Paper Optimization Guide
Optimize Paper Minecraft servers with profiling, server.properties, paper-global.yml, paper-world-defaults.yml, entity settings, chunks, and plugin audits.
Paper optimization should be a measured process, not a pastebin ritual. Paper gives you useful controls, but those controls can change gameplay.
Optimization Order
| Step | Goal | | --- | --- | | Profile | Prove the real bottleneck | | Baseline | Set sane server.properties values | | World settings | Tune entities, chunks, and spawning per world | | Plugins | Remove or reconfigure expensive tasks | | Hardware | Upgrade only after workload is understood |
Start with Spark. Paper documentation recommends profiling while the issue is active, and modern Paper includes Spark.
server.properties First
For many survival servers, view and simulation distance are the safest first levers:
view-distance=8
simulation-distance=6
Busy servers may need lower values; small private servers may go higher. Read view distance and simulation distance before changing them.
Paper Config Files
Modern Paper uses:
| File | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| config/paper-global.yml | Server-wide Paper behavior |
| config/paper-world-defaults.yml | Default world behavior |
| world/dimensions/.../paper-world.yml | Per-world overrides |
Do not copy the full defaults into every world file. Paper's docs describe inheritance: world files only need the specific values you want to override.
High-Value Areas
Review the profile before editing:
- Entity activation and spawning when entities dominate.
- Chunk and generation settings when exploration dominates.
- Hopper and item behavior when storage dominates.
- Redstone behavior when farms dominate.
- Plugin tasks when scheduler or events dominate.
If the profile points to a plugin, a Paper setting may not be the right fix. Use how to find laggy plugins instead.
Before editing Paper configs, save old values and write why each change exists. Future admins should not inherit mystery settings.
FAQ
Is Paper faster than vanilla?
Paper includes performance improvements and configuration options, but real performance still depends on plugins, worlds, entities, settings, and hardware.
Should I copy an optimization config?
No. Use public configs as references only. Copying blindly can break farms, mobs, redstone, or vanilla behavior.
Which Paper file should I edit first?
Start with server.properties for view and simulation distance, then review paper-world-defaults.yml for per-world behavior and paper-global.yml for server-wide Paper settings.
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Related Articles
Paper Performance Settings That Matter
Tune Paper and Purpur performance settings that affect TPS, MSPT, entities, hoppers, chunks, autosaves, view distance, and gameplay.
paper-global.yml Explained
Understand paper-global.yml on Paper servers, what belongs in global settings, what not to edit blindly, and how to document safe performance changes.
paper-world-defaults.yml Explained
Understand paper-world-defaults.yml, Paper per-world inheritance, world overrides, entity and spawning settings, and how to avoid broken config copies.