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Minecraft
Genre: Open-World-Survival
Studio: Mojang
Publisher: Mojang
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Rent a server
Genre: Open-World-Survival
Studio: Mojang
Publisher: Mojang

Minecraft Server Guide

Today, there is one thing without which the gaming world probably couldn’t exist the way it does: online servers. Being able to play with other people online is one of the main advantages many games offer. Therefore, it is no surprise that games you can play on your computer became more famous than those you can only play on one console in one room and only when your friends come over. Some games even have ‘cross-device’ playing options. One of them is Minecraft. You can play it on many devices and still play online with friends. In this Minecraft server guide we will tell you all the most important things to know if you want to create one yourself or consider third party Minecraft server hosting.

Overview Minecraft Server Guide

In this Minecraft server guide, you will find information about the following topics:

Minecraft Server Requirements

Not every computer is able to act as a Minecraft server. A game like Minecraft can demand some special things to secure your gaming experience. However, it is important to consider what the Minecraft server is supposed to offer. If you’re running a multiplayer Minecraft server for example, the requirements can vary greatly. This depends on the number of players, the type of world you’re running, the server settings and any mods or plugins you might want to use. In general, there are recommended specifications for such a multiplayer Minecraft server. Still, if all you want to do is play on your own in the vanilla version, you might as well get your game running with the minimum requirements.

Minimum requirementsRecommended stats
CPUmodern 1.8 GHz dual-core CPU (Intel Core i3 or AMD equivalent)Intel Core i5 or AMD equivalent, with at least 3.0 GHz clock speed
Networkstable broadband connection with at least 1 Mbps upload speedbroadband connection with at least 5 Mbps upload speed or higher
RAMat least 2GB dedicated for the server (4GB recommended here)4-8GB or more dedicated to the Minecraft server
StorageSolid-state drive (SSD)Solid-state drive (SSD) with at least 10-20GB of free space

You might have noticed that the table above covers mostly hardware requirements. After all, a computer that is able to fulfill your wishes for your Minecraft server is most important. While you need at least 2GB dedicated for the server, Minecraft servers are known to be memory-hungry, and if you plan on using mods or you anticipate many users will be connected at the same time, 4GB or more is recommended. This is why it is recommended to dedicate even more RAM for your multiplayer Minecraft server. More RAM allows for more players and larger, more complex worlds. Similarly, more players require a higher upload speed to maintain performance and the more players you want to support, the higher it needs to be. Lastly, Minecraft itself doesn’t take up a huge amount of RAM, but if you plan to keep many worlds saved, SSD storage is recommended for quicker read or write times. SSDs can significantly improve server performance compared to standard HDDs (hard disk drive). The exact amount, however, will depend on your server’s needs.

Always be sure to monitor your server’s performance to ensure it’s delivering the best experience for your players. If you notice a lot of lag or other performance issues, it might be time to upgrade your hardware.

Tip:

Remember, running a Minecraft server can be demanding on your computer’s resources. If your server is struggling with performance issues, it might be time to consider upgrading your hardware or looking into dedicated Minecraft server hosting options.

How to Make a Minecraft Server

Creating a new Minecraft server involves a few steps and can be a bit complex for the uninitiated, depending on what device you’re using. However, we’ll break it down into simple steps for you. These steps are for a simple vanilla Minecraft server for the Minecraft: Java Edition on your computer. If you want to create a server for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition or a server with mods, the process might be slightly different. Also, keep in mind that the process differs if you’re creating a Minecraft server via a hosting service like G-Portal.

  1. Check your system requirements
  2. Download the server software
    1. install Java
    2. visit the official Minecraft website, download the server software
    3. once you’ve downloaded the server software, create a new folder that contains all of your server files
    4. move the downloaded file (.jar file) into this new folder
  3. Set up the server
    1. set up the Minecraft server in your server folder, create a new text file, open it, then copy and paste the following line of code:
      For Windows/Linux/MacOS;
      java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar minecraft_server.jar nogui
    2. save this text file with the name start.bat for Windows and start.sh for Linux/MacOS
    3. run the start.bat (or start.sh) file again
  4. Run the Server
    1. double-click on the start.bat (or start.sh) file to start your server, some more server files will be generated in your folder
    2. open a file named eula.txt and change the line eula=false to eula=true for agreeing to the EULA (End User License Agreement) for Minecraft
  5. Connect to your server
    1. open Minecraft and go to the multiplayer section
    2. Click Add Server and in the Server Address field, type localhost if you are running the game on the same machine as the server. If it’s on another machine, you’ll need to enter its IP address

You now have a Minecraft server running. Note that this is a very basic server. If you want to customize your server with mods or change server settings, you’ll need to learn a bit more about how Minecraft servers work.

