Table of Contents
Who this is for: gamers wanting to host their own Minecraft server for friends or communities.
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Download the Server Software
First, grab the official Minecraft server jar file from Minecraft.net. You’ll want the latest version unless you’re planning to run a specific older version for compatibility reasons. Create a dedicated folder on your computer for the server files – this keeps everything organized and makes troubleshooting easier later.
Initial Server Setup
Place the downloaded server.jar file in your new folder. Open a command prompt or terminal in that directory and run the command java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -nogui -jar server.jar. The server will start up, create some files, then immediately shut down – this is normal! You’ll see a new file called eula.txt appear.
Accept the EULA and Configure Settings
Open eula.txt in any text editor and change eula=false to eula=true. This accepts Minecraft’s End User License Agreement. While you’re at it, check out the server.properties file that was also created. Here you can adjust settings like:
- Server port (default is 25565)
- Game mode (survival, creative, adventure)
- Difficulty level
- Maximum number of players
- World seed for terrain generation
Memory Allocation and Performance
The -Xmx and -Xms flags control how much RAM your server uses. For a small group of friends, 1GB (1024M) works fine, but you might want 2-4GB for larger servers or heavy modpacks. More players and complex redstone contraptions will need more memory to run smoothly.
Port Forwarding for External Access
If you want friends to connect from outside your network, you’ll need to set up port forwarding on your router. Log into your router’s admin panel and forward port 25565 (or whatever you set in server.properties) to your computer’s local IP address. Every router interface is different, so check your manual or search for your specific model online.
Starting Your Server
Run the same java command again, and this time your server should start properly. You’ll see logs scrolling by as it generates the world and prepares everything. Once you see “Done!” in the console, players can connect using your external IP address (find it by googling “what’s my IP”) or just “localhost” if they’re on the same network.
Basic Administration
The server console lets you run commands directly. Type op playername to give someone admin privileges, or whitelist add playername to restrict access to approved players only. You can also enable whitelist mode in the server.properties file for better security.
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TL;DR
Download the official Minecraft server jar, accept the EULA, configure settings in server.properties, and run with Java. Set up port forwarding for external access.
