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Hosting a Vanilla Server

No mods, no plugins, just pure Minecraft. This is the simplest type of server to create, and it's perfect for those who want to play Minecraft with friends without any extra features.

Requirements​

  • A computer that will be on when you or your friends want to play
  • A good internet connection
  • A basic understanding of networking

Steps​

  1. Download the server software from the official website.
  2. Create a new folder on your computer and place the server software in it.
  3. Install Java 21 on your computer.
  4. Double click on the server software to run it. This will create some files in the folder.
  5. Open the eula.txt file and change eula=false to eula=true.
  6. Double click on the server software again to run it. This will start the server.
  7. Share your IP address with your friends. You can find your IP address by searching "what is my IP" on Google.
  8. Have your friends open Minecraft and click on "Multiplayer". Then click on "Add Server" and enter your IP address.
info

In order for people outside your network to connect to your server, you will need to port forward your router. You can find a guide on how to do this here.

Tips​

  • Make sure your computer is powerful enough to run the server
  • Keep your server software up to date
  • Use a whitelist to prevent unwanted players from joining
  • Back up your server regularly