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Build a Minecraft Server with Raspberry Pi

Build a Minecraft Server with Raspberry Pi

Running your own Minecraft server is a great Raspberry Pi project. Instead of paying for a third-party server, you can use a Raspberry Pi on your home network to host a world for family and friends.

A Raspberry Pi 5 is particularly well suited to the job. With a fast CPU, up to 16GB of RAM, Gigabit Ethernet, and USB 3.0 storage support, it has enough performance for a small private Minecraft server.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to build a Minecraft server with Raspberry Pi, install Java, set up the server, configure memory and networking, create backups, and improve performance.

Important: This guide focuses on Minecraft: Java Edition. The official Minecraft Java server software is separate from the Bedrock dedicated server.

What You’ll Build

The finished setup will look like this:

                    Internet
                       │
                       │
                ┌──────▼──────┐
                │    Router   │
                └──────┬──────┘
                       │
                    Ethernet
                       │
                ┌──────▼──────┐
                │ Raspberry Pi│
                │      5      │
                │             │
                │  Minecraft  │
                │   Server    │
                └─────────────┘
                  │     │     │
                 PC    PC    Laptop

Players connected to your local network can connect directly to the Raspberry Pi.

If you want players outside your home network to connect, you’ll need additional network configuration.

What You Need

Hardware

For a good Raspberry Pi Minecraft server, you’ll need:

  • Raspberry Pi 5
  • 4GB or more RAM
  • Raspberry Pi power supply
  • Active cooling
  • Ethernet cable
  • microSD card or SSD
  • Network router

Recommended setup

For most small private servers, I’d use:

Raspberry Pi 5 8GB

256GB SSD

Active cooling

Gigabit Ethernet

The 4GB model can also work well for smaller servers, but 8GB gives you more flexibility if you want to run additional services alongside Minecraft.

Why Use an SSD?

You can run a Minecraft server from a microSD card, but an SSD is a better choice for a server that will run continuously.

Minecraft constantly reads and writes world data.

An SSD provides:

  • Faster storage
  • Better random I/O
  • More capacity
  • Better durability for a server workload
  • Faster backups
  • Faster world transfers

You can connect a USB SSD to the Raspberry Pi or use an NVMe HAT.

For a dedicated server, I’d strongly consider using an SSD rather than making the microSD card your primary server storage.

Raspberry Pi 5 Cooling

Minecraft can put sustained load on the CPU.

For that reason, active cooling is recommended.

You can use:

  • Raspberry Pi Active Cooler
  • Fan-equipped Raspberry Pi case
  • Heatsink and fan
  • Other active cooling solutions

A server that runs for hours at a time benefits from keeping temperatures under control.

Which Minecraft Server Should You Use?

You have several options.

Vanilla Minecraft Server

The official Minecraft server is the simplest option.

It provides the standard Minecraft server experience without third-party modifications.

Minecraft provides the Java Edition server software directly from its website.

Best for: A completely standard Minecraft experience.

Paper

Best overall choice for most Raspberry Pi servers

Paper is a Minecraft server implementation designed to improve performance while maintaining compatibility with Bukkit and Spigot plugins.

Paper provides optimized server software and plugin support.

Current Paper releases have moved to Java 25 for Minecraft 26.1 and newer versions.

For a Raspberry Pi server, Paper is an excellent choice when you want better performance and the ability to add plugins.

Fabric

Fabric is another option, particularly if you want to use Minecraft mods.

It’s better suited to players who specifically want a modded Minecraft server.

Vanilla vs Paper vs Fabric

ServerBest ForPluginsMods
VanillaStandard MinecraftNoNo
PaperPerformance and pluginsYesLimited
FabricModded MinecraftNoYes

For this guide, we’ll use Paper.

Step 1: Install Raspberry Pi OS

Install Raspberry Pi OS 64-bit on your microSD card or SSD.

Using the 64-bit operating system is important because modern Minecraft server software and Java releases are designed around 64-bit environments.

You can install Raspberry Pi OS using Raspberry Pi Imager.

For a dedicated server, you don’t need a graphical desktop environment.

A minimal installation reduces unnecessary resource usage.

Step 2: Update Raspberry Pi OS

After booting into Raspberry Pi OS, update the system:

sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade -y

Then reboot:

sudo reboot

After reconnecting, check that the system is working correctly.

Step 3: Check Your Architecture

Run:

uname -m

A 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS installation should report:

aarch64

This confirms that you’re running a 64-bit ARM operating system.

Step 4: Install Java

Minecraft server versions require a compatible Java runtime.

