Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
For a new Minecraft server in 2026, choose Paper in most cases. Paper is a fork of Spigot with performance and gameplay fixes, and Bukkit- or Spigot-targeted plugins generally run on it. Choose Spigot when a required plugin breaks on Paper or depends on Spigot-specific behavior. Treat CraftBukkit as legacy software for compatibility or historical setups, not as the default for a new server.
Once you have chosen your server software, Godlike.Host offers Minecraft Java hosting with its own game panel, SFTP/FTP access, and up to three free backups a day with restore.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The short answer
These projects are related rather than three unrelated products. CraftBukkit was the original server implementation associated with the Bukkit plugin API. Spigot forked CraftBukkit and became the main continuation for many server operators. Paper forked Spigot and added its own performance work, gameplay corrections and API extensions.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →| Software | Relationship | Best fit in 2026 | Plugin expectation | How it is obtained |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CraftBukkit | Original Bukkit-compatible server base | Existing legacy installations, compatibility testing or a project that explicitly requires it | Bukkit plugins; older Spigot-era assumptions may not apply | Built with Spigot BuildTools using the explicit CraftBukkit option |
| Spigot | Fork of CraftBukkit | Legacy networks, conservative deployments and plugins that fail on Paper | Bukkit and Spigot plugins; not plugins that require Paper-only APIs | Built with Spigot BuildTools |
| Paper | Fork of Spigot, with its own API and patches | Most new servers that want current development, optimization and broad plugin compatibility | Most Bukkit and Spigot plugins generally work; Paper-specific plugins require Paper | Distributed as a Paper server build |
The practical decision is therefore simple: start with Paper, test your must-have plugins, and move to Spigot only if a concrete compatibility problem justifies it. CraftBukkit is a specialist legacy choice.
#1 Best Overall
- Play and share with friends on console, mobile and Windows 10
- discover community creations in the new in-game store
- access new mini games and game modes through servers
What CraftBukkit, Spigot and Paper actually are
CraftBukkit: the original server implementation
Bukkit is commonly described as a plugin API, while CraftBukkit is the server software that implemented that API. A summary of the projects’ history places their creation together in 2010. That distinction matters: installing a “Bukkit plugin” does not mean Bukkit itself is the server jar you run. CraftBukkit was the underlying server that made the Bukkit plugin model usable.
CraftBukkit is now treated by current third-party guides as legacy software. Those guides describe development as largely limited to matching Minecraft versions rather than adding major new capabilities. BuildTools can still compile it, but the fact that it can be built does not make it the sensible starting point for a fresh public server.
Spigot: the CraftBukkit fork
Spigot is a fork of CraftBukkit. Sources disagree on the exact point at which the fork occurred: some describe it as around 2012, while Wikipedia records a rebrand to Spigot on January 15, 2013. The useful operational fact is not the disputed date; it is that Spigot inherited the Bukkit/CraftBukkit ecosystem and became its own server project.
Spigot remains the compatibility baseline for a large body of Bukkit- and Spigot-targeted plugins. Guides disagree about how innovative its current development is, so do not assume a particular release cadence without checking the project’s current download and build information for the Minecraft version you intend to run.
Paper: the Spigot fork with additional patches and APIs
Paper is a fork of Spigot. The PaperDocs FAQ describes its goals as fixing gameplay and mechanics inconsistencies, improving performance and adding features that are not present in Spigot. Paper also exposes an extended API, which lets plugin authors target Paper-specific functionality.
That extra API creates the main compatibility boundary in this comparison. A plugin written for Bukkit or Spigot will generally run on Paper, but a plugin that calls Paper-only APIs cannot run on an unmodified Spigot server. Always verify the API requirements of plugins that are essential to your network.
Rank #2
- Learn your way around one block at atime in the new tutorial mode
- Craft all sorts of items from boats todiamond armor and create enormousstructures
- Team up with friends in eight-playeronline multiplayer and four-player splitscreen modes
How the projects diverged
The original lineage
- Bukkit API and CraftBukkit: The Bukkit project defined a plugin-facing API, while CraftBukkit implemented a server around it.