Making Your Minecraft Server an Online Server

If you want to invite friends to join your server who are not in the same network as you, you’ll need to set up a port forwarding system on your router. Be aware that this can expose your network to potential security risks, so be sure to set up a firewall and take appropriate security measures.

The port forwarding process varies by router model, but generally, you will need to:

  1. Find out your computer’s local IP address and the server’s port number (usually 25565 for Minecraft servers).
  2. Log into your router’s administration interface.
  3. Find the port forwarding section and create a new rule for port forwarding.
  4. Enter your computer’s local IP address, the server’s port number (25565), and set it to TCP/UDP mode.
  5. Save the settings and restart your router if necessary.

Then, you can give your public IP address to your friends to connect to your server. You can find out your public IP address by searching “what is my IP” on Google. Now you know how to set up a multiplayer online Minecraft server. Remember, running a server can consume a lot of resources, so ensure your computer is up to the task.

Tip:

If you’re unsure about this process, you could consider using a professional Minecraft server hosting service. Also, remember to keep your server software updated to the latest version for the best performance and security.

Changing Your Minecraft Server Version

Changing your Minecraft server version requires a few steps. Here’s a basic guide on how to do it:

  1. Make a backup of your world.
  2. Download the new server version: Navigate to the Minecraft download page or your preferred Minecraft server software download page (for example, the Spigot or PaperMC websites if you’re using those versions). Download the server .jar file for the version you want to change to.
  3. Replace the old server file: In your server directory, delete the old server .jar file and replace it with the one you just downloaded. Make sure the new .jar file has the exact same name as the old one if you’re using a start script or update the script to use the new file name.
  4. Update your server: Start your server. If you’re switching to a major new version (for example, from 1.12 to 1.13), the server might need to update various world features. This process can take some time, depending on the size of your world.

There are several reasons why you might want to change your Minecraft server version:

  • accessing new features
  • improving performance
  • maintaining compatibility
  • security and bug fixes

Keep in mind that not all updates are fully backwards-compatible. In particular, major updates (like the update from 1.12 to 1.13) can cause significant changes that might break certain features or require world conversions. Always backup your server before updating, and check the update’s release notes for any potential issues.

Accessing the Minecraft Server Console

The Minecraft server console is the command prompt or terminal window that is opened when you start your Minecraft server. Here’s how you typically open it:

  1. Navigate to your Minecraft server directory (the folder where your Minecraft server’s .jar file is located).
    1. If you’re using Windows, double-click the batch file (start.bat) that you created when setting up the server. This will start the server and open the server console, which is a command prompt window.
    2. If you’re using Linux or MacOS, open a Terminal window, navigate to your server directory using the cd command, and then run the start script (start.sh) by typing sh start.sh and pressing enter. This will start the server and open the server console in the terminal window.

Remember, you should not close the server console while your server is running. Doing so will stop the server and can lose you some important in-game assets. So, you should stop the server properly.

The Minecraft Server Control Panel

What is a Minecraft server control panel? Minecraft itself does not come with an in-built server control panel like you might find with some dedicated server hosting services. If you’re running a Minecraft server on your own computer, you’ll interact with the server primarily through the server console, which is just a command prompt or terminal window where the server puts out information and accepts commands.

However, if you’re using a server hosting service to host your Minecraft server, they will often provide a web-based control panel that you can use to manage your server. The process to access this will depend on the specific hosting service that you’re using, but generally, you would need to:

  1. Go to the hosting service’s website and log into your account.
  2. Navigate to your server dashboard or control panel. The exact navigation will depend on the website’s layout.
  3. From here, you should be able to start, stop, and restart your server, as well as change settings, manage files, and more.