For current Minecraft 26.1, Java 25 is required.

Paper’s current documentation also lists Java 25 for Minecraft 26.1 and newer versions.

One way to install Java 25 on Debian-based systems is Eclipse Temurin.

Install the required packages:

sudo apt install -y wget apt-transport-https gpg

Add the Eclipse Adoptium signing key:

wget -qO - https://packages.adoptium.net/artifactory/api/gpg/key/public | \
gpg --dearmor | \
sudo tee /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/adoptium.gpg > /dev/null

Add the repository:

echo "deb https://packages.adoptium.net/artifactory/deb $(awk -F= '/^VERSION_CODENAME/{print$2}' /etc/os-release) main" | \
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/adoptium.list

Update the package list:

sudo apt update

Install Java 25:

sudo apt install -y temurin-25-jdk

Eclipse Adoptium currently provides Temurin 25 packages for Debian and Ubuntu systems.

Step 5: Verify Java

Run:

java -version

You should see Java 25 information.

For example:

openjdk version "25"

The exact build information may be different.

If Java reports an older version, make sure the correct Java installation is selected.

Step 6: Create a Minecraft User

It’s a good idea to run your Minecraft server under its own Linux user instead of running it as root.

Create the user:

sudo adduser --system --home /opt/minecraft --group minecraft

Then switch to the Minecraft user:

sudo -u minecraft -s

Your server will now have its own user account and directory.

Step 7: Create the Server Directory

Create a directory for the server:

sudo mkdir -p /opt/minecraft

Set the owner:

sudo chown -R minecraft:minecraft /opt/minecraft

Then switch to the Minecraft user:

sudo -u minecraft -s

Move into the directory:

cd /opt/minecraft

Step 8: Download Paper

Paper provides server JAR downloads through its official website.

Download the appropriate Paper build for the Minecraft version you want to run.

Paper’s current downloads page provides builds for current Minecraft releases.

Rename the downloaded file:

mv paper-*.jar paper.jar

Your directory should now contain:

/opt/minecraft/
└── paper.jar

Step 9: Start the Server

Start Paper with:

java -Xms4G -Xmx4G -jar paper.jar --nogui

Paper documents this style of startup command and recommends using its startup script generator for more advanced configurations.

The first startup will create several files.

You may see an EULA message.

The server will stop.

That’s expected.

Step 10: Accept the Minecraft EULA

Open:

nano eula.txt

Change:

eula=false

to:

eula=true

Save the file.

You must agree to Minecraft’s EULA before running the server.

The official Minecraft server download page notes that using the server software is subject to the Minecraft End User License Agreement.

Step 11: Start Minecraft Again

Run:

java -Xms4G -Xmx4G -jar paper.jar --nogui

The server should now begin generating the world.

You’ll eventually see a message indicating that the server is ready.

Understanding the Memory Settings

This part is important.

The command:

java -Xms4G -Xmx4G -jar paper.jar --nogui

means:

-Xms4G

sets the initial heap size to 4GB.

And:

-Xmx4G

sets the maximum heap size to 4GB.

You shouldn’t automatically allocate all of your Raspberry Pi’s RAM to Minecraft.

The operating system and other services need memory too.

Recommended RAM Allocation

For a Raspberry Pi 5 4GB:

java -Xms2G -Xmx2G -jar paper.jar --nogui

For a Raspberry Pi 5 8GB:

java -Xms4G -Xmx4G -jar paper.jar --nogui

For a Raspberry Pi 5 16GB:

java -Xms6G -Xmx6G -jar paper.jar --nogui

These aren’t hard limits. Your actual allocation should depend on the number of players, world size, plugins and other services running on the Raspberry Pi.

Step 12: Find the Raspberry Pi’s IP Address

Run:

hostname -I

You’ll get something similar to:

192.168.1.50

This is the local IP address of your Raspberry Pi.

You’ll use it when connecting from another computer on the same network.

Step 13: Connect to the Minecraft Server

On another computer running Minecraft Java Edition:

  1. Open Minecraft.
  2. Select Multiplayer.
  3. Choose Add Server.
  4. Enter the Raspberry Pi’s IP address.
  5. Connect.

For example:

192.168.1.50

Make sure the Minecraft client is running the same server-compatible version.

Minecraft’s multiplayer documentation emphasizes that players need matching game editions and compatible versions when connecting to multiplayer games.

Step 14: Configure the Server

Paper creates a:

server.properties

file.

Open it:

nano server.properties

There are many settings available.

