Paper, Purpur, Fabric, Forge, NeoForge: which server software should you pick?
21 août 2026
Five names keep coming up when setting up a Minecraft server, and they're not interchangeable. The choice determines what you'll be able to install on top — getting it wrong often means reinstalling from scratch after the world is already built.
Plugins or mods: the distinction that matters
Plugins layer on top of vanilla gameplay without changing it — players connect with a normal Minecraft client, nothing to install. Mods change the game itself (new blocks, new mechanics, sometimes a full overhaul) and require every player to install the same mod, at the same version, on their own client.
Paper and Purpur — the plugin ecosystem
Paper is today's standard for plugin-based servers: a Spigot fork, optimized, compatible with the vast majority of existing plugins (land protection, economy, minigames…). Purpur builds on Paper and adds dozens of extra configuration options (mob behavior, tunable mechanics) for anyone who wants to push customization further without writing a plugin themselves. In practice: Paper for a classic, stable server, Purpur if you want to tinker with fine-grained settings.
Fabric — lightweight and quick to update
Fabric is the lightest mod loader, appreciated for being available very quickly after a new Minecraft version ships. It tends to target technical and quality-of-life mods (optimization, small additions) rather than huge content packs.
Forge and NeoForge — the largest mod catalog
Forge has historically had the largest mod catalog, especially for large content modpacks (tech, magic, exploration). NeoForge is a more recent fork, created by part of the Forge team to modernize the codebase — most recent large modpacks are gradually migrating to NeoForge. If a specific modpack interests you (see our article on choosing a modpack), it's generally the modpack itself that dictates Forge or NeoForge, not the other way around.
How to choose
- Want classic plugins (protection, economy, minigames) → Paper.
- Need fine-grained settings on top of plugins → Purpur.
- Small technical mods, fast updates after a Minecraft release → Fabric.
- Large content modpack (tech, magic, adventure) → Forge orNeoForge, depending on what the modpack requires.
All of these are available directly from the panel at deploy time, no manual reinstallation needed — see getting started with your server.