PaperMC is a Java Edition Minecraft server implementation distributed as a runnable JAR. It keeps the familiar server model while adding performance-oriented changes, broader configuration, and a plugin API. To run one, choose a Paper build that matches your Minecraft version, install the Java release required for that version, start the JAR with an appropriate heap size, accept Mojang’s EULA, then configure access, worlds, and plugins. Paper can replace a Vanilla, CraftBukkit, or Spigot server, but a backup and plugin-compatibility check should come before migration.
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What PaperMC is and why people use it
A Minecraft server JAR, not a separate game client
PaperMC describes Paper as “a Minecraft: Java Edition game server, designed to greatly improve performance and offer more advanced features and API.” You download a build for a particular Minecraft release and run it with Java, just as you would run another dedicated Java Edition server. The official repository describes Paperclip as a JAR that can be downloaded and run like a normal JAR.
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Paper is server software. Every player still connects with the normal Java Edition client, and the server still stores worlds, permissions, properties, logs, and plugin files in its server directory. Paper’s additional systems are on the server side, so players do not install Paper to join.
What “drop-in replacement” means
Paper’s getting-started documentation calls it a drop-in replacement for CraftBukkit and Spigot: existing server layouts and worlds generally remain usable without changing the client connection process. Vanilla worlds can also be converted automatically when first opened by Paper. “Drop-in” does not mean that every plugin, build, or custom script is guaranteed to work; you still need a backup and a compatibility check.
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Choose the Minecraft version and Java release first
Paper’s Java requirement follows the Minecraft/Paper version. Install the required Java runtime before launching the server, and make sure the java command in your terminal points to that installation rather than an older copy.
| Paper/Minecraft version | Required Java version |
|---|---|
| 1.7.10–1.11 | Java 8 |
| 1.12–1.16.4 | Java 11 |
| 1.16.5 | Java 16 |
| 1.17–1.19 | Java 17 |
| 1.20–1.21.11 | Java 21 |
| 26.1 and newer | Java 25 |
This compatibility table is from PaperMC’s current documentation accessed October 15, 2026. If you select a newer release later, check the table again because the required runtime can change.
Hardware and memory planning
There is no single correct RAM value. The right heap depends on the world, view and simulation distances, number of players, entity activity, redstone or farms, plugins, and what else is running on the machine. Paper’s example launch command allocates 4 GB with -Xms4G -Xmx4G; treat that as an adjustable example, not a universal recommendation.
| Situation | Planning approach |
|---|---|
| Private testing or a lightly used world | Start with a conservative heap, watch memory and tick behavior, and increase it only when the workload demonstrates a need. |
| Several players, large exploration areas, or plugin-heavy play | Reserve more memory for the server while leaving enough for the operating system and other services; evaluate after measuring actual use. |
| Public or continuously available server | Plan for peak concurrent activity, scheduled backups, logs, and monitoring rather than only the average session. |
More heap cannot compensate for every performance problem. A plugin doing expensive work, excessive simulation distance, slow storage, or CPU saturation may require configuration or hardware changes instead.
Install Paper and perform the first launch
- Select a release. Decide the Minecraft version your players will use, then select the matching Paper build from PaperMC’s downloads page. Do not mix a JAR intended for one release with a different client version.
- Create a dedicated directory. Make a new folder for the server, such as
paper-server. Keeping the JAR, world folders, configuration, logs, and backups together makes upgrades and restores safer. - Place the JAR in that folder. Rename it to
paper.jarif that makes your startup script easier to maintain, or keep the downloaded filename and use that exact name in the command. - Verify Java. In a terminal opened in the server directory, run
java -version. Confirm that the reported major version matches Paper’s table for your selected release. - Start the server. A documented example is
java -Xms4G -Xmx4G -jar paper.jar --nogui. Replacepaper.jarwith your actual filename and change both memory values for your host.-Xmssets the initial heap and-Xmxsets the maximum heap. The--noguiargument disables the graphical vanilla server window, which is useful on a remote machine. - Complete the EULA step. The first run generates the files needed for the EULA check and stops until you agree. Read Mojang’s EULA and follow the generated file’s instructions before starting again. Paper also documents the system property
com.mojang.eula.agree; setting it to true skips theeula.txtcheck and should be used only when you have actually agreed to the EULA. - Start again and watch the console. A successful launch creates or opens the world, loads configuration, and leaves a running console that accepts server commands. Stop it with the console’s
stopcommand so the world saves cleanly; do not routinely terminate the process. - Record the exact command. Put the working command in a shell script, service definition, or scheduled task so restarts use the same Java executable, heap settings, JAR, and arguments.
Keep the JAR in its own directory and run it from there. Relative paths used by worlds, plugins, logs, and configuration are resolved from the server’s working directory, so launching it from an unrelated folder can create confusing duplicate files.
