How to Build a Minecraft Server: A Guide to Setting Up a Paper Server for Learning with Children

2026-08-30

Minecraft is more than just a game; it is attracting attention as an educational tool that fosters creativity and logical thinking.
In particular, its ability to naturally teach the PDCA cycle—"Plan, Do, Check, Act"—makes it extremely appealing from an educational standpoint.

In this article, I will outline the background and steps for setting up a Paper server based on the following objectives:

• We want to practice running through the PDCA cycle together with children.
• However, we don’t need complex environments like industrial mods.
• We want to add only the necessary features using plugins.

Comparison: Server Types and Their Features

There are several types of Minecraft servers, each with its own pros and cons.
First, let’s organize the representative server software.

Name	Type	Mod Support	Plugin Support	Client-side Preparation	Features	Primary Use Case
Vanilla (Official)	Mojang Official	×	×	Not Required	The simplest option. High version compatibility, but no feature expansion	For those who want to enjoy pure Minecraft
Bukkit	Unofficial (Early Mod API)	×	•	Not Required	The prototype of the plugin system. Development has ceased	Historical servers, older references
Spigot	Bukkit Derivative	×	•	Not Required	Improved performance and enhanced stability. Compatible with many plugins	General-purpose multiplayer servers
Paper	Spigot Derivative (High-performance version)	×	•	Not Required	Fast and memory-efficient. Actively developed with support for the latest versions	Ideal for building educational and lightweight servers
Fabric	Mod Compatible	•	×	Required	Lightweight mod environment. Requires the same mod setup as the client	For environments using technical and industrial mods
Forge	Mod Compatible	•	×	Required	Abundant mods available. Heavyweight with complex configuration	Full-scale industrial and magic mod environments

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Why I Chose a Paper Server

For an educational server, achieving both “ease of use" and “extensibility" is crucial.

1. Keeping the children’s client environment simple
   → With mod-based methods (Fabric/Forge), the same mods must be installed on the client side, making configuration cumbersome for each child’s device.
   Since Paper uses a plugin-based system, features can be expanded simply by adding plugins to the server side.
2. Easy educational expansion
   → Plugins allow you to freely add features such as “signs," “commands," and “boards."
   For instance, with the “Whiteboard Plugin" we will introduce next time, content written by children in a book can be reflected onto a board within the server.
   This makes it possible to visualize “goals" and “reflections" inside Minecraft.
3. Stability and lightweight performance
   → Paper is more optimized than Spigot, resulting in less lag even on the same hardware.
   It is ideal for small-scale educational servers.

Paper Server Setup Guide (Ubuntu Example)

Here, we introduce the setup procedure on Linux (such as Ubuntu 24.04).
While this is also possible on Windows, a Linux server is generally better suited for 24/7 operation.

Installing Java

Paper requires Java 21 or later.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install openjdk-21-jdk
java -version

Downloading Paper

Get the latest version from the official PaperMC website.
https://papermc.io/downloads/paper

curl -O https://api.papermc.io/v2/projects/paper/versions/1.21.9/builds/47/downloads/paper-1.21.9-47.jar

Initial Server Startup

java -Xmx2G -Xms1G -jar paper-1.21.9-47.jar nogui

-Xmx specifies the maximum memory (e.g., 2G = 2GB)

An eula.txt file will be generated upon the first startup.

Agreeing to the Terms of Service

nano eula.txt

Change eula=false to eula=true and save the file.

Restarting to Launch the Server

java -Xmx2G -Xms1G -jar paper-1.21.9-47.jar nogui

The server is now up and running.

Connecting to the Server

Launch Minecraft on the client side,
go to “Multiplayer" → “Add Server,"
and specify the server’s IP address.

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Next Preview: Introducing the Whiteboard Plugin

The beauty of a Paper server is that you can expand features entirely on the server side.
In the next article, I will introduce the installation method and usage of a custom plugin tailored for educational purposes—the Whiteboard Plugin.

We will build a system where goals are written down using books and “visualized" within the actual game space.
This transforms Minecraft from a mere “playroom" into a “learning environment."

Conclusion

• Even without installing mods, a Paper server allows for flexible expansion via plugins.
• No client-side configuration is needed for children, making implementation easy.
• It is also ideal for building tools that support educational PDCA activities.

Paper is a server that combines “simplicity, extensibility, and stability."
Next time, we will actually install the whiteboard plugin on this server and set up an environment for “running the PDCA cycle in Minecraft."