A well-optimized Minecraft server provides smooth gameplay for all players. This guide covers server software choices, configuration tweaks, and best practices to maximize your server's performance.
Choosing the Right Server Software
Your choice of server software significantly impacts performance. Here's a comparison:
- 1Vanilla - Official server, no optimizations, not recommended for multiplayer
- 2Spigot - Basic optimizations over vanilla, plugin support
- 3Paper - Significant performance improvements over Spigot, highly recommended
- 4Purpur - Paper fork with additional features and tweaks
- 5Pufferfish - Extreme optimizations for large servers
- 6Airplane - Performance-focused Paper fork
Tip
- Paper is the best choice for most servers - it's fast, stable, and compatible
- Download Paper from papermc.io for the latest builds
- Paper maintains compatibility with Spigot plugins
Java Startup Flags
Proper JVM flags can significantly improve server performance. Use Aikar's optimized flags:
java -Xms4G -Xmx4G -XX:+UseG1GC -XX:+ParallelRefProcEnabled -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=200 -XX:+UnlockExperimentalVMOptions -XX:+DisableExplicitGC -XX:+AlwaysPreTouch -XX:G1NewSizePercent=30 -XX:G1MaxNewSizePercent=40 -XX:G1HeapRegionSize=8M -XX:G1ReservePercent=20 -XX:G1HeapWastePercent=5 -XX:G1MixedGCCountTarget=4 -XX:InitiatingHeapOccupancyPercent=15 -XX:G1MixedGCLiveThresholdPercent=90 -XX:G1RSetUpdatingPauseTimePercent=5 -XX:SurvivorRatio=32 -XX:+PerfDisableSharedMem -XX:MaxTenuringThreshold=1 -jar server.jar noguiAikar's optimized flags for 4GB+ RAM servers
Example: Adjust -Xms and -Xmx to match your available RAM
Tip
- Set -Xms and -Xmx to the same value for consistent performance
- Use Java 17 or newer for best performance
- Don't allocate more RAM than needed - it can actually hurt performance
server.properties Optimizations
Adjust these settings in server.properties for better performance:
view-distance=10Reduce from default to lower chunk loading (6-10 recommended)
Example: Lower values = better performance
simulation-distance=8Controls entity/redstone tick distance (separate from view)
Example: Keep lower than view-distance
network-compression-threshold=256Compress packets larger than this size
Example: 256 is usually optimal
Paper-Specific Optimizations
Paper offers many additional optimization options in paper.yml and config files.
Tip
- Enable async chunk loading for faster world generation
- Reduce entity activation ranges for distant mobs
- Enable hopper optimizations to reduce redstone lag
- Use Paper's anti-xray for cheat prevention without performance plugins
- Configure mob spawning limits based on your player count
World Pre-Generation
Pre-generating your world prevents lag spikes when players explore new areas.
/chunky radius 5000Set the radius to pre-generate
Example: Chunky plugin
/chunky startBegin pre-generation
Example: Run during low-activity times
Tip
- Use the Chunky plugin for efficient pre-generation
- Pre-generate during off-peak hours to avoid affecting players
- Consider pre-generating the nether and end as well
General Best Practices
Follow these guidelines for optimal server performance:
Tip
- Regularly restart your server (daily or every few days) to clear memory
- Limit entity counts with spawn limits and entity cramming
- Use a plugin like ClearLag to remove excess entities
- Monitor TPS (ticks per second) - should stay at 20
- Upgrade to SSD storage for faster world loading
- Consider limiting redstone complexity with plugins
- Remove unused plugins - each one adds overhead
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