¶ 🧱 Minecraft Server Setup & Management
⚠️ If your server is no longer starting, ensure it has a
run.shfile with the default Java startup arguments.
👉 See the section run.sh file for more info.
¶ 🎮 Types of Minecraft Servers
EgoPvP Hosting lets you install any type of Minecraft server — modded, plugin-based, or official.
Here’s an overview of the most common server types:
| Server Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Vanilla | The official default multiplayer server from Mojang. No support for plugins or mods. |
| PaperMC | Based on Spigot/Bukkit, optimized for performance. Supports plugins. |
| Purpur | Extension of PaperMC focused on full customization. Supports plugins. |
| Folia | Experimental fork of Paper with multithreaded chunk handling. Supports plugins. |
| Waterfall | Proxy-only server, fork of BungeeCord. Not a playable server. (EOL – use Velocity instead) |
| Velocity | Modern proxy server for network setups. Not a playable server. |
| Fabric | Lightweight mod loader with fast startup. Supports mods. |
| Forge | Widely used mod loader for Minecraft. Supports mods. |
| Mohist | Combines Forge mods with Bukkit/Paper plugins. Supports both. |
| Banner | Plugin + Fabric mod support. Supports both. |
¶ ⚙️ RAM, CPU & Slot Recommendations for Minecraft Servers
¶ 💾 How Much RAM Do I Need?
| Players | Vanilla (No Mods) | With Plugins (Paper/Purpur) | With Mods or Modpacks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 Players | 1–2 GB | ~2 GB | ~6 GB |
| 5–10 Players | ~3 GB | ~4 GB | 6–8 GB |
| 10–20 Players | 4-6 GB | 5-8 GB | 8–12 GB |
| 20–40 Players | 8-10 GB | 8-10 GB | 12–16 GB |
| 40+ Players | 12+ GB | 12+ GB | ~16 GB (and more!) |
💡 Heavy modpacks or large redstone machines can require significantly more RAM.
Monitor your RAM and CPU usage regularly in the dashboard. If your server hits 100% usage, consider upgrading to avoid lag and crashes.
¶ 🧠 Other Factors That Affect RAM Usage
- 🗺️ Large worlds and many loaded chunks
- 🔌 Installed mods and plugins
- 🐄 Entities like mobs, item drops, farms
- 🧱 Redstone machinery
- 🧩 Newer Minecraft versions generally use more RAM
¶ 🧮 CPU Recommendations
Minecraft primarily runs on a single core, but additional cores help with:
- Running parallel processes (plugins, tasks, backups)
- Handling multiple dimensions or large modpacks
- Avoiding TPS drops with many players
| Server Type | Recommended CPU Core # |
|---|---|
| Vanilla | 2 Cores |
| Plugin-based | 2-4 Cores |
| Modded / Modpack | 2-6 Cores |
⚠️ Minecraft is CPU-heavy. A server with 4–6 players on a big modpack may stress a CPU before RAM becomes an issue.
¶ ☕ Java Compatibility for Minecraft Versions
Use the correct Java runtime for your Minecraft server to avoid startup crashes and performance issues.
| Software | 1.20.5–1.21.x | 1.18–1.20.4 | 1.17 | 1.7–1.16.5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper / Purpur | Java 21 | Java 17 | Java 16 | Java 8 |
| Fabric | Java 21 | Java 17 | Java 16 | Java 8 |
| Forge / NeoForge | Java 21 (newer builds) | Java 17 | Java 16 | Java 8 |
| Velocity (Proxy) | Java 21 (preferred) | Java 17 | Java 16 | Java 8/11* |
* Older proxy builds may run on Java 8/11, but new releases generally track modern Java quickly.
💡 Modpacks inherit the Java requirement of the Minecraft + mod loader they target. Always check the modpack’s page for any stricter runtime requirement.
¶ 🛠️ Switching Java in our Panel
- Open your Server Dashboard → Settings.
- Find Java Version.
- Select the required Java version.
- Save and Restart the server.
⚠️ If a server fails to start after switching Java, verify that all mods/plugins also support that Java version.
¶ ⚙️ File: run.sh
This file is essential for starting your server.
It contains the Java command used to launch the server.
🛑 If you’re not sure what you’re doing, do not edit this file — it’s a common reason for server crashes.
¶ Default run.sh contents (for Vanilla, Paper, etc.)
java -Xms128M -XX:+UseG1GC -XX:+ParallelRefProcEnabled -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=200 -XX:+UnlockExperimentalVMOptions -XX:+DisableExplicitGC -XX:+AlwaysPreTouch -XX:G1HeapWastePercent=5 -XX:G1MixedGCCountTarget=4 -XX:InitiatingHeapOccupancyPercent=15 -XX:G1MixedGCLiveThresholdPercent=90 -XX:G1RSetUpdatingPauseTimePercent=5 -XX:SurvivorRatio=18 -XX:+PerfDisableSharedMem -XX:MaxTenuringThreshold=1 -Dusing.aikars.flags=https://mcflags.emc.gs -Daikars.new.flags=true -XX:G1NewSizePercent=40 -XX:G1MaxNewSizePercent=50 -XX:G1HeapRegionSize=16M -XX:G1ReservePercent=15 -Dterminal.jline=false -Dterminal.ansi=true -jar server.jar nogui
📌 For modpacks, the startup file and its arguments can differ. Please refer to your Modpack Author for the right startup attributes.
Make sure the Start-Script contains anoguiat the end or it may negatively impact your Servers Performance.
¶ 🔧 Installing Plugins to Your Server
Plugins require a plugin-compatible server type, such as Paper, Purpur, or Spigot.
Forge or Fabric servers do not support plugins directly.
