If you have ever tried to set up a Minecraft: Java Edition server, you have probably run into a wall of names: Bukkit, CraftBukkit, Spigot, Paper, Purpur, Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, Velocity, Mohist. They are not interchangeable brands of the same thing. Some are plugin servers, some are mod loaders, one is a proxy, and one is a hybrid. Choosing the wrong category means your plugins or mods simply will not load.
This guide untangles the whole family. We will focus first on the Bukkit lineage (Bukkit, CraftBukkit, Spigot, Paper, Purpur) because that is where most server owners live, then cover the mod loaders and proxies so you know when they matter. Everything here is 2026 and sticks to what these projects actually document about themselves.
Quick answer: For most plugin-based servers, run Paper — it is the fastest in the Bukkit family, has the most plugins, and is a direct download. Choose Spigot only for legacy plugin compatibility, and use a mod loader (Fabric, Forge, or NeoForge) instead when you want content mods rather than plugins.
At a glance: the comparison table
| Software | Type | Runs Plugins / Mods | Performance | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CraftBukkit | Plugin server (EOL) | Bukkit plugins | Baseline, unmaintained | Nothing today — superseded |
| Spigot | Plugin server | Bukkit + Spigot plugins | Faster than CraftBukkit, slower than Paper | Legacy plugin compatibility |
| Paper | Plugin server | Bukkit + Spigot + Paper plugins | Fastest of the Bukkit family | Most plugin servers (default pick) |
| Purpur | Plugin server (Paper fork) | Bukkit + Spigot + Paper plugins | Paper base + extra config | Admins who want deep customization |
| Fabric | Mod loader | Fabric mods only | Lightweight, depends on mods | Optimization + content mods, fast updates |
| Forge | Mod loader | Forge mods only | Heavier, depends on mods | Large classic modpacks |
| NeoForge | Mod loader (Forge fork) | NeoForge mods only | Comparable to Forge | Modern modpacks going forward |
| Velocity | Proxy | Velocity proxy plugins | Faster/more stable than BungeeCord | Multi-server networks |
| Mohist | Hybrid (EOL) | Forge mods + Bukkit/Spigot plugins | Flexibility over stability | Mods + plugins together (discouraged now) |
Bukkit and CraftBukkit: where it all started
Bukkit is the original Minecraft: Java Edition plugin API, created by the Bukkit team in 2010. CraftBukkit is its reference server implementation — the vanilla server with the Bukkit API built on top. It is important to keep these separate: Bukkit is the API developers write plugins against; CraftBukkit is the server software that runs them.
CraftBukkit was effectively discontinued around 2014 after a DMCA takedown, and the Spigot team took over maintaining the Bukkit API as its spiritual successor. CraftBukkit does not run Forge or Fabric mods — plugins and mods are entirely different systems. Its one lasting legacy is the API itself, which still lives on inside Spigot and Paper. There is no reason to run CraftBukkit directly today; it is unmaintained and the SpigotMC team neither endorses nor recommends it. Calling plugins “Bukkit plugins” is now considered outdated — they are more precisely Spigot or Paper plugins.
Spigot: the mature, legacy-friendly option
Spigot forked from CraftBukkit around 2012, keeping the Bukkit plugin API while adding performance optimizations and extra configuration. After CraftBukkit was discontinued in 2014, the Spigot team became the de facto maintainer of the Bukkit API. It runs Bukkit and Spigot plugins, but not Forge/Fabric mods, and it cannot run plugins written specifically for Paper’s extended API.
Pros: stable, mature, a huge plugin library, and strong backward compatibility with older/legacy plugins. Cons: lower performance than Paper, a smaller/less-advanced API, and fewer bug fixes. Much of the community and many plugins have already moved to Paper. Note that Spigot is distributed via the BuildTools compilation process rather than a direct download, because of Mojang code and DMCA history. For a deeper head-to-head see our Paper vs Spigot vs Bukkit breakdown.
Paper: the recommended default
Paper (PaperMC) began in 2016 as a fork of Spigot, designed — in its own words — to “greatly improve performance and offer more advanced features and API.” It runs Bukkit and Spigot plugins and extends those APIs with its own Paper API, which many plugins now require or build on. Like the rest of the family, it does not run Forge/Fabric mods.
Performance is the headline. Paper is the fastest of the Bukkit-lineage servers, with asynchronous chunk loading and major optimizations to the light engine, hoppers, and entities. A Paper maintainer notes it is common for Paper to support over 50% more players than Spigot without slowdown — treat that as a maintainer estimate rather than a fixed benchmark, since Paper’s own docs describe only a qualitative “significant increase in performance.” Paper is a direct download and has its own plugin repository, Hangar, with thousands of Paper-specific plugins.
One important current caveat: in late 2024 Paper hard-forked from Spigot. It is no longer built on Spigot’s codebase, though it still extends the Bukkit and Spigot APIs. Existing Bukkit/Spigot plugins generally still work, but plugins that rely on new Spigot-specific features going forward may not be compatible, because Paper no longer inherits future Spigot changes. Some very old plugins can misbehave, and performance-oriented defaults can subtly alter vanilla behavior (this is configurable).
