The server software (the jar file) decides which features and mods your server supports. For install steps, see Server Jars.

For plugins and best performance

• Vanilla: Mojang’s own server with no changes. Good for pure survival with a few friends, but it lags sooner and has no plugin support.
• Spigot: an older optimized server that supports plugins. Most people now choose Paper instead.
• Paper: the recommended choice for most servers. Faster than Spigot, fixes many exploits, runs Bukkit and Spigot plugins and has built-in anti-xray.
• Purpur: a fork of Paper with many extra options you can toggle. Great if you want to tweak gameplay without extra plugins, though it takes more configuring.

For mods

• Fabric: lightweight and quick to update. Good for performance mods and many modern mod packs.
• Forge and NeoForge: heavy-duty mod loaders used by many big modpacks. NeoForge is the modern continuation for newer versions.

Players usually need the same mods installed on their own game. See Installing Mods.

Special setups

• Proxies (Velocity, Waterfall): connect several servers together. See Velocity.
• Hybrids: try to run mods and plugins together. See Hybrid Servers.
• Bedrock: the Bedrock Dedicated Server is its own software. Java and Bedrock players can share one Java server with Geyser, see GeyserMC.

Quick pick