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Bukkit

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Bukkit, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 9 August 202526 sources
Hypixel
Company typePrivate
IndustryVideo games, Online gaming
FoundedApril 2013; 13 years ago (2013-04)
FounderSimon Collins-Laflamme, Philippe Touchette
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsMinecraft server platform, minigames
Websitehypixel.net

A Minecraft server refers to a multiplayer game server owned either by individual players or businesses for the 2011 Mojang Studios game Minecraft. The word "server" frequently denotes a network comprising multiple connected servers instead of just a single device. Servers can be established by users running Mojang's official software on their own computers or by utilizing hosting companies that operate dedicated hardware with assured uptime. The most prominent server is generally acknowledged as the minigame platform Hypixel, which has secured substantial funding, including investments from Riot Games.

Multiplayer servers in Minecraft are overseen by server operators who have access to administrative commands such as adjusting time, teleporting participants, and altering game modes. Administrators or owners have the ability to install plugins that customize gameplay features and impose restrictions on usernames or IP addresses.

These multiplayer servers provide a wide range of activities, often governed by distinctive rules and community standards. Many support Player versus player (PvP) combat, while custom mods and server-side plugins expand gameplay beyond the original version. Moreover, modified server software enables crossplay between the Java and Bedrock editions.

Pre-Release

Multiplayer functionality was initially introduced to Minecraft on May 31, 2009, during the game's Classic stage. Shortly thereafter, early server modifications began appearing.

Development on hMod, a major mod offering an API for plugin compatibility with hMod, started on September 3, 2010. This period saw the creation of influential projects like WorldEdit, some of which continue to be maintained today.

Survival mode multiplayer was launched on August 4, 2010. The oldest known server map named "Freedonia," hosted on the Minecraft server MinecraftOnline, was generated within the first hour after survival multiplayer became available.

Following a halt in hMod's progress, a spiritual successor called Bukkit was created by former hMod developers Nathan 'Dinnerbone' Adams, Erik 'Grum' Broes, Warren 'EvilSeph' Loo, Nathan 'Tahg' Gilbert, and sk89q. Work on Bukkit began December 21, 2010, with an official release occurring in 2011. Bukkit was distributed under the GPL, while CraftBukkit was licensed under LGPL, although licensing conflicts arose due to proprietary Mojang code.

The first Minecraft server proxy, CraftProxy, was developed on January 9, 2011. It allowed multiple servers to operate on a single machine using distinct ports.

Post-Release

In December 2011, Mojang met with the original Bukkit team at their headquarters to discuss creating an official Minecraft modding API. On February 28, 2012, Mojang and Bukkit announced that most Bukkit founders would join Mojang to work on this API (except sk89q who had departed earlier). Although this API never materialized, these developers made valuable contributions to other technical areas.

In May 2012, developer md_5 and his team released CraftBukkit—a server implementation named humorously after its upstream project. This project was renamed Spigot on January 15, 2013 as it grew in scope. By August 2012, md_5 and Codename_B began building Minecraft server proxies to facilitate player transfers between servers, culminating in the release of the layer-7 proxy BungeeCord in October of that year.

Mojang introduced Minecraft Realms in 2013 as a subscription-based hosting service aimed at providing simple and secure multiplayer experiences without complicated setup. Realms are invitation-only and do not rely on IP addresses for access. Since 2016, Realms have supported cross-platform play among Windows 10, iOS, and Android. Subscription options permit either three or eleven players per realm. While Realms are also available for the Java edition of Minecraft, cross-platform functionality is restricted to Bedrock editions.

On June 14, 2014, Mojang enforced an updated EULA for Minecraft: Java Edition, prohibiting servers from selling pay-to-win items through microtransactions; only cosmetic item sales were allowed thereafter. This policy led to the shutdown of numerous servers.

The Paper project (initially PaperSpigot) was launched on June 23, 2014 as a Spigot fork focusing on performance enhancements and community-driven development. As of June 2025, bStats reports more than 130,000 active Paper servers—representing over 60% of servers within the Bukkit ecosystem.

On August 24, 2014, Bukkit announced it would cease development due to legal uncertainties and Mojang’s enforcement of the EULA. Mojang clarified it had acquired Bukkit’s rights following employment of Bukkit developers; employees Dinnerbone and Grum continued updates but emphasized that Bukkit was not an official modding API. In September 2014, a prominent Bukkit contributor issued a DMCA takedown against GitHub regarding copyright violations involving proprietary Mojang code present in Bukkit and forks such as Spigot—effectively halting Bukkit updates.

