Top 5 tips to improve a Minecraft server's performance

Minecraft servers are one of its most popular features, allowing players worldwide to enjoy the game simultaneously.

It's relatively easy to set up a Minecraft server and can be free of charge if hosted on local hardware. However, one of the main problems with Minecraft servers is that the server code is relatively poorly optimized, leading to performance problems being more prevalent than expected.

This guide explains to server owners and admins precisely the best ways to quickly improve the performance of their Minecraft server.

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The best ways to make a Minecraft server run better and not lag

5) Install paper spigot

Many server owners will already be running paper spigot, in which case this step can be skipped.

For those unaware, however, paper spigot is highly optimized Minecraft server software built by a vast community of experienced developers to improve the base efficiency of the vanilla Minecraft server software.

Installing paper spigot is very simple, and in most cases, will need no extra additional steps other than replacing the server jar file. Everything else should automatically work.

Download paper spigot here

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4) Check timings report

Spigot (and paper) Minecraft servers can produce something called a "timings report." It shows server admins precisely what's going on within the internals of their server and allows them to take a deep dive under the hood of their server.

The report shows exactly what is slowing the server down, allowing for easy identification of laggy plugins. It can initially be a little tricky to get the hang of reading a timings report, but it's a skill that can pay dividends in the long term.

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3) Take a spark report

Spark is an extremely powerful plugin that allows admins to look at what's lagging their server

If players are still unsure exactly what's lagging their Minecraft server after checking a timings report, taking a report with the spark plugin is the next course of action.

A spark report can be thought of as essentially a more detailed timings report and will log absolutely all java processes made on the main thread of the Minecraft server.

In other words, very little gets past a spark report, and it's a potent tool in identifying exactly why a Minecraft server is having lag problems.

Download the spark plugin here

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2) Upgrade hardware

Upgrading hardware is a no-brainer, and in some cases, will be both the most feasible and most logical path to fix lag problems.

There's only so far a Minecraft server can be optimized. After some point, returns will diminish, and the best way forward is to bite the bullet and pay some extra money for more powerful hardware.

Server admins will often see the greatest bang for their buck by increasing server RAM amount and upgrading their CPU. When deciding on an excellent CPU, it's important to note that Minecraft is a heavily single-threaded application.

This means that admins should look specifically for a CPU that performs well in single-threaded benchmarks.

A list of top single-threaded CPU's can be found here

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1) Optimize server properties

server.properties, bukkit.yml, spigot.yml, and paper.yml all should be checked for optimal settings

By far, the best way to instantly improve the general performance (TPS) of a Minecraft server for the majority of cases is simply to ensure that its parameters are optimized.

Players should check if they have unoptimized settings within these three files, in particular, all of which should be found in the main server directory if using paper spigot (recommended):

• server.properties
• bukkit.yml
• spigot.yml
• paper.yml

There are simply far too many specific settings to cover here, but players can cross-reference this endorsed guide on some tried and tested options here.

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