- Spigot: Spigot forked CraftBukkit and continued the server software and plugin ecosystem in a separate project.
- Paper: Paper forked Spigot and added its own patches, fixes and API surface.
Because each project inherited code and conventions from the previous one, plugin compatibility is usually strongest when moving forward from Bukkit or Spigot to Paper. Moving backward from Paper to Spigot is different: Paper-only calls have no equivalent in Spigot.
Paper’s December 2024 hard fork
PaperMC announced a restructuring and hard fork from Spigot on December 13, 2024. The stated reason was that Spigot’s update process was closed, preventing Paper from beginning work on new Minecraft versions until Spigot released its internal updates.
The announcement described a move to Paper-API and a Mojang-mapped server. It warned that plugins might no longer run on Spigot, and it said Paper’s history was merged into the existing Spigot history so the project’s patch history would be preserved. This is a meaningful architectural change, not merely a new name for the same build process.
Some third-party reports say Paper began applying Mojang’s changes independently from Minecraft 1.21.4. That version-specific detail has not been independently confirmed here, so treat it as a report to verify against the release notes for the exact version you plan to deploy. The broader implication is established by the hard-fork announcement: Paper is no longer dependent on Spigot’s internal update timing in the way it was before the split.
Paper vs Spigot: plugin compatibility in practice
What usually works on Paper
Plugins written against the Bukkit or Spigot APIs generally run on Paper. This is why Paper is a practical default for a new server: it keeps access to the established plugin ecosystem while adding Paper’s own capabilities.
“Generally” is important. A plugin can still fail because it targets an old Minecraft release, assumes a particular server implementation, bundles incompatible libraries or depends on another plugin that has not been updated. The Bukkit/Spigot-to-Paper path is broad compatibility, not a guarantee for every jar ever published.
Rank #3
- ENGAGING AND COOPERATIVE: Experience the thrill of Minecraft in a unique and cooperative board game format. Perfect for teams of 2 to 4 players, the game encourages joint strategies and shared victories
- EVER-CHANGING GAMEPLAY: With a map that changes every time you play, this game offers high replay value, making every game a unique and unpredictable experience
- QUALITY COMPONENTS: The game includes 25 wooden blocks, 18 world tiles, 4 inventory boards, 6 player cards, 9 buildings, 12 mob tokens and more. All components are crafted with care to enhance your gaming experience
- AGE-APPROPRIATE CHALLENGE: Aimed at ages 7 and up, this game offers a great balance of fun and challenge, making it a great choice for family game nights, parties, or gatherings
- TRUSTED BRAND: With over 130 years of experience, Ravensburger ensures top quality games that stimulate the mind, engage the hands, and touch the heart
What will not move from Paper to Spigot
Paper’s extended API is not part of Spigot. A plugin written specifically against Paper’s API will not run on Spigot unless its author also provides a Spigot-compatible build. If a plugin page lists Paper as a requirement, regard that as a hard constraint rather than a suggestion.
A pre-installation plugin audit
- List the plugins that are essential to gameplay, permissions, protection, economy and administration.
- For each plugin, record the supported Minecraft versions and the stated server platforms.
- Mark any plugin that explicitly requires Paper or advertises Paper-only features.
- Look for a Spigot-compatible release only when you are considering a fallback from Paper.
- Test the complete set together on a copy of the world before changing a public server.
If one irreplaceable plugin works only on Spigot, use Spigot for that server or replace the plugin. Do not choose CraftBukkit merely because a plugin says “Bukkit” unless the plugin’s documentation specifically requires CraftBukkit.
