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For a new Minecraft server in 2026, choose Paper unless a required plugin specifically fails on it. Paper is a fork of Spigot with a broader API and an independent update path after its December 2024 hard fork. Spigot remains a sensible compatibility fallback, especially for plugins that depend on Spigot behavior. CraftBukkit is the original Bukkit-compatible server implementation and is now primarily a legacy option rather than a practical choice for a new installation.
The important distinction is not simply which jar is “fastest.” It is the project’s lineage, how quickly it can follow new Minecraft releases, which plugin APIs it accepts, and how much maintenance risk you are willing to carry.
The short answer: Paper for most new servers
Use Paper when you are starting a survival server, network hub, private world, or community server and want the broadest current plugin compatibility among the three choices. Bukkit and Spigot plugins generally run on Paper, while Paper also exposes its own extended API. That combination gives operators access to the older plugin ecosystem without limiting them to the older server’s feature set.
Choose Spigot when a plugin or operational requirement is known to break on Paper, or when you need to stay close to the traditional Spigot environment. Spigot is the parent project from which Paper forked, so it remains a valid and widely understood baseline.
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Choose CraftBukkit only for a specific legacy requirement, historical reproduction, or controlled test that depends on CraftBukkit itself. Current comparison guides describe it as legacy software with little development beyond matching Minecraft versions, and it is rarely recommended for a new public server.
What CraftBukkit, Spigot and Paper actually are
CraftBukkit: the original Bukkit-compatible server
CraftBukkit was the server software associated with the Bukkit plugin ecosystem. The Bukkit project supplied the plugin API, while CraftBukkit implemented that API on top of the Minecraft server. Summaries of the project history place their creation together in 2010.
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Spigot: a CraftBukkit fork
Spigot forked CraftBukkit and became the project most server owners encountered when they wanted a faster, more configurable Bukkit-compatible server. The exact fork and rebranding timeline is reported differently: Wikipedia places the Spigot rebrand on January 15, 2013, while other histories date the fork to around 2012. The project relationship is not disputed even though the dates vary.
Spigot also became the de facto steward of the Bukkit API after CraftBukkit development stopped. Guides disagree on how innovative Spigot’s current development is: some call it actively maintained, while others describe it as maintained but conservative. That uncertainty is a reason to verify the project’s current release activity before committing to a long-lived deployment.
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Paper: a Spigot fork with an extended API
Paper is a fork of Spigot, which is itself a fork of CraftBukkit. Paper’s stated goals include correcting gameplay and mechanics inconsistencies, improving server performance, and adding functionality not found in Spigot. It retains compatibility with much of the Bukkit and Spigot plugin ecosystem while offering Paper-specific interfaces for developers who need deeper control.
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How the projects diverged after Paper’s 2024 hard fork
PaperMC announced a restructuring and hard fork from Spigot on December 13, 2024, according to contemporary coverage of the announcement. Paper’s own forum notice explains that the move to Paper-API and a Mojang-mapped server could mean plugins no longer run on Spigot. It also says Paper’s historical changes were merged into the existing Spigot history, preserving the patch history rather than discarding it.
The practical reason for the split was release independence. Under the previous arrangement, Paper had to wait for Spigot’s internal updates before beginning work on a new Minecraft version. After the fork, Paper can apply Mojang’s changes directly. Several third-party guides say this independent process applies from Minecraft 1.21.4 onward, but that version-specific detail has not been confirmed here against a primary changelog; treat it as a point to verify for the Minecraft version you plan to run.
This change affects update planning more than day-to-day administration. A Paper operator may receive a usable build without waiting for a corresponding Spigot release, but the faster path also makes it more important to read Paper’s release notes, test plugins on a staging copy, and avoid assuming that every internal change remains binary-compatible with Spigot.
