Best server.properties Settings for Survival Server
Recommended server.properties settings for Minecraft survival servers, including view distance, simulation distance, online-mode, command blocks, max players, and safety.
Survival servers need a balance between visibility, farm behavior, security, and TPS. Start with safe values, then tune with evidence.
Recommended Baseline
online-mode=true
max-players=60
view-distance=8
simulation-distance=6
difficulty=normal
enable-command-block=false
allow-flight=false
enable-status=true
enforce-secure-profile=true
sync-chunk-writes=false
server-ip=
server-port=25565
Tuning Table
| Area | Starting point | Tune when |
| --- | --- | --- |
| View distance | 8 | Players need more visual range and server has headroom |
| Simulation distance | 5 to 6 | Farms/entities dominate MSPT |
| Max players | Realistic capacity | Community grows, not as marketing |
| Command blocks | false | Only enable for controlled use |
| Allow flight | false | Enable only for creative, Elytra false positives, or plugin needs |
View and Simulation Distance
View distance controls visible chunks. Simulation distance controls active ticking. Survival servers often benefit from keeping simulation distance lower than view distance.
Read:
Public configs may fit a different player count, hardware, farm culture, or plugin stack. Change one setting family and compare the result.
Security Settings
Keep online-mode=true unless a correctly configured authenticated proxy handles login. Use what online-mode does before changing it.
Use the server.properties generator to produce a clean baseline before editing production.
FAQ
What simulation distance should a survival server use?
Many survival servers start around simulation-distance 5 or 6, then profile farms, entities, and player experience before changing it.
Should command blocks be enabled?
Keep command blocks disabled unless your server intentionally uses them and you trust the people who can create or edit them.
Are max players a performance limit?
No. max-players controls slots. Real capacity depends on CPU, chunks, entities, plugins, storage, and network.
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