Run a server on Ubuntu

The short path#

Ubuntu Server → Java → Paper → `start.sh` → EULA → local test → systemd.

Choose Ubuntu when the PC is dedicated to hosting and you are comfortable using a terminal. Prefer Windows for familiar desktop folders or ZimaOS for a browser dashboard.

1. Install Ubuntu Server LTS#

1. 1
   Back up the PC. Installing Ubuntu can erase the selected drive.
2. 2
   Download the current Ubuntu Server LTS ↗.
3. 3
   Follow Ubuntu's basic installation guide ↗.
4. 4
   Select OpenSSH server during installation if you want to manage it from another computer.
5. 5
   Sign in and update the system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2. Install Java#

Current Paper 26.x uses Java 25; Paper 1.20 through 1.21.11 uses Java 21. Follow Paper's official Ubuntu/Debian Java steps ↗, then confirm:

java -version

3. Create the server folder#

sudo mkdir -p /opt/minecraft
sudo chown "$USER":"$USER" /opt/minecraft
cd /opt/minecraft

Download Paper from the official Paper page ↗, move the jar into /opt/minecraft, and rename it paper.jar.

4. Start once and accept the EULA#

chmod +x start.sh
./start.sh

The first run creates eula.txt and stops. Read the linked Minecraft EULA. Change eula=false to eula=true only if you agree, then run ./start.sh again and wait for Done.

5. Open only the game port#

If you manage the machine through SSH, allow SSH before enabling UFW:

sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw allow 25565/tcp
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status

Ubuntu documents UFW as its default firewall tool. Open only the Minecraft port you use.

6. Test at home#

Find the server's local address:

hostname -I

Join that address from Minecraft on another device at home. Finish the LAN test before Playit or port forwarding.

7. Start it automatically#

After the manual server works, create /etc/systemd/system/minecraft.service:

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

[Service]
User=YOUR_LINUX_USERNAME
WorkingDirectory=/opt/minecraft
ExecStart=/opt/minecraft/start.sh
Restart=on-failure
TimeoutStopSec=60

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Replace YOUR_LINUX_USERNAME, then enable it:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now minecraft
sudo systemctl status minecraft

Stop it before a manual backup with sudo systemctl stop minecraft. View recent logs with sudo journalctl -u minecraft -n 100 --no-pager.

Next#

• Reserve the local IP
• Let friends join
• Secure the server
• Set up backups