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Configure the server before inviting players
The server.properties file controls the core behavior of a Paper instance. Edit it while the server is stopped, then start the server again and verify the result in the console.
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| Area | What to review |
|---|---|
| Authentication | online-mode determines whether the server authenticates players through the official account service. Changing it affects who can connect and has security implications. |
| Allow-listing | Enable whitelist enforcement when access should be limited to named players. Add and remove players with the corresponding server commands. |
| Capacity | max-players is 20 by default in Paper’s reference. Set it to the number your hardware and administration plan can support, not simply the largest value the file accepts. |
| Network port | server-port defaults to 25565. Players need the correct address and port; changing it requires matching firewall and router rules. |
| World workload | View distance and simulation distance determine how much terrain and activity the server processes around players. Lowering them can reduce work; raising them increases the area clients can see or entities can simulate. |
| Resource packs | Define whether clients are offered or required to use a server resource pack, and communicate its size and contents to players before they join. |
| Remote administration | RCON and management-server settings expose administrative interfaces. Enable them only when you understand authentication, binding, and firewall requirements. |
Paper’s command-line arguments are placed after the server JAR and override corresponding server.properties values. If a setting appears correct in the file but behaves differently at launch, inspect the startup command for an override.
Make the network safe and reachable
A server running on your computer is not automatically reachable from the internet. The exact steps depend on your operating system, firewall, router, internet service, and whether the machine has a public address. Mojang’s setup guidance warns that changing a home network’s configuration is not recommended unless you understand what you are doing.
- Keep the server private while installing and testing. Use the local address first and confirm that one client can connect.
- Create a firewall rule for the chosen server port only when you are ready to permit connections. If you changed the default, use the new port consistently in the server, firewall, and player instructions.
- If the server is behind a home router, configure port forwarding only after you understand the router’s exposure model and have secured the host. Some internet connections use carrier-grade NAT and cannot accept inbound connections without another networking solution.
- Use
online-mode=trueunless you have a specific, understood reason to change authentication. Protect RCON and any management interface with strong credentials and narrow network access. - Back up the world before exposing it publicly. Public access increases the chance of configuration mistakes, unwanted players, griefing, and plugin vulnerabilities.
Add plugins without destabilizing the server
Paper’s administration guide describes plugins as the most powerful way to extend functionality beyond configuration files. A plugin is normally installed by placing its JAR in the server’s plugins directory, then restarting Paper so it can load and create its configuration. Follow the individual author’s instructions when a plugin uses a different layout, dependency, or installation process.
- Identify the feature you need and choose a plugin whose documentation explicitly supports your Minecraft and Paper version.
- Read its permissions, dependencies, configuration requirements, data collection notes, and update policy before installing it on a public world.
- Back up the world and server directory, or use a separate staging copy, before the first installation.
- Stop Paper cleanly, copy the plugin JAR into
plugins, and start the server. - Read the startup log for dependency errors, unsupported-version warnings, or failed registrations. Do not ignore repeated stack traces.
- Test commands, permissions, block interactions, scheduled tasks, and player joins in the staging copy before updating a live server.
- When updating, keep the previous plugin JAR and its configuration backup so you can roll back if the new version changes data or behavior.
Plugins can alter gameplay, commands, permissions, world data, and performance. Paper itself cannot guarantee compatibility with a plugin written for another server version, so the installed Minecraft/Paper version must be part of every plugin decision.
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Migrate an existing Vanilla, CraftBukkit, or Spigot server
Vanilla worlds
Paper’s getting-started guide says migration from Vanilla is automatic for world-save conversion. Stop the old server, make a complete copy of the world and configuration, place the Paper JAR in the intended server directory, and launch it with the same world name. Paper will perform the conversion when it opens the save.
Keep the original copy untouched until you have confirmed that the converted world loads, player inventories and locations are present, and scheduled farms or redstone systems behave as expected. Never test a migration on the only copy of a valuable world.
CraftBukkit and Spigot
Paper is documented as a drop-in replacement for CraftBukkit and Spigot, so the usual migration is to stop the existing server, back up its files, replace the executable used by the startup command with the selected Paper JAR, and start it. Preserve the world folders, server.properties, permissions data, and plugin directory unless a plugin’s instructions require a change.
Verify every plugin against the new Minecraft/Paper version before opening the server to players. A successful boot only proves that the JAR loaded; it does not prove that every command, event listener, economy, protection rule, or custom data store works correctly.
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Backups
Use more than one backup location and include the world folders, server.properties, plugin JARs, plugin configuration, permissions data, and any scripts that define the launch command. A backup is useful only if you can restore it: periodically copy it to a separate location and test opening that copy.
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Updates
Choose a Paper build deliberately rather than replacing the JAR without a plan. Read the release notes and plugin compatibility notes, stop the server cleanly, back up first, update the executable, and watch the entire startup log. Keep the previous JAR available until players have completed a normal session on the new build.
