Linux

What you need

• Java 21 or newer. Check with java -version. Install it with your package manager, for example:

sudo apt install openjdk-21-jre-headless # Debian/Ubuntu sudo dnf install java-21-openjdk-headless # Fedora

• The paper binary. Either download a prebuilt paper binary, or build it yourself (needs the Go toolchain):

sh scripts/build.sh

This drops build/paper (~177MB — the server files live inside it). Move it somewhere on your PATH, e.g. ~/.local/bin or /usr/local/bin, or call it by its full path.

Your first server

paper new ./my-server
paper run ./my-server --nogui

The first launch takes a bit while the world generates; when you see Done, the server is up. Type stop in the console to shut it down cleanly.

To run a server from its own folder, skip the path entirely:

cd my-server
paper run --nogui -m=2gb

A common way to keep a server running after you log out is a terminal multiplexer (tmux / screen) or a systemd service — paper run itself is a normal foreground process, so wrap it however you like.

Notes

• --nogui matters on headless machines: without it the server tries to open a GUI and crashes.
• The full command list lives on the Home page.