Software
Vanilla, Paper, Fabric, Forge: Minecraft server software compared
Before you ever start a server you have to pick what it runs on, and the names don’t help. Paper, Spigot, Purpur, Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, Quilt. They’re all Minecraft servers. They’re also all different, in ways that matter once you add a single plugin.
There isn’t one right answer, so this post won’t invent one. Ask yourself what you want your players to be able to do, and the list shrinks fast.
Plugins, mods or nothing
That’s the whole decision, really. Plugins live only on the server, so players join with a normal game. Mods change the game itself, so players usually need the same mods on their side. And the families don’t run each other’s add-ons, which is why you pick the software first.
Vanilla
The official server from Mojang, exactly as designed. No mods, no plugins. It’s the simplest choice and the right one for a world with a few friends and nothing extra.
The price of simple is that you get very few tools. Managing players is basic, performance options are limited, and a whitelist is about all you have against griefing.
Spigot, Paper and their relatives
Bukkit started the idea of server plugins, and Spigot grew out of it. Paper forked Spigot and added plenty of performance fixes. It runs Bukkit, Spigot and Paper plugins, and that broad compatibility is a big reason it shows up on so many servers.
Purpur and Leaf both build on Paper. Purpur piles on extra gameplay options and settings, while Leaf leans on performance work, and both run Paper plugins. Folia goes further and runs different regions of the world on separate threads, which suits very large servers, though plugins have to be written to support it.
In every case players use the normal game. You get protection, ranks and extra commands, and nobody installs a thing.
Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt
These are mod loaders, the foundation mods stand on. Choose the loader first, because a mod made for one usually refuses to load on another.
Fabric is lightweight and tends to follow new Minecraft versions quickly. Forge has been around the longest and has a huge library of mods and modpacks. NeoForge is a community continuation of Forge for newer versions. Quilt works with Fabric mods and brings tools of its own.
Modpacks are normally built for exactly one loader and one Minecraft version. If you’re hosting one, read what it asks for and match it exactly. Guessing here is how you earn a crash on startup.
And Bedrock?
Bedrock is the edition on phones, consoles and the Windows app, and it has its own separate server from Mojang. Java plugins and mods don’t run on it. Java and Bedrock players can’t normally share a server without extra software, so find out which edition your friends play before you choose.
A rough guide
A plain world with a few friends fits Vanilla. A community with protection, ranks and extra commands fits a plugin server such as Paper. A big modpack or new content means whichever loader the pack names. Friends on consoles or phones need Bedrock.
You can switch later, though it isn’t free. Moving a world between plugins and mods can break things, so back up first. Mineshire lists the options in alphabetical order and doesn’t rank them, because the choice should stay yours.
Quick answers
Can I move my Vanilla world to Paper? Usually, since Paper reads the same world format. Back up first, because going back to Vanilla afterwards isn’t always clean.
Do Paper plugins work on Fabric? No. Plugins need software built for them, and mod loaders run mods instead.