In both cases, on your computer or via Minecraft server hosting, you can type commands into the server console to manage your server. For example, you could use the op command to give a player operator status, or the whitelist command to manage the server’s whitelist. You can view a list of all available commands by typing help and pressing enter.

How to Find Your Minecraft Server IP

Basically, your Minecraft server IP is the same as the IP address of the machine that’s hosting the server. Still, if you don’t know this address, here’s how you can find it:

If your server is hosted on your local network (LAN):

  • On Windows:
    • Open the command prompt. You can do this by typing cmd into the start menu.
    • Type ipconfig or ifconfig /all and press enter.
    • Look for an entry named IPv4 Address. This is your local IP address.
  • On macOS:
    • Open the terminal. You can do this by typing terminal into the spotlight search.
    • Type ifconfig and press enter.
    • Look for the inet entry under en0 or en1. This is your local IP address.
  • On Linux:
    • Open the terminal.
    • Type hostname -I and press enter. If you have net-tools installed, you can also type ifconfig. Your local IP address should appear.

If your server is accessible from the internet (WAN):

You can find your public IP address (the one you would give to people outside your local network) by simply typing ‘what is my IP’ into a search engine like Google. It should display your public IP address.

Please note that to make your Minecraft server accessible over the internet, you will need to set up port forwarding on your router. This process varies by router model, so you may need to look up specific instructions for your particular model. Be aware that port forwarding can expose your network to the internet and create potential security risks, so it’s important to set up a firewall and take other security measures to protect your network.

Lastly, keep in mind that if you’re using a standard home internet connection, your public IP address may occasionally change due to DHCP policies of your Internet Service Provider (ISP). To get around this, you might want to consider using a dynamic DNS service, which gives your server a fixed domain name to connect to, even if your IP changes.

Starting and Stopping Your Minecraft Server

Starting and stopping a Minecraft server is important whenever you’re making changes to server properties. You should always stop the server before making changes and start it again after you’re done. This ensures that the changes are correctly applied and prevents potential issues. It is usually done through the console interface for your server, which will vary depending on the system you are using (Windows, Linux, MacOS).

Starting the Minecraft server:

  1. Navigate to your Minecraft server directory where the server’s .jar and start script files are located.
  2. Windows: double-click the start script file you created (start.bat)
    Linux or MacOS: open a terminal, navigate to the server directory using the cd command, and then run the start script (start.sh) using the command sh start.sh.

This will start the Minecraft server and open a console window. Do not close this window, as doing so will stop the server.

Stopping the Minecraft server:

  1. Use the console window that was opened when you started your server.
  2. Type stop into the console and press enter. This command will save the world data and stop the server.

Once the console says that it’s done or that the Minecraft server has stopped, you can safely close the console window. Remember to always stop your Minecraft server by using the stop command in the console. Closing the console window without using the stop command can lead to loss of data and world corruption, as it doesn’t allow the Minecraft server to save the world data properly before shutting down.

How to Change Minecraft Server Properties: Settings

Changing the Minecraft server properties is straightforward. All you have to do is follow these steps:

  1. Stop your server.
  2. Access the server.properties file that is located in your Minecraft server directory.
  3. Open server.properties with a text editor such as Notepad, Notepad++ or TextEdit on macOS.
  4. Edit the settings in the server properties file. Always ensure you save your changes.
  5. Save and close the server properties file.
  6. Start your server.

Make sure you type everything correctly and do not add extra spaces. Some properties require a restart to take effect. If you encounter issues, you can always delete the server.properties file and restart the server to generate a new default properties file.

All Minecraft Server Properties

Minecraft server settings are controlled by a file named server.properties located in the root directory of your Minecraft server. Many of them are self-explanatory by their names. Still, it might be helpful having a list of all Minecraft server properties. Here’s a breakdown of the settings that can be found in this file:

