How to set up a Minecraft server on a VPS

Running your own Minecraft server means no player caps you didn't choose, no shared-host lag, and full control over plugins and mods. A VPS is the sweet spot: cheaper than dedicated hardware, far more capable than a laptop under your desk, and online around the clock.

What you'll need

• A VPS with at least 2 GB of RAM (4 GB is comfortable for a handful of friends and plugins)
• Ubuntu 24.04 or Debian — this guide uses Ubuntu
• SSH access to your server as a user with sudo

Step 1: Update the system

First, connect over SSH and get the box up to date:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Java

Modern Minecraft needs Java 21. Install the headless JRE:

sudo apt install openjdk-21-jre-headless -y
java -version

Step 3: Create a dedicated user and folder

Never run game servers as root. Make a user just for Minecraft:

sudo adduser --disabled-password minecraft
sudo su - minecraft
mkdir server && cd server

Step 4: Download and run the server

Grab the official server jar from minecraft.net (copy the current URL), then start it once so it generates config files:

wget -O server.jar "PASTE_SERVER_JAR_URL"
java -Xmx2G -Xms2G -jar server.jar nogui

The first run stops immediately and creates eula.txt. Open it, change eula=false to eula=true to accept Mojang's license, and start it again.

Step 5: Keep it running with a service

You don't want the server dying when you close SSH. The simplest robust option is a screen session:

sudo apt install screen -y
screen -S mc
java -Xmx2G -Xms2G -jar server.jar nogui

Press Ctrl+A then D to detach — the server keeps running. Reattach any time with screen -r mc.

Step 6: Open the port

Minecraft uses TCP port 25565. Make sure it's reachable. On a managed VPS you may forward the port from your dashboard; if you run a firewall directly:

sudo ufw allow 25565/tcp

Give your friends your server's IP (and port if it isn't the default) and you're live.

Tips for a smooth server

• Tune server.properties — set view-distance to 8–10 to save RAM
• Take regular backups of the world folder before big changes
• If you want plugins, swap the vanilla jar for Paper, which is faster and plugin-ready

On an NVMe-backed VPS, chunk loading and world saves are dramatically snappier than on spinning disks or oversold shared hosting — which your players will feel every time they explore new terrain.