Which Minecraft server software should you pick?
If you want plugins and top performance, start with Paper — it's the gold standard for Java servers, and Purpur adds even more configurability on top. Running mods? Forge is the classic choice with the deepest catalog, NeoForge is its modern successor, and packs from CurseForge or FTB install themselves with our auto-installer eggs. Building a network of multiple servers, pick Velocity as your proxy: it's faster and more secure than BungeeCord and pairs perfectly with Paper backends. And if your players are on phones or consoles, deploy Bedrock directly — or get the best of both worlds with our Purpur + Geyser + Floodgate template that lets Bedrock players join a Java server.