How to Create a Minecraft Server (Java & Bedrock)
To create a Minecraft server, rent a Linux VPS with 4 GB RAM or more, install Java 25 (Java 21 for 1.20.5–1.21.x), run server.jar or Paper once, set eula=true, and open TCP port 25565. Friends join with the VPS public IP. Bedrock uses Mojang's separate dedicated server on UDP 19132.
For friend groups, school clubs and community admins setting up their own always-on Java or Bedrock world on a Linux VPS.
knowledge
- Read time
- 6 min
- Sections
- 8
- Updated
- 14 Nov 2026
- Written by
- WebJi® team
Last editorial update: 14 November 2026.
Four ways to create a Minecraft server
You can run a Minecraft server on a free hosted panel, your own PC, a Linux VPS or a managed game host; the real difference is who keeps the world online and who maintains Java, ports and backups.
| Option | Online when your PC is off | Your own jar, plugins and files | Who fixes it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free hosted panel | Only while the free queue allows | Limited | The panel provider |
| Your own PC | No | Yes | You, plus a router port forward |
| Linux VPS (this guide) | Yes | Yes, with root access | You |
| Managed Minecraft host | Yes | Yes, through a panel | The host runs the OS and runtime |
Shared web hosting cannot run a Minecraft server, because it does not allow long-running Java processes or open game ports. The steps below assume an Ubuntu 24.04 VPS with SSH access; if SSH is new to you, start with what SSH is and how to connect.
Java or Bedrock: which Minecraft server should you create?
Create the edition your players already use: Java Edition for PC players who want plugins and mods, Bedrock for phones, consoles and Windows Store players. The two editions cannot join each other's servers without a bridge plugin such as Geyser.
- Java Edition server: runs
server.jar(or Paper/Fabric), listens on TCP port 25565, needs Java installed. - Bedrock Dedicated Server: a native Linux binary from Mojang, listens on UDP 19132 (IPv4) and 19133 (IPv6), needs no Java.
- Version match: clients must run the same version as the server, unless you add a compatibility plugin.
How much RAM and CPU does a Minecraft server need?
Plan 2–4 GB of Java heap for a small Paper world with a few friends, 6–8 GB for a plugin-heavy server of around 20 players, and 8 GB or more for a modpack. Leave at least 1 GB for the operating system rather than giving the whole VPS to -Xmx.
| World type | Java heap (-Xmx) | VPS RAM to rent |
|---|---|---|
| Vanilla or Paper, under 10 players | 2–4 GB | 4–6 GB |
| Paper with plugins, around 20 players | 6–8 GB | 8–10 GB |
| Forge, NeoForge or Fabric modpack | 8 GB+ | 12 GB+ |
The main game loop runs on one thread, so a fast CPU core matters more than many slow cores. Chunk generation is the heaviest moment; pre-generating the map with a plugin such as Chunky before players arrive avoids lag spikes.
Step by step: installing a Java Minecraft server on Ubuntu
Install the Java version your Minecraft release needs, create a dedicated user, download the server jar, accept the EULA and start it. Minecraft Java 26.1 and later require Java 25; versions 1.20.5 to 1.21.x run on Java 21.
# 1. Java 25 runtime (use openjdk-21-jre-headless for 1.20.5–1.21.x)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y openjdk-25-jre-headless
java -version
# 2. a non-root user and folder for the server
sudo useradd -r -m -d /opt/minecraft -s /bin/bash minecraft
sudo -iu minecraft
# 3. put the server jar here (official server.jar or a Paper build), then run it once
java -Xms2G -Xmx4G -jar server.jar noguiDownload the jar from the official Minecraft server download page, or the Paper download page if you want plugins, and save it in /opt/minecraft as server.jar. If apt cannot find the Java 25 package on an older Ubuntu release, install an Eclipse Temurin 25 build instead. The first run stops and creates eula.txt; change eula=false to eula=true and run the command again. The server is ready when the console prints a line starting with Done.
Running as a separate user rather than root limits the damage if a plugin is ever compromised. More on that in adding a sudo user on Ubuntu, and on Java packages in installing Java on Ubuntu.
The server.properties settings worth changing first
Five lines in server.properties decide most first-day problems: who can join, how far players see and whether the server binds to the right address. Stop the server before editing, then start it again.
server-ip=— leave it blank so the server listens on every interface; a wrong IP here blocks all joins.online-mode=true— keeps Mojang account checks on, which stops anyone from joining under someone else's name.white-list=true— then add friends from the console withwhitelist add PlayerName.view-distance=10andsimulation-distance=8— lower values are the quickest fix for lag on small VPS plans.motd=— the line players see in their server list.
Opening port 25565 so friends can join
Allow TCP 25565 in the VPS firewall and share the server's public IPv4 address; players type that IP in Multiplayer → Add Server. Allow SSH first so you do not lock yourself out when UFW is enabled.
sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw allow 25565/tcp
sudo ufw allow 19132/udp # only for a Bedrock server
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw statusIf a friend on another network times out, check three things in order: the cloud provider's own firewall or security group, the UFW rule, and that they are not typing localhost, which only works on the server machine itself. Public game servers attract floods; how DDoS protection works explains why filtered ports matter.
Keeping the Minecraft server running after you log out
Run the server as a systemd service so it survives SSH disconnects, restarts itself after a crash and starts when the VPS reboots. Save this as /etc/systemd/system/minecraft.service:
[Unit]
Description=Minecraft server
After=network-online.target
[Service]
User=minecraft
WorkingDirectory=/opt/minecraft
ExecStart=/usr/bin/java -Xms2G -Xmx4G -jar server.jar nogui
Restart=on-failure
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetsudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now minecraft
journalctl -u minecraft -fsystemctl stop minecraft shuts the world down cleanly and saves it. Back up /opt/minecraft/world (and world_nether, world_the_end on Paper) to another machine on a schedule; a single bad plugin can corrupt chunks.
When managed Minecraft hosting is the better choice
Choose a managed host when nobody in the group wants to patch Java, watch firewall rules or restore a broken world. Keep the DIY VPS when you want SSH, your own scripts and full control.
WebJi® Minecraft server hosting runs Java or Bedrock worlds on KVM servers in India with NVMe storage, a static IPv4 and a browser panel for console, files and backups, quoted in INR with 18% GST before payment. Typical monthly budgets are worked out in the Minecraft server cost in India guide. Send support@webji.services the edition, player count and plugin or modpack list for a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my server say it needs a newer Java version?
The jar was built for a newer Java release than the one installed. Minecraft 26.1 and later need Java 25, while 1.20.5 to 1.21.x need Java 21. Install the matching openjdk-…-jre-headless package and check java -version before starting again.
Can Bedrock players join a Java Minecraft server?
Only with a bridge. Geyser translates Bedrock traffic for a Java server, and Floodgate lets Bedrock players join without a Java account. You then open UDP 19132 as well as TCP 25565. Without these plugins the editions cannot connect.
Can I host a Minecraft server on my home PC in India?
Yes for players on the same Wi-Fi. Friends outside the house need a router port forward, and many home broadband connections use CGNAT, which makes incoming connections impossible without a tunnel. A VPS with a public IP avoids that problem.
Should I use Paper or the official server.jar?
Use Paper for a survival world with friends: it adds a plugins folder and performance fixes, and most server plugins target it. Use the official jar for a pure vanilla experience, and Fabric or NeoForge when you want mods rather than plugins.
Checked 14 November 2026 against Minecraft Java Edition 26.1 release notes · Reviewed by the WebJi® team, Jaipur.
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