nameexplanationdefault
allow-flightallows or disallows users to fly on your serverfalse
allow-netherset to true, players can travel to the Nethertrue
broadcast-console-to-opssends the console output to all online operatorstrue
broadcast-rcon-to-opsset to true, the output of RCON will be broadcast to all online operatorstrue
difficultysets the difficulty of the server:
0: Peaceful
1: Easy
2: Normal
3: Hard		1
enable-command-blockset to true, command blocks are enabled on the serverfalse
enable-jmx-monitoringset to true, it exposes an MBean with the Object name net.minecraft.server:type=Server and two attributes averageTickTime and tickTimes exposing the tick times in millisecondsfalse
enable-rconenables or disables remote access to the server consolefalse
enable-statusset to false, the server will not respond to ping requests from server-lists and the client server menutrue
enable-queryenables or disables the GameSpy4 protocol server listenerfalse
enforce-secure-profileset to true, players without a public key (Mojang-signed) can’t connect to the servertrue
enforce-whitelistset to true, users who aren’t on the whitelist (if enabled) get kicked when the server reloads the whitelist filefalse
entity-broadcast-range-percentagecontrols how close entities need to be before being sent to clients, higher values means they’ll be sent from farther away, potentially causing more lag100
force-gamemodeset to true, players will switch to the default gamemode when they join for the first time, or after every respawn if they diefalse
function-permission-levelsets the default permission level for functions2
gamemodesets the default gamemode
0: Survival
1: Creative
2: Adventure
3: Spectator		0
generate-structuresset to true, villages, strongholds, etc. will be generatedtrue
generator-settingssettings used to customize world generationfalse
hardcoreset to true, players will be set to spectator mode if they diefalse
hide-online-playersset to true, no player list is sent when status requests happenfalse
initial-disabled-packslist of datapacks that won’t be auto-enabled on world creationblank
initial-enabled-packslist of datapacks that won’t be disabled on world creationvanilla
level-namename of the level and folder the level is stored inworld
level-seedseed used to generate the worldblank
level-typetype of map to generate
DEFAULT: Standard world with hills, valleys, water, etc
FLAT: A flat world with no features.
LARGEBIOMES: Same as default but with larger biomes.
AMPLIFIED: Same as default but world-generation height limit is increased.		DEFAULT
max-chained-neighbor-updateslimits the amount of consecutive neighbor updates1000000
max-playersmaximum number of players that can play on the server at the same times20
max-tick-timemaximum number of milliseconds a single tick may take before the server watchdog stops the server with the message, a single server tick took 60.00 seconds (should be max 0.05); considering it to be crashed, server will forcibly shutdown, once this criterion is met, it calls System.exit(1)6000
max-world-sizemaximum possible size in blocks, expressed as a radius, that the world border can obtain29999984
motd“Message of the Day”, which is displayed in the server list of the clientA Minecraft Server
network-compression-thresholdmaximum size a packet can be before the server attempts to compress it, must be a positive integer256
online-modeset to true, the server will try to authenticate usernames with Minecraft’s online servers, disable for cracked or offline mode serverstrue
op-permission-leveldefault permission level for ops when /op username is typed into the console4
player-idle-timeoutnumber of minutes before a player is kicked due to inactivity, set to 0 for no timeout0
prevent-proxy-connectionsset to true, the server will validate that all connections are properly coming from an authentic Minecraft clientfalse
previews-chatset to true, enables chat preview when typingfalse
pvpset to true, players can hurt each other. If set to false, players cannot hurt each othertrue
query-portport for the query server (see enable-query)25565
rate-limitsets the maximum number of packets a player can send within a span of 60 seconds0
rcon.passwordpassword for RCON; must be set in order to enable RCONblank
rcon.portport for RCON commands25575
resource-packoptional URI to a resource packblank
resource-pack-sha1optional SHA-1 digest of the resource pack, in lower-case hexadecimalblank
resource-pack-promptoptional custom message shown when prompting the user to accept the resource packblank
require-resource-packif set to true, players must give a response, if required pack is declined, the respective players will be disconnectedfalse
server-ipIP address the server should listen onblank
server-portport the server should listen on25565
simulation-distancemaximum distance (in chunks, radius) between players and living entities for them to be located for being updated by the server10
snooper-enabledset to true, the server will send data about the server, player counts, its settings and timings to Mojangtrue
spawn-animalsset to true, animals will be able to spawntrue
spawn-monstersset to true, monsters will be able to spawntrue
spawn-npcsset to true, villagers will be able to spawntrue
spawn-protectiona number x, side length of a spawn protection area as 2x+1, x=0 disables spawn protection, no OP on server=automatically disabled16
sync-chunk-writessynchronous chunk writestrue
text-filtering-configallows specifying an online service to filter textblank
use-native-transportfor Linux: set to true, packet sending/receiving optimizedtrue
view-distancesets server-side viewing distance (in chunks, radius)10
white-listenables whitelist false

