How to Make a Minecraft Server: Step-by-Step Guide
Setting up a Minecraft server used to mean downloading JARs, editing startup scripts, and forwarding ports on your home router. With Zeros Host, the server is online in under a minute and you manage everything - plugins, mods, settings - from your browser.
Step 1: Start a Free Trial
Go to the Zeros Host free trial page and select Minecraft. No credit card is required. Your server is created immediately and you land in the panel with the server already starting up. You do not need to install Java on your own machine. Everything runs on our infrastructure.
Step 2: Choose Your Server Type
When creating a Minecraft server, choose a server type. Paper is a common choice for servers that want plugins. It is a fork of Spigot focused on performance. Forge is for mods that add new items, dimensions, and mechanics. Fabric is a lighter-weight mod loader. Vanilla is the official server with no modifications. If you are not sure, start with Paper - it covers plugins, performance, and a typical friend group server well.
Forge mods and Bukkit/Spigot plugins are not compatible. Pick one or the other.
Step 3: Choose Your Version
Select the Minecraft version you want to run. Java 21 and Java 25 runtime images are available, covering a wide range of Minecraft versions. Plugins and mods are version-specific. Check supported versions before installing. If your friends are on the latest release, match the server version to theirs.
Step 4: Install Plugins (Paper Servers)
If you chose Paper, open the Plugin Manager, search for the plugin by name, and click Install. Popular starter plugins:
EssentialsX -- basic commands (home, warp, teleport, economy) LuckPerms -- permission management and rank system WorldGuard+WorldEdit -- region protection and map editing CoreProtect -- block-level rollback for griefing recovery
After installing plugins, restart the server. Plugin config files appear in plugins/<PluginName>/ after the first run.
Step 5: Install Mods (Forge or Fabric Servers)
If you chose Forge or Fabric, use the Mod Manager to search Modrinth directly from the panel. Find a mod, check it matches your server version, and click Install. Important: most mods require matching client-side installation. Your players will need the same Forge/Fabric version and mods. Performance mods like Lithium and Starlight are server-side only and safe to install without requiring client changes.
Step 6: Edit server.properties
server.properties controls core server behaviour. Open it in the panel file manager or Browser IDE. Key settings:
# Maximum players max-players=20 # Server name shown in the multiplayer list motd=Welcome to our server! # Whitelist (true = only allowed players can join) white-list=false # Game mode: survival, creative, adventure, spectator gamemode=survival # View distance (chunks loaded per player) view-distance=10
Save and restart after changes.
Step 7: Invite Friends
Your server IP and port are shown in the panel dashboard. Share them with friends and they can join from Minecraft's Multiplayer menu using <ip>:<port>. To make yourself an operator (admin), run this in the panel console:
op YourMinecraftUsername
Operators can use all in-game commands including /gamemode, /give, /ban, and /kick.
Step 8: Set Up Regular Backups
Enable automatic backups in the panel settings to create scheduled snapshots of your world. You can also trigger a manual backup at any time from the panel before doing anything risky: installing a major mod, upgrading the server version, running a large WorldEdit operation. Backups include the world folder and plugin data by default. You can restore from the panel without contacting support.
Your Minecraft server is a few clicks away
Start a free trial on Zeros Host: no credit card, no Java install, no port forwarding. Pick your server type and be online in under a minute.
Start your free Minecraft server →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a powerful computer to run a Minecraft server?
No. The server runs on Zeros Host infrastructure, not your computer. Your machine only needs to run the Minecraft client. You can run a server for your friends even on a low-end laptop.
What's the difference between Paper and Vanilla?
Vanilla is the official Minecraft server with no modifications. It is exactly what Mojang ships. Paper is a fork of Spigot with a plugin API and its own performance optimisations, meaning you can add gameplay features like economy, land protection, and custom commands. If you want a pure, unmodified game, use Vanilla; if you want to add features or run a community server, use Paper.
Can I install mods and plugins?
Mods and plugins use different systems. Plugins (Bukkit/Spigot/Paper API) work on Paper servers. Mods (Forge or Fabric) require a Forge or Fabric server. You cannot mix Forge mods with Paper plugins on the same server. If you want economy, land claiming, and anti-grief tools, use Paper and plugins. If you want new biomes, dimensions, and items, use Forge or Fabric and mods.
How do I set my server to be private?
In server.properties, set white-list=true and restart. Then add players with the in-game command /whitelist add <username> or by running it in the panel console. Only whitelisted players can join.
What version of Minecraft do you support?
We support a wide range of Java Edition versions, with Java 21 and Java 25 runtime images available. This covers Minecraft 1.8 through the latest releases. Select your version when creating the server. Bedrock Edition (the Windows/console/mobile version) is a separate server software and is not compatible with Java Edition servers.
Want your own Minecraft server?
Paper, Forge and Vanilla, plugin and mod support, and a free trial. Try it free for 24 hours, no credit card required.
Halloween treat: 20% off your first payment with code HALLOWEEN2026 at checkout.