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How to set up a dedicated Minecraft server
Minecraft isn’t just a game, it’s your creative sandbox, your battleground, your digital home. Whether you’re building Redstone contraptions, exploring deep caves with friends, or managing a large-scale modded community, having your own Minecraft dedicated server gives you complete control over gameplay, performance, and who gets to join your world.
This step-by-step guide shows you how to set up a Minecraft server on a dedicated server, including server configuration, optimization tips, and how to keep your world running like a dream.
System requirements
Before you dive in, make sure your server meets the recommended specs. Minecraft can be surprisingly demanding, especially with mods or lots of players.
Recommended dedicated server specs:
- CPU: Multi-core processor (Intel Xeon or AMD Ryzen preferred)
- RAM: 8GB minimum for vanilla; 16GB+ for modded or large player counts
- Storage: SSD for faster world loading and chunk generation
- Network: High-speed internet with strong upload bandwidth
- Operating system: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or AlmaLinux 9 for stability and security
Step 1: Prepare the server environment
Keep your system lean and updated:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
Install the latest stable version of Java 17 (required for Minecraft 1.18+ and beyond):
sudo apt install openjdk-17-jdk -y
Verify Java installation:
java -version
Step 2: Download and launch the Minecraft server
Set up a directory for your server:
mkdir -p ~/minecraft && cd ~/minecraft
Download the official Minecraft server .jar:
wget https://piston-data.mojang.com/v1/objects//server.jar
Accept the End User License Agreement (EULA):
echo “eula=true” > eula.txt
Start the server for the first time:
java -Xmx4G -Xms4G -jar server.jar nogui
Once the server runs and generates default files, shut it down using CTRL + C to begin configuration.
Step 3: Configure your Minecraft server
Open the configuration file:
nano server.properties
Key settings to customize:
- motd= (Message shown on the server list)
- max-players= (Player limit)
- difficulty= (peaceful | easy | normal | hard)
- white-list= (true/false to restrict access)
- view-distance= (Lower for performance, higher for exploration)
Save with CTRL + X, then Y and confirm.
Step 4: Open firewall and set up port forwarding
Allow traffic through Minecraft’s default port (25565):
sudo ufw allow 25565/tcp
sudo ufw enable
If you’re behind a router (common with home setups), configure port forwarding for port 25565 in your router settings.
Step 5: Run Minecraft as a background service
Create a systemd service to automatically launch your server:
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/minecraft.service
Paste in:
[Unit]
Description=Minecraft Server
After=network.target
[Service]
User=your-username
WorkingDirectory=/home/your-username/minecraft
ExecStart=/usr/bin/java -Xmx4G -Xms4G -jar server.jar nogui
Restart=always
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
Reload services and start your server:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable minecraft
sudo systemctl start minecraft
Your server will now run in the background and restart automatically on reboot.
Step 6: Join the Minecraft server
To join:
- Launch Minecraft
- Click Multiplayer → Add Server
- Enter your server’s IP address or domain
- Hit Join Server and dive in!
Step 7: Optimize performance and set up backups
A lag-free world is a happy world. Here’s how to keep your server snappy and safe.
Performance tips:
- Lower view-distance and simulation-distance in server.properties
- Use PaperMC or Purpur for optimized performance (supports Bukkit/Spigot plugins)
- Add JVM flags to ExecStart:
-XX:+UseG1GC -XX:+ParallelRefProcEnabled -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=200
World backups:
Back up your Minecraft world regularly
tar -czf minecraft-backup-$(date +%F).tar.gz ~/minecraft/
You can also automate this with a cron job.
Keep your server updated:
Download the latest server version:
wget -O server.jar https://piston-data.mojang.com/v1/objects//server.jar
Restart the service:
sudo systemctl restart minecraft
Why use a dedicated server for Minecraft?
Hosting Minecraft on a dedicated server gives you exclusive resources, full admin control, and maximum performance, especially for larger player communities or mod-heavy setups. Whether you’re building a whitelist-only survival realm or a bustling minigame network, dedicated hosting ensures:
- Unmatched hardware performance (no shared resources)
- 100% uptime SLAs for reliability
- Faster load times with NVMe or SSD storage
- Advanced DDoS protection
- Root access for deep configuration
If you’re just starting or testing a smaller server, consider spinning up a Gaming VPS, which can easily scale up when you’re ready to go full dedicated.
Getting started with a dedicated Minecraft server
Setting up a Minecraft dedicated server in 2025 is more accessible than ever, and with the right setup, you’ll be hosting lag-free adventures in no time. Whether you’re modding, building, or PvPing, having a custom server makes Minecraft your world, on your terms.
Ready to launch your world?
Additional resources
How to start selling Minecraft servers →
Turn a hobby into a side-hustle
Latency and rage-quitting →
Liquid Web’s industry study on latency and gaming
Dedicated vs. listen servers →
Pros and cons of each so you can decide what you need
Alex Napier is an Affiliate Program Manager at Liquid Web and a gaming marketing specialist. He blends data with creativity to build engaging communities. Outside of work, Alex enjoys exploring new games, crafting tabletop worlds, and connecting with the gaming community.