Some of the most useful include:

motd=My Raspberry Pi Minecraft Server
max-players=8
view-distance=8
simulation-distance=6
difficulty=normal
gamemode=survival
pvp=true
online-mode=true

Save the file and restart the server after making changes.

View Distance

One of the most important performance settings is:

view-distance

This controls how many chunks the server sends to players.

A smaller value reduces the amount of work the server needs to perform.

For a Raspberry Pi, starting around:

view-distance=8

is reasonable.

If you’re running a very small server and performance is excellent, you can experiment with higher values.

Simulation Distance

You can also reduce:

simulation-distance

For example:

simulation-distance=6

This limits how far away active game simulation takes place.

Reducing this setting can help a small server handle more activity.

Step 15: Set a Server Message

Change:

motd=My Raspberry Pi Minecraft Server

to something more personal:

motd=Welcome to the Raspberry Pi Survival Server!

Players will see this message in their multiplayer server list.

Step 16: Set the Maximum Players

For a small family or friends server:

max-players=8

You can increase this if your hardware and configuration can handle it.

Don’t assume that increasing the maximum player count means the Raspberry Pi will automatically handle it.

Player activity, world generation and redstone-heavy areas can have a significant impact on performance.

Step 17: Enable the Whitelist

If the server is intended for friends or family, a whitelist is strongly recommended.

From the Minecraft server console:

whitelist on

Then add players:

whitelist add PlayerName

This prevents unknown players from joining even if they discover your server address.

Step 18: Give Yourself Operator Access

From the server console:

op PlayerName

Replace PlayerName with your Minecraft username.

You’ll then be able to use administrative commands.

For example:

/time set day

or:

/gamemode creative PlayerName

Use operator permissions carefully.

Step 19: Configure the Firewall

If you’re using a firewall such as UFW, allow the Minecraft Java server port:

sudo ufw allow 25565/tcp

Check the firewall:

sudo ufw status

The default Java Edition server port is 25565. Minecraft’s official server documentation notes that this port may need to be opened when configuring external access.

Step 20: Give the Raspberry Pi a Static IP

This is strongly recommended if you’re hosting the server on your home network.

You don’t want the Raspberry Pi’s IP address changing every time your router renews its DHCP lease.

The easiest approach is usually to create a DHCP reservation in your router.

For example:

Minecraft Server
Raspberry Pi
192.168.1.50

The router will then consistently assign that address to the Raspberry Pi.

Step 21: Allow Internet Connections

If you want friends outside your home to connect, you’ll generally need to configure port forwarding on your router.

Forward:

TCP 25565

to the Raspberry Pi’s local IP address.

For example:

Internet
   │
   │ TCP 25565
   ▼
Router
   │
   │ 192.168.1.50:25565
   ▼
Raspberry Pi

Minecraft’s official server documentation confirms that external connections may require network configuration such as port forwarding.

Be Careful With Port Forwarding

Opening a Minecraft server to the public Internet exposes a service from your home network.

Before doing so:

  • Keep the server software updated.
  • Use a whitelist.
  • Don’t run unnecessary services.
  • Keep Raspberry Pi OS updated.
  • Use strong account security.
  • Back up your world.
  • Avoid running the server as root.
  • Monitor the server logs.

If you only want to play with people in your household, don’t forward the port at all.

An Alternative: Private VPN Access

If your friends don’t need a public server, a private VPN can be a better option.

For example, you could use Tailscale to create a private network between your devices.

This avoids exposing port 25565 directly to the Internet.

The architecture becomes:

Player 1
   │
   │ Tailscale
   │
   ▼
Raspberry Pi
Minecraft Server
   ▲
   │
   │ Tailscale
   │
Player 2

This can be particularly useful for a private group of friends.

Step 22: Create a Startup Script

Instead of typing the Java command every time, create a startup script.

Create:

nano start.sh

Add:

#!/bin/bash

java -Xms4G -Xmx4G -jar paper.jar --nogui

Save the file.

Make it executable:

chmod +x start.sh

Now you can start the server with:

./start.sh

Step 23: Use a Systemd Service

For a server that should start automatically when the Raspberry Pi boots, systemd is a better solution.

Create:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/minecraft.service

Add:

[Unit]
Description=Minecraft Server
After=network.target

[Service]
User=minecraft
WorkingDirectory=/opt/minecraft
ExecStart=/usr/bin/java -Xms4G -Xmx4G -jar paper.jar --nogui
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Save the file.

Reload systemd:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Enable the service:

sudo systemctl enable minecraft

Start it:

sudo systemctl start minecraft

Check its status:

sudo systemctl status minecraft

Your Minecraft server will now start automatically when the Raspberry Pi boots.