How to Change Your Minecraft Server’s Name

The server name is actually determined by what the user labels it when they add it to their list of servers in their Minecraft client. However, the “MOTD” (Message Of The Day) in your server.properties file is what players see under the server name when they add your Minecraft server to their list. Therefore, changing your server name is more or less done by changing the MOTD. Here’s how to do this:

  1. Stop your server.
  2. Open the server.properties file in your server directory with a text editor.
  3. Look for the line that starts with motd=. The text following this is what players will see under the server name in their server list. You can change this to whatever you want.
    Example: motd=Welcome to My Awesome Server!
  4. Save and close the server.properties file.
  5. Start your server again.

Remember, the MOTD supports color and formatting codes. To create a colorful MOTD, you have to use the respective codes right before your text. For example, if you want to set your MOTD to ‘Hello friends’ in dark blue you would have to type \u00a71Hello friends. Additionally, you can check out the Minecraft MOTD generator, type in your text and get the right formatting code in a second.

Also, it’s important to note that very long MOTDs may not display correctly due to space limitations in the Minecraft server list. It’s best to keep your MOTD relatively short to ensure that it displays properly.

Tip:

If you use Minecraft server hosting at G-Portal, we have a short guide on how to change your server name.

Setting the Operator Status on Your Minecraft Server

‘OP’ stands for ‘operator’ on a Minecraft server. Players who are set as an OP have the ability to use certain commands that regular players cannot. Such include changing the game mode for other players, kicking or banning players, giving items and many others. This is how you can set up an OP on your Minecraft server:

  1. Start your Minecraft server: You need to have your server running to make someone an operator.
  2. Access the server console: This will typically be the command prompt or terminal window that opened when you started your server. It could also be a console in your server hosting control panel if you’re using a Minecraft server hosting option.
  3. Use the OP command: In the server console, type op <username>, replacing <username> with the Minecraft username of the player you want to make an OP. Press enter to execute the command. To remove operator status from a player, you can use the command deop <username> in the console in a similar way.

Example: the player’s username is ‘Steve’ —> type op Steve into the console

Once you’ve done this, the player should have operator status. They can now run commands in the game by typing them into the chat, preceded by a slash (/). For example, to change the weather to clear, they could type /weather clear.

Keep in mind that operators have a lot of power on a Minecraft server, so you should only grant operator status to players who you trust. Abuse of operator powers can quickly ruin the fun of the game for other players.

What Is a Whitelist?

A whitelist on a Minecraft server is essentially a list of approved players who are allowed to connect to your server. Only players whose Minecraft usernames are included on this list will be able to join your server. Therefore, using a whitelist can be a good way to keep your server private, allowing only your friends or certain people to join. Here’s how you can set up and manage a whitelist on your Minecraft server:

1. Enable the whitelist:

First, you need to enable the whitelist on your Minecraft server. You can do this by accessing the server console and typing the command whitelist on, then pressing enter.

Alternatively, you can enable the whitelist from the server properties file. Open the server.properties file in a text editor and find the line that reads white-list=false. Change this to white-list=true, then save and close the file. You will need to restart your server for this change to take effect.

2. Add players to the whitelist:

Once the whitelist is enabled, you can add players to it. To do this, access the server console and use the command whitelist add <username>, replacing <username> with the Minecraft username of the player you want to add to the whitelist. Press enter to execute the command.

3. Remove players from the whitelist:

If you want to remove a player from the whitelist, you can use the command whitelist remove <username>, replacing <username> with the Minecraft username of the player you want to remove.

Example: add a player named ‘Steve’ —> type whitelist add Steve
remove a player named ‘Steve’ —> type whitelist remove Steve

4. View the Whitelist:

To view a list of all players who are currently on the whitelist, you can use the command whitelist list.

Remember, changes to the whitelist, unlike server properties, take effect immediately, so you don’t need to restart your Minecraft server after adding or removing players. Also, be aware that usernames are case-sensitive, so you must enter them exactly as they appear in Minecraft.