How each server is built or installed
Paper: use the project’s server build
Paper is distributed as a server build rather than something you normally reconstruct with Spigot’s BuildTools. Download the Paper build matching the Minecraft version you intend to run, place it in a clean server directory, accept Minecraft’s license when prompted, and add plugins only after the base server starts successfully. The exact supported versions and launcher requirements change, so verify them on Paper’s current download and documentation pages before deployment.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Spigot: BuildTools creates the jar
Spigot’s BuildTools process downloads the vanilla server jar, decompiles it, injects CraftBukkit code, applies Spigot patches and outputs a Spigot jar. The same tool also builds the Spigot API and can produce CraftBukkit when explicitly instructed.
- Create a separate build directory rather than running BuildTools inside your live server folder.
- Obtain the BuildTools jar and use the Java runtime required by the Minecraft version you are targeting.
- Run BuildTools for the target version using its normal version argument; the tool performs the download, decompilation and patching stages.
- Copy the resulting Spigot jar into a new server directory and start it once without plugins.
- Stop the server, accept the license file if requested, then add plugins gradually and inspect the startup log.
BuildTools has also had a graphical interface since January 2024, so operators who do not want a command-line workflow can use that interface where available. The underlying build steps and version constraints still apply.
CraftBukkit: compile it explicitly
BuildTools does not build CraftBukkit by default. To request it, use the --compile craftbukkit flag, for example:
Rank #4
- Minecraft Dungeons Hero Edition includes the Hero Pass DLC content: a Hero Cape, two player skins, and a chicken pet. It also includes the Jungle Awakens and Creeping Winters DLC packs.
- Dungeon Creeper Battle new-and-nasty mobs in this all-new action-adventure, inspired by classic dungeon crawlers.
- Multiplayer Up to four players can team up and fight together in co-op mode.
- Power Up Unlock dozens of unique items and weapon enchantments for devastating special attacks.
- Options Personalize your character, then fight up-close and personal with melee swings, hang back with ranged attacks, or tank your way through swarms of mobs, by heavy armor
java -jar BuildTools.jar --compile craftbukkitThe command produces a CraftBukkit build for the selected Minecraft version. Keep that build isolated from your production server, because CraftBukkit’s legacy status means you should have a specific compatibility reason for choosing it.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsPerformance and gameplay differences
What Paper is designed to change
Paper’s documented aims include performance improvements and fixes for gameplay or mechanics inconsistencies. Those changes can affect more than a benchmark: farms, redstone contraptions, mob behavior and plugins that rely on edge-case mechanics should be tested on the exact Paper build you will operate.
Why you should not rely on a percentage claim
One third-party guide claims Paper is 40–60 percent faster than Spigot, but the same guide’s benchmark table shows a much smaller difference. No primary benchmark was retrieved to validate the headline figure. It should not be quoted as a guaranteed performance gain.
The sensible comparison is workload-specific. Measure the server with your world seed, view distance, player count, plugins and scheduled tasks. A result from an empty test world does not predict behavior on a heavily automated survival world or a minigame network. Paper’s optimization focus is a reason to test it first, not a license to promise a fixed percentage improvement.
When mechanics matter more than raw throughput
If your community depends on highly specific vanilla behavior, compare the behavior of your farms and redstone systems on Paper before migrating. Paper’s purpose includes correcting inconsistencies, so a setup that relied on an unintended quirk may behave differently even when overall server responsiveness improves.
Which software should you choose?
| Your situation | Recommended choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Starting a new survival, creative or minigame server | Paper | It combines broad Bukkit/Spigot plugin compatibility with its own fixes, optimizations and API. |
| A required plugin explicitly depends on Paper | Paper | Paper-only APIs cannot be supplied by Spigot or CraftBukkit. |
| A required plugin fails on Paper but has a supported Spigot build | Spigot | Spigot is the reasonable compatibility fallback when the plugin is more important than Paper-specific features. |
| An old network was built and tested specifically on CraftBukkit | CraftBukkit, temporarily | Preserve the known environment while planning a controlled migration; do not treat it as the modern default. |
| You need to reproduce an old bug or plugin behavior | The matching legacy software | Reproduction may require the original implementation and Minecraft version. |
Do not select a server jar solely because its name contains “Bukkit.” First identify the API your plugins require, the mechanics your world depends on and the update path you can maintain.
