Server requirements
Choose a Java 21 environment and leave room for the workload you actually run.
On this page
Version and operating system
Use Minecraft Java Edition 1.21.11 with 64-bit Java 21. Match your plugins and clients to that server version. Cross-version clients require a separate integration; see proxies and other clients.
Windows and Linux can run a suitable Java 21 distribution. Native transport availability depends on the platform. This is not certification of every OS release. Use a maintained operating system and give the server account read/write access to its directory.
CPU, memory, storage, and network
| Resource | What to consider |
|---|---|
| CPU | Strong single-core performance matters for the main tick. More cores can help separate work but do not divide the entire simulation. Shared VPS capacity can vary. |
| Memory | Distinguish host RAM, container limits, and Java heap. Reserve space for the OS, Java native memory, network buffers, your panel, and other processes. |
| Storage | Prefer stable read/write latency. Allow for growing worlds, backups, logs, and Paperclip runtime files. Test storage under your own workload. |
| Network | Use a stable connection, the allocated game port, and outbound HTTPS for required runtime downloads and services. |
There is no verified universal RAM minimum or players-per-core ratio. Start-script examples use a 1 GiB initial / 2 GiB maximum heap for an initial check, not production capacity advice. Your machine or container must have additional memory outside that heap.
Before increasing resources
Record your game mode, plugins, view distance, active chunks, and player density. A crowded hub creates different network fan-out from spread-out survival players. Measure the bottleneck before purchasing more resources.