How to install Mods or Plugins on Your Minecraft Server

Adding plugins, mods and custom worlds to a Minecraft server involves a few steps. Note that plugins and mods require different types of servers. Plugins are typically used with Bukkit servers (like CraftBukkit or Spigot), while mods require a Forge server.

Adding Plugins:

  1. Download the plugin you want to install. Ensure that it’s compatible with your server’s version.
  2. Upload the plugin’s .jar file into the plugins folder in your server directory. If there is no plugins folder, you might not be running a Bukkit server.
  3. Restart your server.

Adding Mods:

  1. Make sure your Minecraft server is running Forge. Both the server and the players will need to have Forge installed.
  2. Download the mod you want to install. Ensure that it’s compatible with your server’s version.
  3. Upload the mod’s .jar or .zip file into the mods folder in your server directory. If there is no mods folder, you might not be running a Forge server.
  4. Restart your server.
  5. Players will also need to have the same mods installed on their Minecraft client to connect to the server.

Adding Custom Worlds:

  1. Locate your server’s world folder in the server directory. This folder contains all of the data about your Minecraft server’s world.
  2. If you want to replace this world with a new one, delete the world folder. Make sure to back up this folder first if you want to keep the existing world.
  3. Download the custom world you want to use. This will usually be a .zip or .rar file, which you will need to extract.
  4. After extracting, rename the folder to world and place it in your server directory.
  5. Restart your server.

Remember, you should always back up your server before installing plugins, mods or custom worlds, in case something goes wrong. Also, not all plugins and mods are compatible with each other or with certain server or Minecraft versions, so be sure to check for any compatibility issues before installing.

Tip:

Additionally, be sure to download plugins, mods and worlds from trusted sources to avoid potential security risks. Websites like SpigotMC, CurseForge, and the official Minecraft forums are typically good places to find reputable downloads.

Plugins for More ‘Worlds’ on Your Minecraft Server

By ‘worlds’ in this context, it is referred to in-game environments, not game slots in the Minecraft launcher. By default, a Minecraft server has three dimensions or “worlds”: the overworld, the Nether, and the End. If you are using a vanilla Minecraft server, that’s all you get. If you want to have additional distinct worlds (like different overworlds), you’ll need to use server software that supports this feature, like Bukkit, Spigot or PaperMC, along with a multi-world plugin like Multiverse.

The Multiverse plugin allows you to create, delete, and manage multiple worlds on your Minecraft server. You can have separate overworlds, Nethers, Ends or even custom world types (like flat worlds or void worlds), each with their own unique settings. The number of worlds you can have on a Minecraft server isn’t explicitly limited by the base game, but it’s mostly constrained by the server’s available resources (RAM, CPU, storage) and your server configuration. So, remember that each world uses server resources. More worlds means more chunks to load, more entities to track and more data to store. This can increase server lag and require more storage space. Therefore, the practical limit to the number of worlds is determined by your Minecraft server’s hardware capabilities and performance.

Tip:

If you notice that your server performance decreases with additional worlds, you may need to reduce the number of worlds, or upgrade your server’s hardware. Always monitor your Minecraft server’s performance and adjust as necessary.

How to Change the Seed on Your Minecraft Server

The seed of your Minecraft server determines how the world is generated. In its form it’s mostly a row of numbers. To change the seed, you will need to modify your server’s server.properties file. It is easy and doesn’t take long:

  1. Stop your server.
  2. Open the server.properties file in your server directory with a text editor.
  3. Look for the line that starts with level-seed=.
  4. Delete whatever is currently there and replace it with the new seed.
    For example: level-seed=12345
  5. Save and close the server.properties file.

Now, this is how you change the seed of a world on your Minecraft server. However, there are some more steps you have to go to make it have an effect. Since the seed is used to generate the world when it’s first created, simply changing the seed won’t change your existing world. For the seed to take effect:

  1. Delete your current world so that a new one can be generated with the new seed. The world is usually stored in a folder called world or whatever you’ve specified in the level-name= property in the server.properties file. Be aware, deleting the world will permanently delete it, so make sure to make a backup if you want to save it.
  2. Start your server again. It will generate a new world using the new seed.

Remember, every seed creates a unique world, so changing the seed will change the entire landscape of your Minecraft server. Be sure to let your players know before you do this, as it can be quite disruptive to gameplay.

