Whether you want to create vanilla, plugin-oriented, or modded server, we have an explanation about each server. After contacting hundreds of server owners, we have collected proper information that could help you start a Minecraft server on your own.
Minecraft Server Types
While there are many different types of Minecraft servers, we will shortly explain what each genre is about. Any of these server types is applicable for making a Java or Bedrock Edition server.
Below you can find all the 68 different Minecraft server types, which have been played for a very long time.
1. Adventure: Servers that feature RPG content in a mix of progression and roleplay or fantasy elements. While breaking is essential in Minecraft multiplayer servers, adventure does not let you break anything created.
2. Agrarian Skies: Modpack with unlimited mods pre-installed. This server type gives players the opportunity to complete multiple kinds of quests such as SkyBlock missions, For The Hoarding, Bragging Rights, and much more.
3. Anarchy: Server type, where no rules are defined. This server genre gives players the ability to utilize hacks and grind the world. Another version of anarchy also exists, called “semi-anarchy”. The only difference is that semi-anarchy features few rules, such as no hacking or crashing the server.
4. Attack of the B-Team: A server modpack consisting of multiple mods, that enhance the Vanilla Minecraft gameplay. The modpack was initially created by the B-Team and can be downloaded at Technicpack.
5. Bedwars – The most popular server minigame that consists of 2 or more teams, and a mission to destroy the enemy’s base. Destroying the base, which is a bed stops players from respawning, and can be eliminated at once from the game.
6. BigDig: Big Dig is yet another modpack featuring a ton of mods for single or multiplayer servers. The modpack gives a hefty focus on new world generation ores and larger ore veins.
7. Blocks vs Zombies: A co-op tower defense minigame, where players have to defend themselves from huge waves of zombies. The experience is similar to the Plants Vs Zombies game, but it is inside Minecraft.
8. CraftBukkit: Bukkit is the first jar created for creating plugin-dedicated servers. It’s the core of modding a jar file and continues to be used nowadays for making a server on a lower version of Minecraft.
9. Castle Siege: A minigame consisting of 2 teams and an objective. The defenders have to defend the base and king from attacks, while attackers need to break the defenses and destroy the King cat to win the game. The winner is decided on time, or the loss of the king.
10. Citybuild: Similar to economy servers, Citybuild requires players to start their own civilizations, and work towards building them. The more population and income a city is gaining, the higher they are placed in the leaderboard.
11. Clicker: Idle type of servers where players can earn money for mining large veins, that will later get regenerated.
12. Cobblemon: A Pokemon type of mod, which unleashes the power of collecting, battling, and evolving Pokemon inside Minecraft.
13. Creative: A basic server mode, which gives players the opportunity to use creativity and build anything inside pre-defined plots.
14. Crossplay: These are servers that can be joined by using Minecraft Java Edition or Bedrock Edition. Players with a PC or console can both join and interact in crossplay servers, as they are created for this kind of activity.
15. Crypto: Servers solely created for mining cryptocurrencies while players are on idle, or have to complete different sorts of activities for earning real-life currencies.
16. Cracked: Offline servers, where players do not need to own a digital or physical copy of the game. These servers are deemed unsafe, as the Mojang API is not used to track a player’s UUID.
17. Direwolf20: A special modspack, where more items, mechanics, and mobs have been added for a better experience. Created by the popular YouTuber DireWolf20, this modpack is one of the most popular for small servers.
18. Drug: A special server, which features the creation, use, and selling of drugs. These servers consist of civilians, mafia, and police-force, and are not recommended for players below the age of 18.
19. Dungeons: Similar to the popular game Minecraft Dungeons, these servers feature the same game aspects, but inside our favorite sandbox.
20. Earth: Special servers with a custom-themed map, where world size is fixed, and ore generation is rare. However, it is a total or fairly tweaked replica of the real Minecraft world.
21. Economy: Currency driver Minecraft servers, where the economy is based around items or virtual currency in exchange for goods. These are basic types of servers where players can trade in resources for currencies and vice-versa.
22. EggWars: Special minigame played by 2 or more teams with a single objective. Destroy the Egg of the enemy team to stop them from respawning, and eliminate them from the game.
23. Factions: Clans server, where players can create or join a faction that will be represented. In factions servers, players have to fight for acquiring territory and defending what they have claimed through faction wars.
24. Family Friendly: As the name suggests, these are servers where families can join and play without being harassed or griefed. Mostly these are private servers and require special invites or whitelisting.
25. Feed the Beast: A heavy modpack, consisting of challenges and special tasks, in a map very similar to SkyBlock.
26. Gens: A special type of adventure, where players have to solely rely on generators, and upgrade them for higher currency earnings.
27. GTA: Similar to the Grand Theft Auto game, GTA servers feature the same experience but inside of Minecraft.
28. Hardcore: A special type of server, which resembles the hardcore type in single-player. In hardcore, players have to survive for an unlimited amount of time, but once killed, they get banned from the server.
29. Hexxit: An RPG-style adventure mode, where most of the activities are monster slaying, but combined with various mods for extra in-game content.
30. Hunger Games: Similar to the original movie, Hunger Games servers represent the same gameplay, where players gather in a circle, and have a limited amount of time. In that time they have to collect items from chests or run to hide in the forest. The last player standing is considered as a winner.
31. KitPvP: A PvP-based server experience, where players can test multiple kits, and work on their Player vs. player abilities. A great practice server, where most can learn the PvP essentials and become better.