Step 24: View the Server Logs

If the server isn’t working correctly, check the logs:

sudo journalctl -u minecraft

To follow the logs in real time:

sudo journalctl -u minecraft -f

This is extremely useful when troubleshooting startup errors.

Step 25: Stop the Server Safely

Don’t simply unplug the Raspberry Pi.

A Minecraft server should be shut down cleanly so that world data can be saved.

If you’re using systemd:

sudo systemctl stop minecraft

You can then verify that the service has stopped:

sudo systemctl status minecraft

Step 26: Back Up Your Minecraft World

This is one of the most important steps.

Your world is stored in the server directory.

For example:

/opt/minecraft/world

You can create a backup using:

sudo tar -czf minecraft-backup.tar.gz /opt/minecraft/world

For a complete server backup:

sudo tar -czf minecraft-server-backup.tar.gz /opt/minecraft

Store backups somewhere other than the Raspberry Pi.

A backup on the same SSD doesn’t help much if the SSD fails.

Automate Backups

A good Minecraft server should have automated backups.

You could create a backup script:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/minecraft-backup.sh

Example:

#!/bin/bash

BACKUP_DIR="/home/minecraft-backups"
DATE=$(date +%Y-%m-%d-%H%M)

mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR"

tar -czf "$BACKUP_DIR/minecraft-$DATE.tar.gz" /opt/minecraft/world

Make it executable:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/minecraft-backup.sh

You can then schedule it with cron.

For example:

sudo crontab -e

Add:

0 3 * * * /usr/local/bin/minecraft-backup.sh

This creates a backup every day at 3 AM.

Step 27: Monitor Raspberry Pi Performance

You can monitor the server using:

htop

Install it if necessary:

sudo apt install htop

Then run:

htop

Watch:

  • CPU usage
  • Memory usage
  • Load average
  • Processes

You can also check the temperature:

vcgencmd measure_temp

Improve Minecraft Server Performance

There are several ways to get better performance from a Raspberry Pi Minecraft server.

Use an SSD

This is one of the easiest improvements.

Use Ethernet

Avoid Wi-Fi for a dedicated server whenever possible.

Reduce View Distance

Start around:

view-distance=8

and adjust based on performance.

Reduce Simulation Distance

Try:

simulation-distance=6

Limit the Player Count

A small private server is much easier to manage than a large public server.

Use Paper

Paper provides performance optimizations and plugin support.

Don’t Allocate All RAM to Minecraft

This is a common mistake.

If you have an 8GB Raspberry Pi, don’t automatically configure:

-Xmx8G

The operating system still needs memory.

Other services may also need RAM.

For example, if your Pi runs:

  • Minecraft
  • Tailscale
  • Docker
  • Pi-hole
  • Monitoring
  • File sharing

you need to leave sufficient memory for everything.

Can Raspberry Pi 5 Handle Multiple Players?

Yes, a Raspberry Pi 5 can host a small Minecraft server, but the practical player count depends heavily on the server configuration.

Factors include:

  • Number of players
  • World size
  • View distance
  • Simulation distance
  • Plugins
  • Mods
  • Redstone activity
  • Mob farms
  • World generation
  • Storage performance

A small survival server for a handful of friends is a much more realistic target than a large public server.

Raspberry Pi 5 4GB vs 8GB

ModelBest Use
4GBSmall Minecraft server
8GBMinecraft + additional services
16GBLarger multitasking setup

For a dedicated small server, 4GB can be sufficient.

If you plan to run several services alongside Minecraft, I’d choose 8GB.

Minecraft Server Storage

For a small server:

128GB SSD is enough.

For a larger world and backups:

256GB SSD is a better choice.

For a server running multiple applications:

500GB or 1TB NVMe SSD provides plenty of room.

The important thing is to remember that world backups can accumulate quickly.

Should You Use NVMe?

NVMe is an excellent option for a Raspberry Pi 5 server.

A Raspberry Pi 5 can use NVMe storage through an appropriate PCIe adapter or NVMe HAT.

Advantages include:

  • Fast storage
  • Excellent random I/O
  • Large capacity
  • No reliance on microSD storage
  • Convenient for multiple server workloads

However, a USB 3 SSD is also an excellent option and can be simpler to install.

Minecraft Server Security

A public Minecraft server should be treated like any other Internet-facing service.

Keep Raspberry Pi OS updated:

sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade

Keep Paper updated.

Use the whitelist when appropriate.

Don’t give operator privileges to everyone.

