The server.properties file controls most aspects of your Minecraft server behavior. Understanding these settings is crucial for proper server management.

Basic Server Settings

Configure fundamental server properties:

# Basic Configuration
server-name=My Minecraft Server
server-port=25565
server-ip=
motd=Welcome to My Server!
max-players=20
online-mode=true
white-list=false

server-port: Network port (25565 is default)
server-ip: Leave blank for all interfaces
motd: Message shown in server list
max-players: Maximum concurrent players
online-mode: Enable Mojang authentication
white-list: Restrict to approved players only

World Generation Settings

Control how your world is generated and managed:

# World Settings
level-name=world
level-seed=
level-type=minecraft:normal
generator-settings={}
generate-structures=true
spawn-protection=16
max-world-size=29999984
allow-nether=true
spawn-npcs=true
spawn-animals=true
spawn-monsters=true

level-seed: Specific seed for world generation
level-type: World type (normal, flat, amplified, etc.)
spawn-protection: Radius around spawn where only ops can build
max-world-size: Maximum world border size

Performance Optimization

Settings that directly impact server performance:

# Performance Settings
view-distance=10
simulation-distance=10
max-tick-time=60000
entity-broadcast-range-percentage=100
network-compression-threshold=256
player-idle-timeout=0
max-chained-neighbor-updates=1000000

view-distance: How far players can see (2-32 chunks)
simulation-distance: How far the server simulates (3-32 chunks)
max-tick-time: Milliseconds before watchdog intervention
network-compression-threshold: Packet compression size

Lower view-distance and simulation-distance for better performance on limited hardware.

Gameplay Settings

Configure core gameplay mechanics:

# Gameplay Configuration
gamemode=survival
force-gamemode=false
hardcore=false
difficulty=normal
pvp=true
enable-command-block=false
enable-status=true
enable-query=false
enable-rcon=false

gamemode: Default mode (survival, creative, adventure, spectator)
force-gamemode: Reset player gamemode on join
hardcore: Enable hardcore mode (permanent death)
difficulty: World difficulty (peaceful, easy, normal, hard)
pvp: Allow player vs player combat

Administrative Controls

Settings for server administration and monitoring:

# Administrative Settings
op-permission-level=4
allow-flight=false
prevent-proxy-connections=false
hide-online-players=false
resource-pack=
resource-pack-prompt=
resource-pack-sha1=
require-resource-pack=false
broadcast-console-to-ops=true
broadcast-rcon-to-ops=true

op-permission-level: Default operator permission level (1-4)
allow-flight: Permit flying in survival mode
resource-pack: URL to server resource pack
require-resource-pack: Kick players who decline resource pack

Security Settings

Configure security and anti-cheat measures:

# Security Configuration
enforce-secure-profile=true
enforce-whitelist=false
rate-limit=0
preview-chat=false
text-filtering-config=
initial-disabled-packs=
initial-enabled-packs=vanilla

enforce-secure-profile: Require cryptographically signed profiles
enforce-whitelist: Immediately kick non-whitelisted players
rate-limit: Kicks players sending too many packets (0 = disabled)

Enable enforce-secure-profile for better security against impersonation attacks.

Remote Access Configuration

Set up RCON and query for remote server management:

# Remote Access
enable-rcon=false
rcon.port=25575
rcon.password=
enable-query=false
query.port=25565

enable-rcon: Allow remote console access
rcon.password: Password for RCON access (use strong password)
enable-query: Allow server status queries

Only enable RCON if needed and always use a strong password. Consider using firewall rules to restrict access.

Advanced Configuration

Fine-tune advanced server behavior:

# Advanced Settings
debug=false
sync-chunk-writes=true
region-file-compression=deflate
log-ips=true
use-native-transport=true
enable-jmx-monitoring=false
jmx-port=9999

debug: Enable debug logging (use temporarily for troubleshooting)
sync-chunk-writes: Synchronous chunk writing for data safety
region-file-compression: World file compression method
log-ips: Log player IP addresses in server logs

Apply and Test Changes

Properly implement and verify your configuration:

Backup first: Always backup server.properties before making changes
Edit carefully: Use a text editor, maintain proper format
Restart server: Most changes require a full server restart
Test thoroughly: Verify settings work as expected
Monitor performance: Watch for any negative impacts

Some settings like view-distance and max-players take effect immediately, while others require a restart.

With these configurations, your server should be optimized for your specific needs. Remember to adjust settings based on your hardware capabilities and player count.

Complete Server Properties Configuration Guide