Introduction

If you want to ensure a smooth gaming experience on your Minecraft server, it is essential to optimize it for low latency and high TPS (Ticks Per Second). A low-latency server ensures faster response times for players, while a high TPS (ideally 20.0) means the game runs without lag. In this guide, we'll walk you through the best practices for optimizing your server for maximum performance.

1. Understand latency and TPS

Before you start optimizing, you need to understand the difference between latency and TPS:

• Latency (ping) is measured in milliseconds (ms) and determines how long it takes for a player to send and receive data from the server.
• TPS refers to how many game ticks the server performs per second (max. 20 TPS). Low TPS is often due to server load, not network issues.

To check your server's TPS in-game, use the command:

/tps

or

/luckperms info

2. Choose the right hardware and hosting

Server performance depends primarily on hardware. Be sure to choose a strong hosting provider with:

• High-frequency CPUs (Ryzen 9, Intel i9, or better)
• SSD or NVMe storage for faster file access
• High bandwidth and low latency
• Dedicated cores for large servers

At PineRiver, we offer powerful servers optimized for Minecraft.

3. Adjust server.properties for optimal performance

Your server.propertiesfile contains important settings that can reduce lag.

Recommended settings:

view-distance=6
simulation-distance=4
max-tick-time=-1
use-native-transport=true
sync-chunk-writes=false

• Reduce view-distance and simulation-distance – Reduces the amount of rendered chunks and CPU load.
• Set max-tick-time to -1 – Prevents automatic server shutdown due to lag.
• Enable use-native-transport – Improves network communication on Linux.
• Set sync-chunk-writes to false – Improves disk speed by storing chunks asynchronously.

4. Use optimized server software

Standard Minecraft servers (Vanilla) are not optimized for performance. Instead, use optimized server software:

• PaperMC – Faster than Vanilla with better optimization options.
• Purpur – An improved version of PaperMC with additional features.
• Fabric + Lithium – If you use mods, Fabric with Lithium provides better performance.

💡 Tip: Download the latest PaperMC version from papermc.io.

5. Install performance-enhancing plugins

These plugins can reduce lag and optimize your server:

• ClearLag – Automatically removes unwanted entities.
• Spark – Monitors performance and identifies sources of lag.
• FarmLimiter – Reduces entities that cause lag.
• Villager Optimiser – Optimises villagers for lower CPU load.

6. Configure spigot.yml and paper.yml

For further optimization, adjust these files.

Important changes in spigot.yml

entity-activation-range:
  animals: 16
  monsters: 24
  raiders: 48
  misc: 8

• Reduces how far creatures can interact to save CPU power.

entity-tracking-range:
  players: 48
  animals: 32
  monsters: 32
  misc: 16

• Limits how far players can see entities.

Important changes in paper.yml

max-entity-collisions: 2
armor-stands-tick: false
prevent-moving-into-unloaded-chunks: true

• Reduces lag by minimizing unnecessary entity handling.

7. Optimize server RAM usage

To ensure stable performance, allocate the correct amount of RAM. Use a startup command like this:

java -Xms4G -Xmx8G -jar paper.jar nogui

💡 Recommendations:

• 4 GB RAM – Small servers (1-10 players)
• 8 GB RAM – Medium servers (10-30 players)
• 12+ GB RAM – Large servers (30+ players)

Avoid allocating too much RAM, as this can lead to inefficient garbage collection.

8. Automate server maintenance

Regular restarts and backups help keep the server stable.

Automatic restart

Use a cron job to restart the server daily:

0 4 * * * /home/minecraft/restart.sh

Automatic backups

Use a script like this:

#!/bin/bash
tar -czf /home/minecraft/backups/mc_backup_$(date +%F).tar.gz /home/minecraft/server/

Schedule it with cron to run every night.

Conclusion

By implementing these optimizations, you can reduce lag and ensure a stable server with low latency and high TPS. Use optimized server settings, install relevant plugins, and choose the right hosting for the best experience.

🚀 Ready for a powerful, optimized Minecraft server? Check out PineRiver's hosting solutions and get a hassle-free experience today!