Will Changing the Seed on My Minecraft Server Delete My Buildings?

As explained above, when you change the seed of your Minecraft server, it doesn’t immediately affect your current world. However, if you change the seed and then delete your current world (in order for a new world to be generated with the new seed), you will lose everything in the old world, including any houses or other structures you’ve built. The new world will be generated from scratch based on the new seed.

If you want to preserve your houses and other builds, you’ll need to save your old world before deleting it. Then, you can use tools like MCEdit or WorldEdit to copy structures from your old world and paste them into the new world. Keep in mind that these are complex tools that take some learning to use effectively, and there’s always the risk of data loss or corruption, so be sure to backup everything before you start.

In summary, changing the seed alone won’t delete your houses, but if you change the seed and create a new world for that seed to take effect, you’ll lose your current world and everything in it unless you take steps to save and transfer your structures.

Automating Minecraft Server Tasks

Automating tasks on a Minecraft server typically involves setting up a series of commands that the server will execute at set intervals or at specific times. This can be done using plugins for servers running Bukkit, Spigot or similar platforms. One such plugin is EssentialsX, which includes a feature for creating scheduled tasks.

To show you one way of automating server tasks on your Minecraft server, here’s a basic guide on how to do it using EssentialsX:

  1. Install the EssentialsX plugin on your server. You can download it from the SpigotMC website, and install it by placing the .jar file into your server’s plugins folder and then restarting the server.
  2. Once EssentialsX is installed, navigate to the plugins/Essentials directory in your server files.
  3. Open the config.yml file in a text editor.
  4. In this file, find the section labeled auto-afk-kick. Below this, you can add commands to be run at a specified interval.

For example, the following configuration would cause the server to save all world data every 6000 seconds (or 100 minutes):

auto-afk-kick: 6000
commands:
 - "save-all"

Save and close the config.yml file when you’re finished and then restart your server to apply the changes.

Automating tasks on your Minecraft server can be useful for several reasons:

  • Reduced lag & improved performance: Regularly saving your Minecraft server’s world data can help to reduce lag and prevent data loss in the event of a crash.
  • Regular backups: Automated tasks can be used to create regular backups of your server, which can protect against data loss from crashes, griefing or other issues.
  • Scheduled announcements: If you have information you want to remind your players of on a regular basis, you can set up an automated task to send a server-wide message at certain intervals.

Maintenance tasks: Some server tasks, like restarting the server or clearing old data, can be automated to take place during off-peak hours, causing less disruption to players.

Tip:

Remember, the specifics of setting up automated tasks can vary depending on your Minecraft server setup and the plugins you’re using. Always refer to the documentation for your specific server software and plugins for the most accurate information.

Why Backups Are Important & How to Make Them

Creating backups of your Minecraft server is an important part of server management. It can help protect your data from loss due to server crashes, accidental deletions or other unforeseen issues. Here are the steps to create a backup:

  1. Stop your server: It’s crucial to stop the server before creating a backup to prevent data corruption. This is because the server is constantly reading and writing data while running, which can interfere with the backup process.
  2. Navigate to your server directory: This is the folder where your server’s files are located. It typically includes files such as server.properties, whitelist.json, banned-players.json and folders like world, world_nether, world_the_end etc.
  3. Copy the server files: Select all of the files and folders in the server directory and copy them. This includes the world folders, which contain all of the data for your server’s world (or worlds, if you have more than one). If you’re using a server with plugins or mods, be sure to include the plugins or mods folder in your backup as well.
  4. Paste the copied files to a secure location: This could be another folder on your computer, an external hard drive, or a cloud storage service. Wherever you choose, it should be a place where the files will be safe and where you have enough storage space.
  5. Restart your server: Once the backup is complete, you can start your server back up.

For automatic backups, you might want to consider using a plugin (for Bukkit, Spigot or Paper servers), a mod (for Forge servers) or a script (for any kind of server). These can be set up to automatically create backups at regular intervals.

Tip:

Regardless of how you create your backups, make sure to test them regularly to ensure they’re working correctly. Also, remember to keep several recent backups, not just one. That way, if anything goes wrong with a more recent backup, you can fall back on an older one.

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