To host a Minecraft server on a VPS, install the Java runtime required by your chosen Minecraft Java Edition release, download its official server JAR, accept the EULA if you agree to it, configure the server, and allow its TCP port through both applicable firewalls. These steps cover the Java Edition server on Linux; Bedrock Edition uses different server software.
Before you start: Java Edition, VPS access, and a release
This guide is for the official Minecraft Java Edition server JAR on a Linux VPS. Minecraft provides separate Java and Bedrock server software, so Bedrock players should follow the official Bedrock Dedicated Server instructions instead. The official Java server download is free, but downloading and using it is subject to Minecraft’s EULA and Privacy Policy. Minecraft’s server download page
Have a Linux VPS, its public IP address, and SSH access through an account with sudo privileges. Choose a server release that matches the Minecraft version your players will use, and check that release’s notes for its Java requirement. For example, the official notes for Minecraft Java Edition 26.1 say it requires Java 25. That requirement is specific to 26.1; do not assume it applies to every release.
Set up the VPS and install Java
Update and secure the Linux host
Connect over SSH and apply the initial updates and security steps recommended for your VPS provider and Linux distribution. Provider instructions are not universal: for example, LochStudios’ Linux server guide describes a workflow for its own KVM service, not a requirement for all VPS hosts.
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Install the release-compatible Java runtime
Install a Java runtime compatible with the Minecraft server release you selected, using the package manager or installation method appropriate for your Linux distribution. Minecraft states, “For Java Edition, you need a compatible version of Java installed.” Check the release’s official notes rather than copying a Java version from an older tutorial. Minecraft server download page
Download and start the official server JAR
Create a dedicated directory
Make a directory for the server and its files, then change into it. Keeping the JAR, generated configuration, and world data together makes it easier to manage and back up the server.
Download the correct server file
Get the JAR from Minecraft’s official Java server download page or the server JAR linked from the official release notes. Save it in the dedicated directory. If you use a different filename, substitute it in the launch command.
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Launch it once
From the directory containing the JAR, run a command in this general form:
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Review the EULA and configure the server
Accept the EULA only if you agree
A first launch may create files and stop while waiting for EULA acceptance. Read the current Minecraft EULA. If you agree, set the acceptance value in the generated eula.txt file as instructed there, then save it. Do not change the setting unless you accept the terms.
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Choose server settings
Edit server.properties to set the world and server behavior you want. In particular, note the server-port value: the firewall rules must allow the same port. Review the file’s available settings and defaults for the release you installed rather than assuming settings from another version or server type are identical.
Keep the process running and open the port
Run the server beyond your SSH session
Start the JAR again after configuration. Use a persistent terminal session or a service manager so that closing SSH does not stop the server. The exact setup depends on your Linux distribution and chosen process manager; there is no single provider- and distribution-independent service command.
Allow the Java server port through both firewalls
Minecraft gives TCP port 25565 as the Java server example. If you keep that default, permit inbound TCP 25565 in the Linux firewall and in the VPS provider’s cloud firewall or security rules, if enabled. If you changed server-port, allow that TCP port instead. This Java setup does not call for opening Bedrock’s UDP port. Minecraft server download page
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Join the server and maintain it
Test a connection from Minecraft Java Edition
In Minecraft Java Edition, open Multiplayer and use Direct Connection or Add Server. Enter the VPS public IP address or a DNS name. Minecraft’s help explains that a server address can be an IP address or URL; include the port when you configured a non-default port. Minecraft Java Edition multiplayer help
If players cannot connect, check that the server process is running, the address is correct, and the configured port is allowed by both the operating-system and provider firewalls.
Back up before changes
Keep an off-server copy of the world and configuration, and make a deliberate backup before upgrading Minecraft or changing plugins or mods. Confirm separately whether your VPS plan includes backups; do not assume it does.
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How much VPS capacity do you need?
No general CPU or RAM recommendation for a dedicated Minecraft VPS is established here. Capacity depends on factors such as player count, vanilla or modified server software, view distance, world size, and expected uptime. Minecraft’s published Java Edition system requirements are for playing the game on a client PC, not sizing a dedicated server. Published in July 2026, they list minimum client memory of 8 GB with a discrete GPU or 12 GB with integrated graphics, and 16 GB for the recommended client target; those figures should not be treated as VPS requirements.
When comparing VPS plans, assess the host location relative to players, CPU performance, available memory, storage, snapshots and backups, traffic terms, firewall controls, Linux image choices, support scope, and renewal pricing. Match those details to your expected workload rather than treating a provider’s example plan as a universal server specification.
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