Best Value
- Official Minecraft Puzzle Game – Hands-On Logic Game Based on the Best-Selling Video Game.
- 40 Strategic Challenges – Use the Actions to Navigate & Solve Increasingly Tough Puzzles.
- No Screens, Just Strategy – Promotes Problem-Solving with Off-Screen Minecraft Fun.
- Perfect for Ages 8+ – Great Gift for Minecraft Fans Who Love a Challenge!
- Trusted by Parents Worldwide – With Over 50 Million Sold, ThinkFun is the World's Leading Manufacturer of Brain Games and Mind-Challenging Puzzles!
Migrating from CraftBukkit or Spigot to Paper
A migration is usually straightforward at the file level, but the world and plugins make it an operational change. Use this order:
- Record the current environment. Write down the Minecraft version, server jar, plugin list, configuration files, Java runtime and startup options.
- Make restorable backups. Stop the server cleanly and copy the world directories, plugin directory and configuration files. Keep the original jar so you can roll back.
- Clone the server. Perform the first migration on a copy, not on the public instance.
- Replace only the server implementation. Keep the world and plugin data unchanged initially so any new behavior can be attributed to the jar change.
- Start without adding new plugins. Read the complete log for dependency errors, API warnings and data-conversion messages.
- Test essential gameplay. Join with an operator account, verify permissions, teleportation, protection, economy, scheduled tasks, redstone and the farms your players actually use.
- Test peak-like conditions. Invite a small group or replay normal workloads before scheduling the public cutover.
- Cut over with a rollback plan. Announce downtime, stop the old instance, take one final backup, start Paper and retain the old server untouched until the new instance is proven stable.
If a plugin fails after the swap, check whether it is outdated or tied to Spigot internals before abandoning Paper. If it explicitly requires a Spigot-only behavior and no Paper-compatible release exists, restore the backup and run Spigot while you find an alternative.
Common failure modes and fixes
A plugin says the server is unsupported
Confirm the plugin’s Minecraft version and API requirements. A Bukkit or Spigot plugin may still fail because it is obsolete, while a Paper plugin will fail on Spigot by design. Install the author’s build for your platform or replace the plugin; do not mix random versions from unrelated releases.
Recommended Free Tools
Paper changes a farm or redstone machine
Compare the behavior on the exact Paper version and review Paper’s configuration and release notes. If the design depends on an unintended mechanic, rebuild it using supported behavior or decide whether that one mechanic justifies remaining on Spigot.
BuildTools produces Spigot but not CraftBukkit
That is the expected default. Re-run the build with --compile craftbukkit and the target Minecraft version. Keep the output separate from the live server until it has been tested.
An update is available for Paper but a plugin is not ready
Do not update the production server immediately. Clone the instance, install the new Paper build, test every critical plugin and retain the previous build for rollback. Independent server updates do not remove the need for plugin authors to update their code.
Maintenance strategy in 2026
Choose a Minecraft version and server jar as a pair. Before every update, verify that the project currently supports that Minecraft release, that your plugins publish compatible builds and that your world has a tested backup. Support matrices and release cadence change, so avoid relying on a version list copied from an older guide.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallFor most operators, Paper offers the clearest long-term path because it is the actively extended fork with an independent update direction after the 2024 hard fork. Spigot remains useful where compatibility testing proves it is necessary. CraftBukkit should be maintained only when an existing environment or a reproducibility requirement makes its older behavior essential.
Bottom line
Paper is the practical default for a new Minecraft server: it descends from Spigot, usually accepts Bukkit and Spigot plugins, and adds its own fixes, optimizations and API. Spigot is the fallback for plugins or behaviors that do not work on Paper. CraftBukkit still can be built with BuildTools, but its legacy status makes it a compatibility tool rather than a modern starting point. Test your actual plugins and gameplay before committing to any migration, and treat performance percentages as unverified until your own workload demonstrates a benefit.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
