Where Minecraft keeps its settings
A Minecraft Java Edition server reads most of its settings from server.properties in the server folder. Changes take effect after a restart.
Settings worth changing first
These keys cover what most groups want to adjust:
- motd: the message shown under your server in the multiplayer list.
- white-list: set to true so only players you add can join. Add players with /whitelist add <name>.
- difficulty: peaceful, easy, normal or hard.
- gamemode: the default mode for new players, such as survival or creative.
- max-players: the most players allowed at once.
- view-distance: how many chunks the server sends to each player. Lower values reduce memory and CPU use on busy servers.
- online-mode: keep this true so players are checked against their Minecraft account.
Operators
Operators can run admin commands in game. Keep the operator list short and make sure everyone on it uses two-factor authentication on their Microsoft account.
Picking a plan for Minecraft
Vanilla Minecraft for a small group runs on the Standard plan (2 GB RAM). Larger worlds, more players or a higher view distance are more comfortable on Performance. You can switch the same server to Terraria or another compatible game later.