New Minecraft Server Setup Checklist

Getting Started

4 min readBeginnerLast updated Oct 29, 2026

Use this the first time you set up a server, and again whenever you build a new one. Each step links to the full guide. Doing them in this order saves rework: for example, pre-generating before players join, and choosing your server type before installing plugins.

Before you start: decide

Decision	Options	Our advice
Server type	Paper / Purpur (plugins), Fabric / NeoForge (mods), a modpack	Paper for vanilla-style servers with plugins; Fabric for modded with performance mods; a modpack if your players already play one.
Minecraft version	latest, or an older version your mods/plugins need	Pick the newest version all your plugins or mods support, and pin it.
Java or Bedrock players too?	Java only, or add Geyser	Decide now: Geyser and Floodgate affect usernames and permissions.
One server or a network?	Single server, or Velocity + several	Start with one; move to a network when you need separate game modes.

Secure your account (5 minutes)

[ ] Turn on two-factor authentication on your panel account. Panel tour
[ ] Add co-admins as sub-users, never by sharing your password. Sub-users

Install the right server (10 minutes)

[ ] On Startup, set Minecraft Version to an exact version (not latest). Change version
[ ] Pick the matching Java image (Java 21 for 1.20.5–1.21.x, Java 25 for 26.x).
[ ] Start once, accept the EULA, then Stop. Console

Core settings (10 minutes)

In server.properties (explained):

[ ] motd, max-players, difficulty, gamemode, pvp.
[ ] view-distance=8, simulation-distance=6 (raise later only if you have spare CPU).
[ ] white-list=true and enforce-whitelist=true if the server is private.
[ ] spawn-protection=0 if you'll use a protection plugin.
[ ] enable-query=true so the panel's Players page works.
[ ] Leave online-mode=true unless this is a back-end behind Velocity.

Essential plugins or mods (20 minutes)

Install from Minecraft Plugins (plugins, mods):

Purpose	Paper / Purpur	Fabric
Permissions	LuckPerms	LuckPerms (Fabric)
Grief rollback	CoreProtect	Ledger
Basics (`/home`, `/spawn`, `/tpa`)	EssentialsX	a Fabric essentials mod
Pre-generation	Chunky	Chunky
Lag profiler	spark (built in)	spark
Performance	(Paper is already optimised)	Lithium, FerriteCore

[ ] Restart after installing, and run plugins (or check the start-up log) to confirm they all loaded.

Databases for plugins (optional, 10 minutes)

[ ] If you'll run more than one server, or a plugin with lots of data (LuckPerms on a network, CoreProtect on a busy server, a shop or economy plugin), give it a MySQL database. Databases

Permissions and staff (15 minutes)

[ ] Create LuckPerms groups (default, helper, mod, admin) and give staff the group, not op.
[ ] op only the owner(s). Players

Resource pack (optional)

[ ] Merge all your packs into one. Combine packs
[ ] Host it with the SHA-1 set. Host a pack

Build the world (overnight)

[ ] Set a world border and pre-generate with Chunky. Pre-generate
[ ] Build or paste your spawn.

Backups and restarts (10 minutes)

[ ] A backup schedule with a Create Backup task. Backup schedules
[ ] A daily restart with a warning, a few minutes after the backup. Schedules
[ ] Check Backups the next day: a backup really exists.
[ ] Lock a backup now: this is your "clean world" restore point.

Test like a player

[ ] Join from another account (or ask a friend): check the resource pack, spawn, permissions of a normal player, and that /spawn, /home etc. work.
[ ] Bedrock player join, if you use Geyser. Bedrock
[ ] Run spark profiler for 5 minutes with a few people on. Fix anything it shows. Fix lag

Open day

[ ] Give players the address gameprod1.crashcrafts.com:<port>, or your own domain with an SRV record. Connect
[ ] Watch the console and spark tps for the first hour.

Keep it healthy

Once a month, run through Minecraft server best practices: updates one at a time, a locked backup before each, and a look at spark.