32. Lifesteal: A special type of server where PvP plays a huge role. Killing a player will grant you more hearts while dying from other players will cost you hearts. Losing all of your hearts will cause you a ban for a limited amount of time.
33. Magic World: A special server where magic lives and players can start to learn and cast spells. These servers have better textures and multiple custom items.
34. Manhunt: The exact same mode Dream used to play to speedrun Minecraft, while his friends were chasing him. It’s a very popular game mode, which can be seen on many popular servers.
35. McMMO: A special plugin, that unleashes RPG elements inside of Minecraft. Upon using tools, weapons, jobs, or mechanics, players gain levels and special experience points, that can be dedicated to skills.
36. Medieval: A classic mid-age type of server genre, where players are gathered for roleplaying or building middle-aged-styled buildings.
37. Metaverse: This is a fairly new type of genre for servers, where players can travel between multiple worlds and adventure around the multiverse of Minecraft.
38. Mindcrack: A special type of server with predefined regions, and a single objective to fight with other players. Similar to UHC, Mindcrack servers are purely PvP-dedicated, but with a set of rules applied.
39. Minigames: A dedicated server, filled with various small game modes, also referred to as mini-games.
40. Modded: A dedicated server, where mods and modpacks are the sole heart. These types of servers require players to have the mod/modpack or use a modded launcher.
41. OPPrison: Prison-styled Minecraft server, with unlimited items and higher integers.
42. Oneblock: Similar to Skyblock, Oneblock is yet another mode where players are spawned in the sky, but have only 1 block as a land. To grow their land, players have to complete missions and earn rewards.
43. Parkour: Similar to real-life parkour adventures, parkour servers offer hundreds of maps with obstacles that need to be overcome by players.
44. Pets: Semi-vanilla, or purely cosmetic type of servers, where different animals (even custom-created ones) can be tamed and used by players.
45. Pixelspark: Combination of both Pixelmon and Minecraft inside a modpack for more adventures, and customizations, providing a better experience. It provides players with new biomes, Pixelmon, and improved graphics for better gameplay.
46. Pixelmon: A Pokemon recreation in packed in a small mod, and available inside Minecraft servers. It carries all Pokemon buildings, Pokemon types, and furthermore, epic ways to evolve your newly caught Pixelmon.
47. Premium: These are servers that run on the Mojang API, and require players to have purchased the original Minecraft Bedrock or Java Edition to join.
48. Prison: Small server genre, where players are spawned inside a small spawn, and cannot escape it. They have to mine their way toward reaching highest the highest levels, and trade to acquire better gear.
49. PvE: PvE (Player vs. Environment) is a special genre in Minecraft, which is similar to roleplay, but consists of fighting with NPCs and mobs, without any roleplay elements.
50. PvP: Casual Player vs. Player servers, that give players an opportunity to face opponents, and test their PvP skills or train to become better. PvP offers small arenas, or traditional survival servers, where one can engage with another in fierce fights.
51. Roleplay: Traditional roleplaying servers, where players can choose who they want to be or pick from predefined roles, and start their adventuring.
52. RPG: RPG (roleplaying) is a more competitive roleplaying genre, where players can pick from predefined classes and go on adventures. In each adventure, they have to battle with mobs, NPCs, or even strong bosses to craft or acquire powerful gear.
53. Semi Vanilla: These are your plain Vanilla servers, but with a few modifications, such as pets, or other modifications that can change the environment to make the gameplay a bit more fun.
54. Skyblock: A survival map, but instead of on the ground it is in the sky. To survive, players have to collect items and expand the island by trading to survive.
55. Skygrid: Consists of a world formed in a grid-like form, with spaced-out blocks in the air. Players have to navigate and collect resources to survive in a 3D-shaped environment.
56. SkyWars: A PvP genre, where players are spawned on small islands and have to travel to the enemy’s island to kill them. Once an enemy is taken down, it immediately gets eliminated. The last player standing is considered as the winner in this game mode.
57. Spigot: Modified version of Bukkit, which provides more optimizations and better performance for Minecraft plugins. It’s highly recommended to run Bukkit and Spigot servers whenever you want to install plugins on a server.
58. Spongeforge: A coremod from Forge, which allows players to install plugins and make server management easier.
59. Survival: The basic Vanilla experience, which can also be seen with modifications. After all survival servers can be found in many sub-genres from all mentioned server types.
60. Tekkit: A special type of modded server experience, where players are granted the best mods in one file (modpack). They are specially run by using the Tekkig launcher.
61. Tekkit2: The optimized version of Tekkit, which runs over 100 mods at the same time, and can be played on lower server versions.
62. TnT Run: A special minigame, where players have to stay on a TNT surface. Once the surface starts to fall, players have to overcome the obstacle and prevent falling. If they manage to fall, they will be eliminated. The last player standing is considered the winner in this game mode.
63. Towny: A special land management type of server, where players create their own cities, and run for mayor. It is economy-driven, giving players an opportunity to grow their cities and become the richest in the server.
64. Vanilla: The most basic Minecraft server type, where players can enjoy the same experience offered in Minecraft single-player. It consists of no mods, plugins, or modifications. Just a plain biome and unlimited ways to become strong.
65. Voltz: A fun minigame, where players have to overcome obstacles of exploding TNT. The one who finishes the race without being eliminated is considered the winner in this minigame.
66. Whitelist: A special type of server, where players have to be added to the original Minecraft whitelist, or else they cannot join the server.
67. Yogscast: Yet another modpack filled with modifications such as terrains, items, and a whole new universe, created by the famous YouTube gamer Yogscast.