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CraftBukkit vs Spigot vs Paper at a glance
| Question | CraftBukkit | Spigot | Paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lineage | Original Bukkit-compatible server implementation | Fork of CraftBukkit | Fork of Spigot, therefore a downstream CraftBukkit descendant |
| Best fit today | Legacy or historical environments with a specific requirement | Servers needing the traditional Spigot behavior or a plugin that fails on Paper | New servers, performance-focused deployments and most general plugin servers |
| Plugin API position | Bukkit-era API | Bukkit/Spigot APIs | Bukkit/Spigot compatibility plus Paper’s extended API |
| Paper-only plugins | No | No | Yes, when the plugin targets Paper’s API |
| Update model | Legacy version matching | Spigot release process | Independent work after the 2024 hard fork |
| Build method covered by the documentation | Built with Spigot BuildTools only when explicitly requested | Built with Spigot BuildTools | Distributed as a Paper server build rather than produced by Spigot BuildTools |
| Performance evidence | No verified comparative figure | No verified comparative figure | Performance improvements are a design goal, but no independent primary benchmark establishes a universal percentage advantage |
The table deliberately avoids a made-up performance score. One third-party guide claims Paper is 40–60% better than Spigot, but the same guide’s own benchmark table shows a much smaller difference. Without a reproducible primary benchmark covering identical hardware, Minecraft version, view distance, plugins and player load, that headline number should not guide a purchasing or architecture decision.
Plugin compatibility: the decision that can override everything else
Why most Bukkit and Spigot plugins work on Paper
Paper preserves the APIs that common Bukkit and Spigot plugins target. As a result, plugins written for those APIs generally run on Paper. This is why moving from Spigot to Paper often does not require replacing an entire plugin stack.
“Generally” is important. A plugin can still fail because it depends on an implementation detail, an unsupported server version, a native library, or behavior changed by the plugin author. Check the plugin’s release notes and tested server versions rather than relying only on its label.
Why a Paper plugin cannot be moved backward to Spigot
Paper adds interfaces that do not exist in Spigot. If a plugin calls those Paper-specific APIs, Spigot cannot provide them. The result can be a load-time error, missing functionality, or a plugin that refuses to enable.
Before selecting Spigot for compatibility reasons, inventory every required plugin and identify its declared platform. A plugin listed as “Paper only” is a hard blocker for Spigot unless the author supplies a separate build.
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A safe compatibility check
- Write down the exact Minecraft version and server software you intend to run.
- For each required plugin, record its supported Minecraft versions and whether it targets Bukkit, Spigot or Paper APIs.
- Install the candidate server in a test directory, not over the production world.
- Start with the complete plugin set and inspect the console for dependency, API or version errors.
- Test critical functions—joining, permissions, world changes, economy, backups and any custom commands—before migrating player data.
Performance: what can and cannot be claimed
Paper is designed to improve performance and fix mechanics inconsistencies, and many operators choose it for that reason. However, the available material does not establish a universal percentage improvement over Spigot. The often-repeated 40–60% figure comes from a single third-party claim that conflicts with its own table, so it should not be presented as a measured fact.
Actual results depend on the Minecraft release, CPU performance, view and simulation distances, entity counts, redstone activity, world-generation workload, Java configuration, network conditions and plugins. A lightly loaded server may show no meaningful difference, while a heavily scripted or entity-rich world may benefit substantially from Paper’s changes.
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If performance is your deciding factor, benchmark your own workload: clone the world, use the same configuration and plugin list, generate comparable player activity, and record tick-time or MSPT behavior over the same interval. Treat that as an environment-specific result, not a promise that applies to every server.
Building CraftBukkit or Spigot with BuildTools
Spigot’s BuildTools is the documented build path for CraftBukkit, Spigot and the Spigot API. It downloads the vanilla server jar, decompiles it, injects CraftBukkit code, applies Spigot patches and outputs a Spigot jar.
Build Spigot
- Download the BuildTools jar from the official Spigot distribution page and place it in a clean working directory.
- Run BuildTools using the Java version required by the Minecraft release you are targeting; verify that requirement in the current Spigot documentation before building.
- Allow the tool to download and process the vanilla server and source components. The first run can take substantially longer than later builds because it creates the working cache.
- After completion, use the generated Spigot jar with your normal server start script and accept Minecraft’s EULA in the server directory.
Build CraftBukkit explicitly
BuildTools does not build CraftBukkit by default. Use the --compile craftbukkit flag when that legacy jar is specifically required. For example, the BuildTools invocation includes the flag in this form: java -jar BuildTools.jar --compile craftbukkit. Keep the command aligned with the current BuildTools documentation, because Java and version options can change.
