How to Make a Minecraft Server for Free
Make a free Minecraft Java server on your PC — install the right JDK, run the jar, set eula=true, allocate RAM, and let friends in over LAN or a tunnel.
Server Owners Articles
How to Port Forward a Minecraft Server
Port forward a Minecraft server step by step — set a static local IP, open TCP 25565 (or UDP 19132 for Bedrock) on your router, and fix the two usual mistakes.
How to Set Up a Paper Minecraft Server (Java)
Set up a Java Paper server step by step — install a matching JDK, run the jar, tune server.properties, keep it online, and let friends connect.
How to Run a Minecraft Server Without Port Forwarding
Let internet friends onto a self-hosted Minecraft server with no port forwarding, using tunnels like playit.gg, mesh VPNs like Tailscale, or Realms.
How to Protect a Minecraft Server From DDoS Attacks
A practical DDoS guide for server owners: route traffic through a filtering proxy, hide and firewall your origin IP, forward real player IPs, add rate limits.
How to Set Up a Crossplay Server With Geyser and Floodgate
Set up Java-Bedrock crossplay: install Geyser and Floodgate on Paper, switch auth-type to floodgate, open the 19132 UDP Bedrock port, and link accounts.
How to Set Up an SRV Record so Players Join Without a Port
Set up a Minecraft SRV record so players join with a clean domain instead of an IP and port — Java's _minecraft._tcp record, Bedrock caveats, and verification.
The Best Aikar JVM Flags for a Minecraft Server (and When to Use ZGC)
Aikar's G1GC flags explained for Minecraft server owners — why Xms should equal Xmx, the OS headroom rule, the large-heap variant, and when ZGC beats G1GC.
How to Fix TPS Lag Spikes on a Minecraft Server
Diagnose Minecraft server lag with /tps, MSPT, and Spark, tell steady low TPS apart from periodic spikes, then trace and fix the usual culprits.
Must-Have Paper Plugins for a New Minecraft Server
A category-by-category guide to the Paper plugins a new server actually needs — permissions, anti-grief, anti-cheat, world tools, performance, and voting.
How to Reduce RAM Usage on a Minecraft Server Without New Hardware
Cut Minecraft server RAM usage through config alone: tune view and simulation distance, cap entities, pregenerate, trim plugins, and set the heap right.
How to Set Up Permission-Based Ranks with LuckPerms
A practical guide to building a clean LuckPerms rank ladder: create groups, chain inheritance, add prefixes, and scope permissions for staff and player tiers.
Why Your Minecraft Server Keeps Crashing (and How to Find the Cause)
Find out why your Minecraft server keeps crashing — read the crash report and logs/latest.log, then check memory, the watchdog, plugins, chunks, and Java.
The Best Minecraft Version for Servers Right Now
The best Minecraft version for a server is the newest stable build your stack supports — 26.2 on Paper for now, 26.3 for vanilla and Fabric.
Why Is My Minecraft Server Showing Offline on Server Lists?
A step-by-step diagnostic guide for server owners to fix the offline badge — check reachability, ports, firewall, DNS, and server config in order.
How to Get Players on a Brand-New Minecraft Server
A week-one playbook for filling a new Minecraft server — listing, voting, Discord seeding, events, and escaping the empty-server death spiral.
How to Set Up NuVotifier for Vote Rewards (and Fix Votes Not Received)
Set up NuVotifier and a reward plugin so votes from a server list reach your Minecraft server — keys, ports, v1 vs v2, testing, and votes not received.
26.1 vs 26.2 for Server Owners: Update Now or Wait?
A decision framework for server owners weighing whether to update to Minecraft 26.2 now or stay on 26.1 — plugin readiness, player pressure, and rollback cost.
Do Plugins and Mods Break on Minecraft 26.2?
Why a major Minecraft drop like 26.2 can break plugins and mods, what actually changes under the hood, and a safe pre-update checklist for server owners.
How Much RAM Does a 20-Player Minecraft Server Need?
Real RAM tiers for a 20-player Minecraft server, why modded and Skyblock need far more than vanilla, and what to cut before you buy more memory.
How Minecraft Server Rankings & Voting Work
How Minecraft server rankings work here — servers are ordered by votes each calendar month, the count resets monthly, and owners climb by earning votes.