | Port the server listens on (default 25565) |
view-distance, simulation-distance | How many chunks are sent to and ticked around players — lower values reduce load |
Make yourself operator from the server console with op <yourname>.
7. Keep it healthy
- Back up the world folders regularly, and always before updating — see how to update safely.
- Give the server enough, but not all, memory — RAM rules of thumb.
- Old Minecraft versions (1.7–1.18) need the Log4Shell mitigation shown on their version pages.
Don't want to run hardware at home? Rented Minecraft hosting or a VPS runs the same jars; the steps above apply, with the provider handling the network part.