All Minecraft Server Types Explained: Paper, Spigot, Forge, Fabric, Vanilla

Choosing the right server software is one of the first decisions you make when setting up a Minecraft server, and it is one of the most consequential. The wrong choice can mean poor performance, incompatible plugins, or an ecosystem you outgrow within weeks. This reference covers every major server type available in 2026, explains who each one is for, and includes a comparison table so you can make an informed decision fast.

Vanilla

The official Minecraft server software distributed by Mojang. You download it directly from minecraft.net, run it with a Java command, and get a survival world identical to singleplayer. There is no plugin support, no mod support, and limited configuration beyond server.properties. Performance is adequate for small groups (5–10 players) but degrades quickly with more players or complex redstone. Vanilla is the right choice only if you want a pure, unmodified experience with no additions.

CraftBukkit

CraftBukkit was the original server software that added plugin support to Minecraft. It wrapped the vanilla server with an API (the Bukkit API) that allowed developers to write Java plugins. CraftBukkit was maintained by the Bukkit team until legal disputes led to its code being DMCA'd in 2014. Today, CraftBukkit still exists as part of the Spigot build process, but nobody should run standalone CraftBukkit anymore, Spigot and Paper are strictly superior in every way.

Spigot

Spigot is the continuation of CraftBukkit, maintained by SpigotMC. It includes performance optimizations beyond vanilla, full Bukkit API compatibility, and its own Spigot API extensions. Spigot introduced features like configurable mob activation ranges, entity tracking distances, and chunk loading optimizations that became the baseline for all later forks.

Spigot is built using BuildTools, a process that compiles the server jar locally from source. This exists for legal reasons (the Minecraft server code cannot be redistributed directly). Most plugins on SpigotMC are developed and tested against Spigot. While Paper has overtaken Spigot in popularity, Spigot remains a solid choice if you need maximum plugin compatibility with no surprises. Read the Paper vs Spigot vs Purpur comparison for a deeper analysis.

Paper

Paper is a fork of Spigot that focuses heavily on performance and bug fixes. It is the most popular server software for plugin-based Minecraft servers in 2026. Paper patches hundreds of vanilla bugs that Mojang has not fixed, optimizes chunk loading, entity ticking, and redstone processing, and adds its own API extensions including the Adventure text library and an improved event system.

Paper is a direct download, no BuildTools required. It runs all Bukkit and Spigot plugins, though some plugins that rely on vanilla bugs (like certain TNT duplication mechanics) will behave differently because Paper patches those bugs by default. You can toggle most patches in paper-global.yml and paper-world-defaults.yml. For most servers, Paper is the correct choice. See the optimization guide for Paper-specific tuning.

Purpur

Purpur is a fork of Paper that adds extensive configuration options without changing the core performance model. Where Paper focuses on fixing and optimizing, Purpur adds knobs: rideable mobs, configurable mob behaviors, gameplay tweaks like controllable hunger mechanics, and cosmetic options like custom mob drops. Every addition is toggleable via config files.

Purpur maintains full Paper and Spigot plugin compatibility. It is ideal for servers that want Paper's performance with more customization out of the box. The tradeoff is that Purpur typically updates a few days after Paper for new Minecraft versions. Details in the comparison guide.

Pufferfish

Pufferfish is a fork of Paper (sometimes based on Purpur) that targets high-player-count servers. It includes optimizations for entity processing, async pathfinding, and other bottlenecks that become critical when your server has 100+ concurrent players. Pufferfish is used by several large networks. If your player count is below 50, the gains over Paper are negligible, but if you are running a large public server, Pufferfish is worth benchmarking.

Folia

Folia is an experimental fork of Paper developed by the PaperMC team. Instead of running the entire server on a single thread (with async tasks offloaded where possible), Folia divides the world into regions and ticks each region on its own thread. This "regionized multithreading" approach can dramatically improve performance on servers with players spread across large areas.

The catch is significant: Folia breaks compatibility with nearly every existing plugin. Plugins must be specifically written or rewritten for Folia's threading model. As of 2026, the Folia-compatible plugin ecosystem is still small. Folia is best suited for large survival servers with a developer capable of writing or porting custom plugins. It is not recommended for standard community servers.