Don’t expose unnecessary ports.

Use a strong administrative password for any management software.

Keep backups.

Common Problems

UnsupportedClassVersionError

This usually means the Java version is too old for the Minecraft or Paper version you’re trying to run.

Check:

java -version

For Minecraft 26.1 and current Paper releases, Java 25 is required.

Server Won’t Start

Check:

java -version

Then:

ls -lh

Make sure paper.jar exists.

Check the logs:

sudo journalctl -u minecraft -f

Players Can’t Connect

Check:

  1. Raspberry Pi IP address
  2. Minecraft version
  3. Firewall
  4. Server status
  5. Router port forwarding
  6. Whether the server is listening on port 25565

You can check listening ports with:

sudo ss -tulpn | grep 25565

Server Is Lagging

Try:

  • Lowering view-distance
  • Lowering simulation-distance
  • Moving the server to SSD storage
  • Using Ethernet
  • Reducing the number of plugins
  • Reducing the number of active players
  • Improving cooling

Raspberry Pi Is Overheating

Check the temperature:

vcgencmd measure_temp

Then verify:

  • Fan operation
  • Case ventilation
  • Heatsink installation
  • Ambient temperature

A server running continuously should have adequate active cooling.

Minecraft Java vs Bedrock

This distinction is important.

The official Minecraft Java server software is designed for Minecraft: Java Edition.

Bedrock uses different dedicated server software.

If your friends play Minecraft on consoles, phones or other Bedrock devices, don’t assume they can connect directly to a Java server.

Java and Bedrock are separate server ecosystems.

Can You Run Other Services on the Raspberry Pi?

Yes.

One of the advantages of using a Raspberry Pi is that Minecraft doesn’t have to be the only service running on it.

You could also run:

  • Tailscale
  • Pi-hole
  • Docker
  • Portainer
  • Samba
  • Monitoring tools
  • Home Assistant

However, remember that every additional service consumes CPU, RAM and storage.

If Minecraft is the primary purpose of the Raspberry Pi, prioritize its resources accordingly.

Recommended Minecraft Server Setup

For most people, I’d build this:

Hardware

Raspberry Pi 5 8GB

256GB SSD

Active cooling

Gigabit Ethernet

Reliable USB-C power supply

Software

Raspberry Pi OS 64-bit

Java 25

Paper

Configuration

view-distance=8
simulation-distance=6
max-players=8
online-mode=true

Use a whitelist if the server is private.

Final Verdict

Building a Minecraft server with Raspberry Pi is an excellent project if you want a private server for a small group of friends or family.

The Raspberry Pi 5 provides enough performance for a small Minecraft server while consuming considerably less power than a traditional desktop PC.

For the best experience, I’d use:

Raspberry Pi 5 8GB + SSD + active cooling + Ethernet + Paper.

Start with conservative settings such as:

view-distance=8
simulation-distance=6

and adjust them as you learn how your server performs.

The most important improvements aren’t necessarily expensive hardware. SSD storage, active cooling, Ethernet, sensible server settings, and regular backups will make a much bigger difference to a small home server.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Raspberry Pi run a Minecraft server?

Yes. Raspberry Pi 5 is capable of hosting a small Minecraft Java Edition server, particularly when configured with an SSD, active cooling and sensible view-distance settings.

Which Raspberry Pi is best for a Minecraft server?

The Raspberry Pi 5 is the best choice for a new build. The 4GB model is suitable for smaller servers, while 8GB is preferable if you want to run additional services.

Do I need an SSD?

No, but an SSD is strongly recommended for a server that will run continuously.

How much RAM should I allocate to Minecraft?

Don’t allocate all of the Raspberry Pi’s RAM to Minecraft. A 4GB Pi might use around 2GB for the server, while an 8GB Pi could allocate around 4GB depending on the workload.

Can my friends connect from outside my home?

Yes. You can configure port forwarding on your router, or use a private VPN such as Tailscale.

What port does Minecraft Java use?

The default Java Edition server port is 25565/TCP.

Is Paper better than the official Minecraft server?

For a small Raspberry Pi server, Paper is often a better choice when you want performance optimizations and plugin support. Vanilla is preferable if you want the standard server experience without modifications.

Can I run Minecraft Bedrock on Raspberry Pi?

The setup is different from Java Edition. The official Minecraft server page provides separate server software for Java and Bedrock, with different platform requirements.

Can I run Minecraft and other services on the same Raspberry Pi?

Yes, particularly with an 8GB model. However, you should monitor RAM and CPU usage and avoid overloading the system.

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