Purpur: Paper plus maximum configurability
Purpur is server software forked from Paper by the open-source PurpurMC organization, focused on maximum configurability plus fun/experimental gameplay features. Because it is built on Paper, it inherits Paper’s performance base and its plugin compatibility — it supports Bukkit, Spigot, and Paper plugins (still no Forge/Fabric mods). Pros: everything Paper offers plus far more config options and gameplay toggles. Cons: it is an extra downstream layer (a small risk of lagging behind Paper), many extras are niche, and it is overkill if you do not need the extra knobs. See Paper vs Purpur if you are weighing the two.
Mod loaders: Fabric, Forge and NeoForge
Mod loaders are a different world. They run mods that change the game itself, usually requiring the same mods on the client, and they cannot run Bukkit/Spigot/Paper plugins. Fabric is a modular, lightweight mod loader with minimal overhead, known for very fast support of new versions and snapshots and a strong ecosystem of optimization mods. Forge is the long-established, heavier loader behind many classic modpacks, but it is generally slower to update. NeoForge, created in 2023 as a community-led fork of Forge by former Forge contributors, is now a primary modding platform for recent versions, with many developers migrating to it.
Critically, these three are mutually incompatible: a Fabric mod will not load on Forge or NeoForge, and vice versa. Forge and NeoForge share heritage but have diverged and are not generally cross-compatible today. Unofficial bridges like Sinytra Connector and Kilt exist but are not officially supported. Match your mods to a single loader. Our Forge vs Fabric and Vanilla vs Modded guides go deeper.
Proxies and hybrids: Velocity and Mohist
Velocity (from the PaperMC team) is a modern, high-performance proxy that links multiple backend servers into one network so players can move between them. It sits in front of Paper/Spigot servers and is not a game server itself — it runs its own Velocity proxy plugins, a separate ecosystem from BungeeCord. PaperMC describes it as faster and more stable than BungeeCord and has deprecated Waterfall in its favor. It only matters if you run a multi-server network; see BungeeCord vs Velocity.
Mohist is a hybrid that runs Forge mods and Bukkit/Spigot plugins on the same server at once. That flexibility is its whole reason to exist, but hybrids trade stability for it, and Mohist is now end-of-life: its copyright was sold in January 2025 and updates are paused, with MohistMC’s focus moving to NeoForge-based Youer/AsyncYouer. Avoid it for new production servers. More context in What is Mohist.
Which should you choose?
- Choose Paper if you want the best performance, the most plugins, and a direct download — the right default for most plugin-based servers.
- Choose Purpur if you want everything Paper offers plus deep configurability and gameplay toggles.
- Choose Spigot only if you specifically need legacy plugin compatibility.
- Choose Fabric if you want a lightweight, fast-updating server for optimization and content mods.
- Choose Forge or NeoForge for large, complex modpacks — and keep all your mods on one loader.
- Add Velocity when you run a multi-server network of backend Paper/Spigot servers.
- Skip Mohist for new servers unless a specific mod-plus-plugin combo is essential; it is EOL.
Still unsure which category fits your project? Our best Minecraft server type guide walks through the decision from scratch.
How to run it
All of these run on standard Minecraft server hosting. For the two most common plugin servers we offer dedicated setups: Paper server hosting gives you the fastest Bukkit-family option as a one-click install, while Spigot server hosting covers legacy plugin needs. Before you launch, our free Minecraft RAM Calculator helps you size memory for your player count and plugin load, and the Server Properties tool generates a clean server.properties file. Once you are live, keep our Minecraft commands list handy for administration.
Frequently asked questions
Is Paper better than Spigot?
For most servers, yes. Paper is the fastest of the Bukkit family, adds many optimizations Spigot lacks, ships as a direct download, and runs Bukkit and Spigot plugins plus its own extended API. Spigot’s main remaining advantage is compatibility with certain older/legacy plugins.
Can Spigot run Paper plugins?
No. Compatibility flows one direction, downstream: Paper runs Bukkit and Spigot plugins, but plugins written for Paper’s extended API will not run on Spigot. Purpur, being a Paper fork, runs Bukkit, Spigot, and Paper plugins.
What is the difference between plugins and mods?
Plugins run server-side on the Bukkit family (CraftBukkit/Spigot/Paper/Purpur) and need no client install, but cannot change the game itself. Mods run on loaders (Fabric/Forge/NeoForge), change the game, and usually require the same mods on the client. A server is either plugin-based or mod-based — the only way to get both at once is hybrid software like Mohist, which is now EOL.
Are Fabric, Forge and NeoForge mods interchangeable?
No. Fabric, Forge, and NeoForge mods are mutually incompatible — a mod for one will not load on another. NeoForge is a 2023 fork of Forge, so they share heritage, but they have diverged and are not generally cross-compatible now. Unofficial bridges exist but are not officially supported.
Do I still need CraftBukkit?
No. CraftBukkit was effectively discontinued around 2014 and is unmaintained, with no performance work. It is superseded by Spigot and Paper, which carry the Bukkit API forward. There is no reason to run CraftBukkit directly today.
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