Forge

Forge is the original modding platform for Minecraft. Unlike Bukkit-based servers that use lightweight plugins, Forge runs full mods that can alter the game at a deep level, new dimensions, new mobs, new crafting systems, new blocks with custom physics. Forge mods require players to install the same mods on their client, which creates a barrier to entry but enables experiences that plugins cannot match.

Forge is heavy on resources. A modded server with 50+ mods needs significantly more RAM than a plugin server. Forge is the standard for modpacks distributed through launchers like CurseForge and ATLauncher. It does not support Bukkit/Spigot plugins natively, though hybrid solutions like Mohist and Magma exist (with varying stability).

NeoForge

NeoForge is a fork of Forge that emerged from a community split in 2023. The NeoForge team includes several former Forge developers who wanted to modernize the toolchain and governance structure. NeoForge aims for compatibility with Forge mods while improving the development experience. As of 2026, many mod authors support both Forge and NeoForge, though some have migrated exclusively to NeoForge. If you are starting a new modded server, check whether your must-have mods are available on NeoForge before deciding.

Fabric

Fabric is a lightweight modding platform that prioritizes fast updates and minimal overhead. Where Forge uses a heavy API layer, Fabric provides a thin loader and lets modders interact with the game code more directly via mixins. This makes Fabric mods faster to update to new Minecraft versions, often within hours of a snapshot release.

Fabric is popular for performance mods (Lithium, Sodium, Starlight), technical Minecraft play, and servers that want light modding without the weight of Forge. Like Forge, players need to install Fabric and the same mods on their client. Fabric does not support Bukkit plugins.

Quilt

Quilt is a fork of Fabric that focuses on inclusive governance and additional API features. It is backwards-compatible with most Fabric mods through a compatibility layer. Quilt's adoption is smaller than Fabric's, and the mod ecosystem is largely shared. Choose Quilt if you value its community principles or need a specific Quilt-only mod; otherwise, Fabric covers the same use cases.

Proxy software, Velocity, BungeeCord, Waterfall

Proxies sit in front of multiple backend servers and let players switch between them without disconnecting. They are essential for networks that run separate gamemodes (survival, creative, minigames) as individual server instances.

• BungeeCord, the original proxy by SpigotMC. Mature and widely supported, but development has slowed.
• Waterfall, a Paper-maintained fork of BungeeCord with bug fixes and minor improvements. Development has been discontinued in favor of Velocity.
• Velocity, a modern proxy built from scratch by the PaperMC team. It offers better performance, stronger security (modern forwarding mode prevents UUID spoofing), and an actively maintained plugin ecosystem. Velocity is the recommended proxy for new networks. Setup instructions are in the proxy setup guide.

Comparison table

Software	Type	Plugin Support	Mod Support	Performance	Best For
Vanilla	Server	None	None	Baseline	Pure survival, tiny groups
CraftBukkit	Server	Bukkit API	None	Low	Legacy, do not use
Spigot	Server	Bukkit + Spigot API	None	Medium	Maximum plugin compatibility
Paper	Server	Bukkit + Spigot + Paper API	None	High	Most servers, the default choice
Purpur	Server	Bukkit + Spigot + Paper API	None	High	Paper + extra config options
Pufferfish	Server	Bukkit + Spigot + Paper API	None	Very High	100+ player servers
Folia	Server	Folia API only	None	Very High (multi-threaded)	Large survival, custom plugins
Forge	Server	None (native)	Forge mods	Variable	Modpacks, deep gameplay changes
NeoForge	Server	None (native)	NeoForge mods	Variable	Modern Forge alternative
Fabric	Server	None (native)	Fabric mods	High	Lightweight modding, tech play
Quilt	Server	None (native)	Quilt + most Fabric mods	High	Fabric alternative
Velocity	Proxy	Velocity plugins	None	High	Multi-server networks
BungeeCord	Proxy	BungeeCord plugins	None	Medium	Legacy networks
Waterfall	Proxy	BungeeCord plugins	None	Medium	Discontinued, migrate to Velocity

Which one should you pick?

For 90% of new servers, Paper is the correct answer. It has the best balance of performance, plugin compatibility, and community support. If you want extra configuration knobs, use Purpur. If you need mods, choose between Forge/NeoForge (deep modding, modpacks) and Fabric (lightweight, fast updates). If you are building a multi-server network, use Velocity as your proxy. Start with the server setup guide for step-by-step instructions.

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