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PaperMC: The Better Minecraft Server

PaperMC is a high-performance fork of Spigot that makes your Minecraft server faster, more secure, and more configurable. It's a drop-in replacement that works with all vanilla clients.

Updated
~10 minutes
Beginner friendly
Contains affiliate links

What is PaperMC?

PaperMC is a Minecraft server implementation based on Spigot, which itself is based on CraftBukkit. It's the most popular server software for Minecraft Java Edition, used by thousands of servers worldwide.

The key difference between Paper and vanilla (or even Spigot) is the extensive performance optimizations. Paper rewrites many internal systems to be more efficient, resulting in higher TPS and lower memory usage, especially on servers with many players or complex redstone builds.

Best of all, Paper is fully compatible with vanilla Minecraft clients. Your players don't need to install anything special - they just connect like normal.

Benefits Over Vanilla

Better Performance
PaperMC includes hundreds of optimizations that significantly reduce lag and improve TPS (ticks per second), especially with more players online.
Enhanced Security
Built-in exploit fixes and security patches that protect your server from common attacks and cheats that vanilla servers are vulnerable to.
Plugin Support
Full Bukkit and Spigot plugin compatibility, giving you access to thousands of plugins to customize your server experience.
More Configuration
Additional configuration options for fine-tuning server behavior, from mob spawning rates to chunk loading distances.
Active Community
Large, active community with excellent documentation, regular updates, and responsive support through Discord.

How to Install PaperMC

Installing PaperMC is almost identical to setting up a vanilla server. If you've followed our main server setup guide, you just need to swap out the server jar file.

1

Download PaperMC

Go to the PaperMC Downloads page and download the latest build for your Minecraft version.

2

Replace the Server Jar

Rename the downloaded file to server.jar and replace your existing vanilla server.jar with it.

3

Start Your Server

Run your start script as normal. Paper will generate additional configuration files in the config folder.

4

Add Plugins (Optional)

Create a plugins folder in your server directory and drop any .jar plugin files into it. Restart to load them.

Top 5 Must-Have Plugins

These plugins are the foundation of most Minecraft servers. They're well-maintained, regularly updated, and trusted by millions of server owners.

1
EssentialsX

10M+ downloads

Download

The must-have plugin for any server. Provides over 100 commands including /home, /warp, /tpa, economy, kits, and player management. It's the foundation most servers build upon.

Key Features:

  • Teleportation commands
  • Economy system
  • Chat formatting
  • Kits and spawns
  • Player nicknames
2
Vault

5M+ downloads

Download

A permissions, chat, and economy API that allows plugins to hook into various systems. Required by many other plugins to function properly.

Key Features:

  • Permission system bridge
  • Economy API
  • Chat API
  • Multi-plugin support
3
LuckPerms

8M+ downloads

Download

The most popular permissions plugin. Lets you control exactly what each player or group can do on your server with a powerful web editor.

Key Features:

  • Web-based editor
  • Group inheritance
  • Temporary permissions
  • Per-world permissions
  • Verbose debugging
4
WorldEdit

7M+ downloads

Download

Powerful in-game map editor. Select regions and fill, replace, or copy blocks instantly. Essential for builders and server setup.

Key Features:

  • Selection tools
  • Copy and paste
  • Brushes
  • Schematics
  • Block replacement
5
CoreProtect

3M+ downloads

Download

Block logging and rollback plugin. See who placed or broke blocks, and restore griefed areas with a single command. A must-have for public servers.

Key Features:

  • Block logging
  • Rollback commands
  • Lookup tools
  • Container logging
  • Chat logging

Resources & Documentation

PaperMC Documentation

Official docs covering configuration, API, and administration.

PaperMC Discord

Get help from the community and stay updated on releases.

GitHub Repository

Source code, issue tracker, and contribution guidelines.

Hangar Plugin Repository

PaperMC's official plugin marketplace with verified downloads.