Spigot resumed development on November 28, 2014 after relocating its codebase from GitHub to a self-hosted platform and implementing a Contributor License Agreement alongside build tools designed to comply with the DMCA takedown by patching existing code rather than distributing binaries. This established Spigot as the de facto successor to Bukkit.

The "Better Together Update" was released on September 20, 2017 for Bedrock-based editions. It enabled cross-platform multiplayer and included servers like Lifeboat, Mineplex, InPVP, and CubeCraft.

Player chat reporting was introduced on July 27, 2022 with "The Wild Update" (version 1.19.1), allowing users to report inappropriate messages directly to Mojang; offenders may face bans from multiplayer servers and realms for violating Microsoft's community standards.

On November 7, 2023, Mojang Studios collaborated with GamerSafer to launch the official Minecraft server directory.

Management

Overseeing a Minecraft server often demands full-time dedication, with larger networks employing teams that include developers, administrators, and graphic designers. The operational expenses can be considerable, particularly for servers hosting more than a thousand concurrent users. These costs encompass employee wages, server hardware, bandwidth usage, and protection against DDoS attacks. For instance, MCGamer, which attracts over 50,000 players daily, faces monthly expenditures in the tens of thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, Hypixel, recognized as the largest server in 2015, reportedly spends close to $100,000 each month. To help cover these financial demands, many servers generate revenue by selling in-game privileges such as ranks, cosmetic items, and access to exclusive minigames or game modes.

Technical considerations

Mojang supplies an official server jar for Java Edition operators; however, alternative third-party jars are widely adopted for their enhanced resource management and expanded plugin compatibility. Minecraft servers have traditionally been constrained by single-core processing capabilities with limited asynchronous functionality, which restricts scalability when accommodating large player populations. The default port used by Java Edition servers for client connections is 25565.

Prominent servers

The foremost Java Edition server is Hypixel, established in April 2013 and boasting over 20 million unique players. CubeCraft Games has operated since December 2012 on Java Edition and expanded to Bedrock Edition in 2018; it has recorded more than 30 million unique visitors and peak concurrent users exceeding 57,000. Additional notable servers include MCGamer (which had over 3.5 million unique players before closing), Wynncraft (surpassing one million unique players), and Emenbee (also exceeding one million unique players). By 2014, servers such as Mineplex, Hypixel, Shotbow, and The Hive each attracted well over a million unique monthly users.

List

Name Launch date Description
2b2t Recognized as the oldest anarchy server in Minecraft; it operates without official rules, permitting cheating and offensive language. Its world map is among the longest continuously active in the game. After years running version 1.12, it was updated to Minecraft version 1.20. [1][2][3]
Autcraft A dedicated safe environment server designed specifically for children with autism. Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Build the Earth An initiative to reconstruct planet Earth at a one-to-one scale within Minecraft, including human-made landmarks. Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name[4]
CubeCraft Games Established in 2012 on Java Edition featuring minigames like EggWars and SkyWars; later expanded to Bedrock Edition in 2018 as a Mojang-endorsed server. Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name[5]
Dream SMP ; Closed on . A private survival multiplayer server owned by YouTuber Dream, showcasing prominent content creators. It featured factions and heavily streamed roleplay events on platforms like YouTube and Twitch. [6][7]
The Hive A minigame-focused server launched in 2012. It transitioned from Java Edition to Bedrock Edition in 2018 and fully discontinued Java access in April 2021 due to waning interest. Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name[8]
Hypixel 'Minecrafts most popular server founded by Simon Collins-Laflamme and Philippe Touchette; it offers a wide variety of game modes primarily centered on player-versus-player combat. [9]
MinecraftOnline
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
 Founded in August 2010; among the earliest survival servers with an unreset map that has been active continuously. There is ongoing debate regarding which is the oldest Minecraft server. [10]
Mineplex
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
; Operations ceased on May 16, 2023 (2023-05-16). 		Previously the largest Minecraft server hosting numerous minigames; held a Guinness World Record for popularity in 2015. Eventually overtaken by Hypixel leading to its closure. Plans for revival have been announced. [8][11][12][13][14][15][16]
The Uncensored Library
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
 Created by Reporters Without Borders, this server and map circumvent censorship in countries lacking press freedom; it attracted significant media attention. [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]
Wynncraft
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
 'Minecraft' server designed as a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named independent
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  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named CubeCraftBirthday
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  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Wired
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named polygon
  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named rps
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named gamesradar
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  15. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named startelegram
  16. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named mavs
  17. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named BBC
  18. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named DW
  19. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named CNBC
  20. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named CNN
  21. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Tech Crunch
  22. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named The Verge
  23. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Gizmodo
  24. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Engadget
  25. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Mashable
  26. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named PC Gamer

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