Performance checks
When players report lag, note whether the symptom is delayed block breaking, low frame rate on clients, slow chunk loading, or a server tick problem. Check CPU, memory, storage, view and simulation distances, and plugin logs before simply increasing -Xmx. Paper’s administration documentation includes guidance on performance flags, Anti-Xray, updates, migration, and troubleshooting; apply those settings to the version you actually run.
Paper versus Vanilla: what changes for an operator?
| Decision area | Vanilla | Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Performance behavior | Uses the official server implementation and its defaults. | Adds performance-oriented changes and more server-side controls; the effect depends on workload and configuration. |
| Configuration surface | Fewer implementation-specific settings. | Includes the standard properties plus Paper-specific administration options and command-line controls. |
| Extensions | Limited to built-in features and the tools compatible with Vanilla. | Provides a broad plugin API and a dedicated plugin workflow. |
| Migration | No conversion is needed when staying on Vanilla. | Vanilla world-save conversion is automatic, but backups and validation remain necessary. |
| Troubleshooting responsibility | Fewer moving parts, but fewer server-side remedies. | More ways to tune or extend the server, along with plugin, version, and configuration interactions to diagnose. |
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
Paper can run on a home computer, a rented virtual machine, or a managed Minecraft host. The software is the same; the operational responsibility is not.
| Concern | Self-hosted Paper | Managed Paper hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Setup effort | You install Java, download Paper, write the startup command, configure the OS, and maintain the network. | The host usually provides a control panel and an initial server image, reducing setup work. |
| File and JVM control | Full control over files, Java flags, scripts, backups, and operating-system settings. | Control depends on the host’s panel, plan, and policy; some JVM or network settings may be restricted. |
| Recurring cost | You provide the machine, electricity, storage, and internet service; costs vary with your existing equipment. | You pay a recurring service charge that varies by provider, allocation, location, and options. |
| Backups and uptime | You design, schedule, verify, and store backups and handle outages. | The service may offer automated backups and monitoring, but you must verify retention, restore access, and uptime terms. |
| Network administration | You handle firewall rules, port forwarding, addressing, and exposure risk. | The provider normally supplies the public endpoint, while you still secure accounts and server software. |
| Capacity and versions | Limited by your hardware and bandwidth, with direct control over the Paper build and plugins. | Limited by the selected plan and host policy; confirm supported Paper versions, plugin access, player limits, and upgrade timing. |
Choose self-hosting when you want complete control and are comfortable maintaining Java, networking, backups, and a running machine. Choose managed hosting when persistent availability and reduced systems administration are worth the recurring charge. In either case, you remain responsible for Paper configuration, player permissions, plugin choices, and world backups.
Troubleshooting the common failure points
The server says the Java version is unsupported
Compare the Minecraft/Paper release with Paper’s Java table, run java -version in the same environment as the startup script, and correct the script’s Java path. Multiple Java installations are a common reason an interactive terminal and an automated service report different versions.
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The process starts but players cannot connect
Confirm that Paper finished starting, the client is using the matching Minecraft release, and the address and port are correct. Check the operating-system firewall and, for a home network, the router’s forwarding rule. If the server is bound behind carrier-grade NAT, inbound connections may not be possible through ordinary forwarding.
The server generated files in the wrong place
Run the command from the dedicated server directory or set that directory as the service’s working directory. Then stop Paper, move or remove only the unintended duplicate files after confirming which world and configuration are authoritative.
A plugin fails to load
Read the first error in the startup log, verify the plugin supports the installed Minecraft/Paper version, install any documented dependency, and test with the plugin disabled on a backup copy. Do not delete plugin data until you know whether it contains permissions, player records, or other recoverable state.
The server feels laggy after adding memory
Heap size is only one variable. Check CPU saturation, storage latency, view and simulation distances, entity-heavy areas, and plugin tasks. Compare behavior with a staging copy in which one suspect plugin or setting is disabled, then change one variable at a time so you can identify the cause.
A practical launch checklist
- Minecraft and Paper versions selected and recorded.
- Java release verified against Paper’s compatibility table.
- Dedicated directory created and the downloaded JAR identified.
- Startup command tested with deliberate
-Xms,-Xmx, and optional--noguisettings. - EULA read and accepted before bypassing the generated check.
server.propertiesreviewed for authentication, whitelist, player limit, port, distances, resource packs, and remote administration.- World and configuration backup created before public access, migration, or plugin changes.
- Firewall, router, credentials, and management interfaces secured before sharing the address.
- Plugins checked for version support and tested on a staging or restored copy.
- Clean stop, restore procedure, and update rollback plan documented.
The Bottom Line
Paper is the practical choice when you want a Java Edition server with more performance controls and a plugin API than Vanilla provides. Install the Java version matched to your Paper build, start the JAR with memory sized for your real workload, secure the network, and treat backups and plugin testing as part of every migration or update.
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