Question Need Advice on Starting a Minecraft Server & Learning Java from Scratch

[Celldrone]

Hey everyone!
I’m planning to start a Minecraft server with custom features and a big world to explore. I have a bunch of ideas in mind—like RPG elements, mobs, quests, and more—but I’m still pretty new to all this. I’ve never really done plugin or mod development before, and I’m just starting to learn Java too.

If anyone has tips or suggestions, I’d really appreciate it! Things like:

• Where to start with Java (especially for Minecraft dev)
• Should I go with Spigot, Paper, Forge, or something else?
• How to handle building a big server without it getting overwhelming
• Any YouTubers, tutorials, or communities you recommend?

I’m super excited to learn and build something cool, so any advice would mean a lot. Thanks in advance!

 

[stefvanschie]

There are many resources you can use to learn Java. The university of Helsinki has freely available courses on Java Programming, which you can find here https://www.mooc.fi/en/ (look for the courses Java Programming I and Java Programming II). Alternatively, you can also take a look at the book Introduction to Programming in Java: An Interdisciplinary Approach by R. Sedgewick and K. Wayne; or Head First Java by K. Sierra and B. Bates.

As this is the Paper forums, we'd generally recommend Paper on here. You should primarily ask yourself whether you want your server to support mods or plugins. If you're making everything from scratch, this isn't as relevant, but if there are already existing plugins or mods that you want to use, you need to pick the software that supports these. Paper supports plugins, Forge and Fabric support mods.

The biggest mistake people tend to make is overestimating how many players their server will have. They'll make a server in anticipation of a thousand consecutive players, but in reality barely reach 1% that amount. Start small, design a server for two dozen players and once your server actually reaches these amounts you can start growing.