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This quick start guide will help you set up a Paper Minecraft server from scratch and get it running as quickly as possible.

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Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have Java 21 installed on your system. You can verify this by running java -version in your terminal.

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Quick Setup

1

Download Paper

Download the latest Paper build from papermc.io/downloads/paper.Choose your desired Minecraft version and download the Paperclip jar file.
2

Create and configure your server directory

Create a new directory for your server and place the Paper jar inside:
mkdir paper-server && cd paper-server
# Move your downloaded jar here
mv ~/Downloads/paper-*.jar server.jar
3

Run the initial setup

Start the server to generate configuration files:
java -Xmx2G -Xms2G -jar server.jar --nogui
The server will create files and stop automatically. This is expected behavior.
4

Accept the EULA

Edit the eula.txt file and change eula=false to eula=true:
eula.txt
eula=true
By setting this to true, you agree to Mojang’s EULA.
5

Start your server

Run the server again:
java -Xmx2G -Xms2G -jar server.jar --nogui
Your server is now running! Wait for the “Done” message indicating the server has started successfully.

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Create a Startup Script

Instead of typing the Java command every time, create a startup script: 
#!/bin/bash
java -Xms2G -Xmx4G -jar server.jar --nogui
Make the script executable on Linux/macOS with: chmod +x start.sh
For better performance, use these optimized JVM flags:
start.sh
#!/bin/bash
java -Xms4G -Xmx4G \
  -XX:+UseG1GC \
  -XX:+ParallelRefProcEnabled \
  -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=200 \
  -XX:+UnlockExperimentalVMOptions \
  -XX:+DisableExplicitGC \
  -XX:G1HeapRegionSize=8M \
  -XX:G1NewSizePercent=30 \
  -XX:G1MaxNewSizePercent=40 \
  -XX:G1HeapWastePercent=5 \
  -XX:G1MixedGCCountTarget=4 \
  -XX:G1MixedGCLiveThresholdPercent=90 \
  -XX:G1RSetUpdatingPauseTimePercent=5 \
  -XX:SurvivorRatio=32 \
  -XX:+PerfDisableSharedMem \
  -XX:MaxTenuringThreshold=1 \
  -jar server.jar --nogui
Adjust the -Xms and -Xmx values based on your available RAM. These should typically be set to the same value to prevent heap resizing.

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Directory Structure

After running Paper, your server directory will look like this: 
paper-server/
├── server.jar                  # The Paper executable
├── eula.txt                    # EULA acceptance file
├── server.properties           # Main server configuration
├── bukkit.yml                  # Bukkit configuration
├── spigot.yml                  # Spigot configuration
├── config/
│   ├── paper-global.yml       # Paper global configuration
│   └── paper-world-defaults.yml # Paper world defaults
├── commands.yml                # Command configuration
├── permissions.yml             # Permissions configuration
├── help.yml                    # Help topics configuration
├── plugins/                    # Plugin directory
├── world/                      # Default world files
├── world_nether/              # Nether world files
├── world_the_end/             # End world files
└── logs/                      # Server logs

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Connecting to Your Server

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Local Connection

If you’re testing locally, connect using: 
localhost
or 
127.0.0.1

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Remote Connection

For others to connect, they’ll need:
  1. Your public IP address
  2. The server port (default: 25565)
If running from home, you’ll need to:
  • Configure port forwarding on your router (port 25565)
  • Ensure your firewall allows the connection
  • Consider security implications of exposing your server

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Basic Server Management

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Console Commands

Once your server is running, you can use these commands in the console:
  • stop - Safely stop the server
  • restart - Restart the server (requires a startup script)
  • whitelist add <player> - Add a player to the whitelist
  • op <player> - Give a player operator permissions
  • say <message> - Broadcast a message to all players
  • list - Show online players

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Making Yourself an Operator

To give yourself admin permissions: 
op YourUsername

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Basic Configuration

Edit server.properties to configure:
server.properties
# Server network settings
server-port=25565
server-ip=

# Gameplay settings
difficulty=normal
gamemode=survival
max-players=20

# World settings
level-name=world
level-seed=

# Performance
view-distance=10
simulation-distance=10

# Security
online-mode=true
white-list=false
enforce-whitelist=false
Learn more about all available configuration options in the Configuration guide.

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Installing Plugins

Paper is compatible with Bukkit, Spigot, and Paper plugins:
1

Download a plugin

Download a .jar plugin file from trusted sources like:
2

Place in plugins folder

Move the plugin jar file to the plugins/ directory in your server folder.
3

Restart or reload

Either restart your server or use the command:
/reload confirm
Using /reload can cause issues with some plugins. Restarting the server is the safer option.

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Next Steps

Now that your server is running:

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Troubleshooting

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Server won’t start

  • Verify Java 21 is installed: java -version
  • Check that eula.txt is set to true
  • Ensure port 25565 isn’t already in use
  • Check the logs/latest.log file for errors

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Out of memory errors

Increase the -Xmx value in your startup command: 
java -Xms4G -Xmx4G -jar server.jar --nogui

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Players can’t connect

  • Verify the server is running (check console)
  • Check firewall settings
  • Verify port forwarding is configured correctly
  • Ensure online-mode is set correctly in server.properties

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Getting Help

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