Modded Server Software

**Please Note:**

* If you want to use plugins on your server then CraftBukkit, Spigot, or Paper would be what you want to use. If you want to use mods then you are in the right place!
* **If you have already downloaded the server jar to your computer** then move onto the Starting a Local Server tutorial!
* Bear in mind owning a modpack server can be **extremely expensive** to host.
	+ If it is just you and a few friends then it may be cheaper but for a public server it is common for them to require a dedicated server. Dedicated servers are not only very difficult to setup (for non-Linux users) but they are extremely expensive too! Dedicated servers with the hardware requirements you will probably need for a lag-free experience with a decent sized playerbase are often $100+/month.
	+ While many modpacks boast you only need "4 GB" of RAM to run them- that will depend on a *lot* of factors- your playerbase size being a big one. Lastly note that while many modpacks claim to be "highly optimized" if you ask what they do to optimize it a good chunk will probably say they just added some anti-lag mods. While that is helpful, there are still plenty of mod features left enabled that can cause intense lag or game breaking features.
* While owning a modded server can upgrade your Minecraft experience 100x, it may also feel like it increases the server administrator work 100x. This of course largely depends several factors such as whether you decided to create a custom modpack or use an existing one, the number of players you intend to have, and how you have configured the modpack to not cause major lag.

### Deciding Your Type of Modded Server:

There are two main options to creating a modded server, both varying in difficulty and features.

1.) Use an existing modpack.

* If you wish to use a public modpack you will need to find out if it comes with a serverpack or not. A modpack is essentially the client-side setup. A serverpack is what you use to actually start a server that runs off the modpack. **If a modpack author provides a serverpack** it greatly simplifies your life and **you do not need to** **download Forge** **or Fabric**. **If they do not you can create your own but it will take additional work.**
* Know that there are pros **and** cons to this. If there is a bug with the modpack you may have to contact the modpack author to get it fixed. On the other hand, that means less work for you.
* If you are using an existing modpack you can configure the added mods to your heart's content but you cannot add or remove mods.

2.) Create your own modpack (in-depth how-to will be provided elsewhere on the Wiki)

* If you want to have precise control over the features of your modpack and be able to fix bugs with the modpack on your own then this is the path for you! However, bear in mind the modpack can be as simple or complicated as you want. The more mods you add the more time consuming it will be to setup your modpack without major lag or flaws.
* If you choose to make your own modpack you'll also need to decide whether you want to use Forge or Fabric. Forge essentially supports more mods but Fabric has more patches / bug fixes out-of-the-box. If you decide to use Fabric you'll only be able to use mods that were designed to work with Fabric (and vise versa).

There are other ways to have a modded server but they typically are discouraged for most users. For instance, you could not use a modpack and instead require each your players to download each of the mods your server uses. However, players are not going to want to spend a ton of time trying to figure out how to set their client up properly in order to play your server. Furthermore, each time your server updates a mod your players will need to manually update the mod too in order to join your server. Instead, creating a modpack and using a modpack launcher greatly simplifies this process.