Updated 23 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
How to Make a Minecraft Server
To run a Java Edition server: install the right Java (Java 25 for 26.1 and later), download server.jar from minecraft.net, run it once, set eula=true in eula.txt, then start it again. Friends on your network join with your local IP; for the internet, forward port 25565.
Which Java do you need for a Minecraft server?
| Minecraft version | Java needed |
|---|---|
| 26.1 and later | Java 25 |
| 1.20.5 and later | Java 21 |
| 1.18 and later | Java 17 |
| 1.17 | Java 16 |
| 1.12 and later | Java 8 |
A server only needs the Java runtime (JRE), usually installed as an OpenJDK build. Older Minecraft versions can run on newer Java.
How do you start a Minecraft server?
- Install Java (above) and download server.jar from the official download page.
- Put it in its own folder; the world and every config file will live there.
- Open a command line in that folder and run
java -jar server.jar --nogui. - It stops and creates eula.txt. Open it and change eula=false to eula=true to accept the licence.
- Run the same command again. Type
stopto shut it down.
On Windows, save the command in a start.bat file so you can double-click it, for example java -Xms1024M -Xmx2048M -jar server.jar --nogui followed by a line with pause.
How much RAM does a Minecraft server need?
-Xmx sets the most memory the server may use and -Xms the starting amount. minecraft.wiki says 2 GB (-Xmx2G) is more than enough for a home server with 5 players on the default simulation distance; raise it for more players or bigger settings. Too little memory causes lag and frequent garbage-collection pauses; on Java 8, setting it too high can make those pauses long.
How do friends join your server?
On the same network, friends join with your computer's internal IP. Over the internet, forward port 25565 (TCP/UDP) on your router to your server's internal IP, allow Java through the firewall, and give friends your external IP. Check the port is open with a port checker while the server is running. Each player then follows how to join a server.
Bedrock servers use the separate Bedrock Dedicated Server software and port 19132; Realms is the paid option, run by Mojang, with its own limits; see Minecraft Realms.
What are the most useful server settings?
- server.properties holds the address, port, message of the day and game settings.
- online-mode checks that players own the game; turning it off lets fake names in.
- Operators (
/op) can use commands; the whitelist limits who can join.
Do you need your own server to play with friends?
Frequently asked questions
What port does a Minecraft server use?
25565 for Java Edition and 19132 for Bedrock Edition.
How much RAM does a small server need?
minecraft.wiki says 2 GB is more than enough for 5 players on default settings.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.