Minecraft: Server Configuration Settings

Minecraft already includes a small config file called server.properties. The server can be fundamentally configured here. We explain what each setting does and what you should watch out for when making changes. Some settings should be handled with caution as they can drastically affect server performance, which can lead to instability.

This setting defines the maximum view distance from the server. Regardless of the client’s view distance setting, the server will never send more chunk data to the client than specified here. You can reduce this value to protect server performance. The gameplay experience is hardly affected even at a value of 5. Values below 5 are not recommended and can occasionally cause issues. IMPORTANT: This value should under no circumstances be set higher (unless absolutely necessary) and should be handled carefully, as it can cause severe performance problems.

This sets the maximum height (Y-coordinate) up to which building or mining is possible. Values above 256 are not allowed and will be ignored by the server. This setting is useful if you want to reduce the maximum build height.

If you have booked multiple IPs for your root or VPS, you can specify here which IP should be used. If you have only one IP, this value can be left empty – this also applies to a game server.

By default, the world generator always creates a random Seed resulting in a completely random world. You can define your own seed here using letters or numbers, and the server will generate the corresponding world. The maximum length of 32 characters should not be exceeded.

This option lets you set the default game mode on your server. The game mode is assigned to each player when they first join the server and can be changed anytime with the /gamemode command.

If you don’t know the IDs of the game modes, here is an overview:

You can assign a fixed port to your server through which it can be accessed along with the IP. If you want to run multiple servers on your machine, each server must have a different port defined. This option usually can be left untouched and is mostly needed only for a BungeeCord network.

This enables Command Blocks on the server. If none are needed, this should be set to false because there are ways command blocks can be used to damage or destroy the server.

This option allows you to enable or disable the Nether. If disabled, the Nether is no longer accessible via portals. Access through plugins like Multiverse Core remains possible.

RCON allows commands to be executed remotely. Your ZapX dashboard uses RCON internally to send commands via the Console tab (rcon-cli) – if you disable RCON here, command input in the Console tab will no longer work. The automatically generated RCON password is already sufficiently secured, so you don’t need to disable RCON.

Here you can set the default OP level assigned to a new operator at the start. The levels and individual assignment per player are described in detail here.

Query provides external services, like websites, with separate data such as the current player count or a detailed list of current players. For example, you could display this data on a website using PHP. Some server lists use this feature to list the server correctly.

This setting lets you decide whether players can connect via VPN/Proxy. VPNs are often used to bypass IP bans, so this option can be very useful. However, sometimes it can mistakenly block legitimate connections.

Like in singleplayer mode, the server can generate a world based on specific parameters. Similar to a seed, the world can be preconfigured, after which the server generates the world accordingly. It remains a random world and is therefore unique.

A generation code for a flat world might look like this:

{"biome":"minecraft:plains","layers":[{"block":"minecraft:bedrock","height":1},{"block":"minecraft:dirt","height":2},{"block":"minecraft:grass_block","height":1}],structures:{"village":{}}}

If a special texture pack should be used on the server, the direct download link can be specified here. The pack will then be automatically downloaded and activated after player confirmation.

Idle players can be automatically kicked after the specified number of seconds. This option is very useful if server slots are heavily used and you want to kick inactive players to make room for new (possibly active) players.

The world is named "world" by default. With this option, you can define a different name for the world. If a world already exists and the name is changed here, a new world with this name will be automatically created. The old world remains intact in its previous folder.

Here you can define a message that will be displayed in the server list when added. The message is not shown on direct connection unless special mods are installed on the client. The message can be styled with all colors and formatting Minecraft offers.

Determines whether players are always set to the default game mode upon joining the server, as described above. Regardless of the mode the player left the server in, the default game mode will always be applied.

Hardcore mode causes players to be banned or switched to spectator mode upon death. If desired, a new world must be created because hardcore mode affects world generation.

Enables the Whitelist so that only players on the list can access the server. Commands to add, remove, and more can be found on the linked page.

Determines whether operators receive chat notifications when commands are executed in-game.

This option enables or disables PvP on the server. When PvP is disabled, players cannot damage each other. However, this does not prevent indirect attacks like placing lava intentionally. Players can still attack through workarounds.

In villages, you encounter villagers if this option is enabled. If set to false, there are no villagers anywhere on the server. This option is useful if you want to limit trading to players only and strengthen the economy on an economy server.

This setting again affects the world generator. You can decide whether structures like villages or temples should be generated in the world.

Determines whether animals spawn on the server. A list of all animals can be found here.

If enabled, the server sends anonymous data to Mojang. This data is used for development and optimization. The option does not affect server performance.

Here you can set the general difficulty on the server. Depending on the setting, mobs deal more or less damage. More detailed info and options can be found here.

This value defines the size at which data between client and server is sent compressed or uncompressed. With a small value like the default 256, data is exchanged about 20 times per second. A value of 512 is recommended to relieve server performance and has no negative effects. The value should never be set higher than 1024.

This setting should be handled with caution, as incorrect values can cause extensive problems for players and irreparable damage to the world.

Determines the world type the world generator uses to create the world. After changing this option, a new world should be created. Otherwise, there will be ugly transitions in the world where new chunks are generated.

Determines whether monsters spawn on the server. A list of all monsters can be found here.

Controls the maximum length of a tick. Various server tasks are assigned to a tick. If a tick takes longer than the default 60 seconds, the server will automatically stop.

For Forge servers, this can be annoying because mods often require more time. In such cases, the value can be set to -1, which disables the automatic stop.

Sets the number of slots that can be occupied, i.e., the maximum number of players on the server.

This option ensures that changes to the whitelist are applied immediately. Normally, the whitelist must be reloaded before it becomes active.

Here you can decide whether players without a premium account can access the server. It is important that on a public server, players can gain rights by choosing the name of an operator, and the server only checks the name.

A player would thus gain unauthorized rights. To prevent this, you should definitely install a password plugin on a plugin-enabled server like Spigot.

Disables or enables Minecraft’s built-in anti-cheat regarding flying. Usually, hack clients allow flying without permission.

Sets the OP level required to execute commands. At level 4, commands like stopping the server or kicking/banning players can be executed.