-
Make sure your server is running Paper, Purpur, or similar
-
Download plugins from SpigotMC, Hangar or Modrinth
💡 You can also use our Plugin Browser for this. See our Server Management Guide for more Information
-
Go to the file browser on your Server’s Dashboard Page
🔐 You can also use your SFTP Access for this. See our Server Management Guide for more Information
-
Navigate to the
/pluginsfolder -
Upload the
.jarplugin file(s) -
Restart your server via the Dashboard
🧠 Always check plugin compatibility with your server version and type.
Some plugins require dependencies or configuration.
💬 If you’re unsure which server type to use, check our section on Types of Minecraft Servers
¶ 🧩 Installing Mods to Your Server
Installing mods requires a mod-compatible server type such as Forge, NeoForge, or Fabric.
If you’re using a vanilla or plugin-only server (like Paper or Purpur), mods will not work.
-
Make sure your server is running Forge, NeoForge, or Fabric.
👉 You can configure this in your Server Dashboard → Settings → Platform Choice -
Download the desired mod(s) from a trusted platform such as CurseForge or Modrinth
💡 You can also use our Mod Browser for this. See our Server Management Guide for more Information
-
Go to the file browser on your Server’s Dashboard Page
🔐 You can also use your SFTP Access for this. See our Server Management Guide for more Information
-
Navigate to the
/modsfolder in your server files
(if it doesn’t exist, create one manually) -
Upload your
.jarmod files -
Restart the server from your Dashboard
💡 Make sure all mods are compatible with the Minecraft version and mod loader your server uses.
If installed correctly, mods will be listed in the server console at startup.
You can also check mod functionality in-game.
❌ If the server crashes at startup, double-check:
- Mod loader version matches mod version
- Mods are not client-only (e.g. Optifine)
- No duplicate or corrupted files in
/mods- Do you have the reuired Libraries / Companion mods installed?
💡 Some mods might require additional Ports to function such as voicechat mods. Make sure to assign needed ports to the server and adjust the mod config properly. See the Network Tab for more information
¶ 🧩 Installing Modpacks to Your Server
If the modpack author provides a Server Pack, installation is simple.
If not, manual installation may be required and is more complex.
¶ 🔽 Downloading the Server Files
If you're using CurseForge (App)
- Open the CurseForge app
- Find your modpack and click the server icon beside Install
If you're using CurseForge (Web)
- Visit the modpack’s page
- Go to Files, choose the version you want to play
¶ ⚙️ Installing the Modpack
- Go to your Server Dashboard → Settings
- Under “Platform Choice” select Custom
- Paste your copied URL into Custom URL
- Click Update, then Reinstall Server
⚠️ Reinstalling will delete all data on your server!
👉 See THIS section on how to create a Backup first.
💡 If your modpack includes a
user_jvm_args.txt, be sure to update theXmxvalue to match your Server’s available RAM.
Otherwise, the server may run with only 4GB or lower, causing crashes and lags!
¶ 🛠️ Common Troubleshooting
No Installation file Found... Please check manually. For more info Check the Wiki...
This error usually means that the modpack you’re trying to install does not follow the expected file structure.
Please ensure that a xxxx-installer.jar file from Forge or NeoForge is present and accessible in the modpack folder.
If such a file is missing, it often indicates that the modpack uses pre-loaded libraries or is already pre-installed — which is not recommended for server environments.
In that case, double-check that you’re using the correct Java version for your server, as pre-included libraries might depend on specific runtime behavior not available in your setup.
⚠️ Pre-installed server packs can negatively impact both performance and stability.
🛠️ Alternative solution:
If the modpack comes with a custom .sh startup script (e.g., start.sh), which is meant to Install your Server or directly Start it, our System will try and rename it to run.sh. After that you will have to Start the Server manually, to let it install itself or start properly.
If the Server has been installed sucessfully and the file start.sh exists and has the start command, you can rename it to run.sh.
Our system will then automatically use this script to start the server.
If all required files are present, the server should install and start as expected.
Make sure the Start-Script contains a nogui at the end or it may negatively impact your Servers Performance.
⚠️ Our Automatic Installation System DOES NOT Support “ServerPackCreator” files or automatic installation of those type of Servers. Such a Pack requires manual setup, please refer to the modpack author on how to install it on a “Linux Server”.
Can't keep up! Is the server overloaded? Running XXXms or XX ticks behind
This warning usually appears when the main thread of your Minecraft server is overloaded and unable to process tasks in time.
This is common in Java-based games and can occur when the CPU is busy — for example, while Java runs Garbage Collection (GC).
⚠️ In many cases, this message is harmless.
If your CPU usage is not maxed out, you can often ignore it.
However, if your server consistently runs near 100% CPU usage and this message appears frequently, possible causes include:
- Mods or plugins with poor performance
- Complex redstone builds or farms
- Insufficient RAM or Java configuration
- World generation lag or tick-heavy entities
¶ 🧩 Modpacks and Memory Allocation
This issue is especially common on modpack servers, which often have heavy performance demands.
Modpack servers by default use only 4 GB (or less) of RAM.
Make sure to increase the memory, to what your Server has available, by editing the user_jvm_args.txt file in your server files.
¶ ♻️ Garbage Collection and Lag
Java’s Garbage Collector (GC) reclaims memory when it’s no longer used.
However, if your server gets forced to uses all available RAM, the GC may:
- Run too frequently
- Stall the main thread
- Cause lag spikes or server pauses
To reduce lag:
- Avoid force allocating too much RAM — more isn’t always better!
- Tune your JVM flags (e.g., via
run.shoruser_jvm_args.txt) - Monitor RAM usage and GC behavior using tools like the Spark Profiler.
💡 Modpacks should be run with well-configured startup arguments. See run.sh for recommended defaults.
Last updated: August 24, 2025