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BuildTools has offered a GUI since January 2024. The GUI does not change the underlying outputs; it provides a visual way to select build options instead of entering command-line flags. Command-line builds remain easier to reproduce in scripts and CI systems.
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How Paper is installed and operated
Paper is normally obtained as a prebuilt server jar rather than compiled through Spigot BuildTools. Download the Paper build that matches your Minecraft version from Paper’s official distribution, place it in a dedicated server directory, and use the startup command recommended for that build. Do not copy a Spigot jar over it: each server has its own libraries, configuration files and update procedure.
On first launch, stop the process after it creates the configuration files, accept the EULA in eula.txt, then start it again. Copy worlds only after making a backup, and keep the original server directory untouched until you have confirmed that the new instance loads every required plugin.
Moving from CraftBukkit or Spigot to Paper
- Record the baseline. Save the current Minecraft version, server jar, Java runtime, startup flags, plugin jars, configuration files and world list.
- Back up completely. Stop the server cleanly and copy the world folders, player data, permissions data and plugin configuration to storage that is separate from the live directory.
- Check plugin platform requirements. Replace outdated plugins before the migration and flag any plugin that relies on undocumented server internals.
- Create a staging copy. Use a duplicate directory and a copy of the world so that failed tests cannot damage the live instance.
- Install the matching Paper build. Keep the same Minecraft version for the first migration test; changing the server software and Minecraft version simultaneously makes failures harder to diagnose.
- Copy only deliberate data. Move worlds and plugin configuration after reviewing paths. Do not blindly copy generated libraries or the old server jar.
- Start without players. Read the entire startup log, resolve missing dependencies and confirm that every essential plugin enables.
- Exercise the server. Test permissions, commands, redstone-heavy areas, portals, scheduled tasks, backups and any custom integrations.
- Schedule the cutover. Announce downtime, take a final backup, stop the old server and start Paper with the tested directory and configuration.
- Keep rollback available. Preserve the old server files and an untouched world backup until the Paper instance has operated successfully through a normal peak period.
A Paper migration is usually less disruptive than changing plugin platforms, but it is still a server-software change. Treat the first launch as a compatibility test, not as proof that every future update will be safe.
When Spigot is the better choice
- A required plugin explicitly supports Spigot but fails on Paper.
- Your administrators have standardized on Spigot behavior and do not need Paper-only APIs.
- You are reproducing a production issue that occurs only on Spigot.
- Your deployment tooling, monitoring or hosting image has been validated specifically against Spigot and the cost of retesting is higher than the benefit of moving.
Even in these cases, verify that the Spigot release supports the Minecraft version you need and review its current maintenance status. “More compatible” does not mean “compatible with every old plugin”; it means the plugin is targeting the parent platform rather than Paper’s extended API.
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When CraftBukkit still makes sense
- You must reproduce an old server for archival, educational or debugging purposes.
- A private plugin or integration was written specifically for CraftBukkit and cannot be updated.
- You are testing historical behavior where changing to Spigot or Paper would invalidate the result.
For a public server, CraftBukkit’s legacy status creates avoidable risk: fewer current guides, less evidence of active feature work and a narrower reason to choose it. If you only need Bukkit-compatible plugins, select the actively supported descendant that meets your compatibility requirements instead.
Update and maintenance checklist
- Pin the Minecraft version and server build in your deployment notes.
- Read the server project’s release notes before replacing the jar.
- Update plugins in a staging copy and check for API or dependency changes.
- Back up worlds before every Minecraft-version upgrade, not just every server-jar replacement.
- Keep one known-good jar and configuration set for rollback.
- After an update, inspect startup warnings as well as fatal errors; a server can start while a critical plugin is disabled.
- Re-test performance after changing view distance, simulation distance, world-generation settings or high-load plugins.
Final decision framework
Start with the plugin inventory, not with a performance percentage. If no required plugin depends on a Spigot-only behavior, Paper is the practical default for a new 2026 server because it combines Bukkit/Spigot compatibility, an extended API and an independent update path. If one essential plugin breaks on Paper, use Spigot and document that exception so you can revisit it when the plugin is updated. Reserve CraftBukkit for legacy or historical cases where its specific implementation is the requirement.
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