What is a Minecraft Server? The Complete Beginner's Guide
If you only played in your own Minecraft singleplayer world, you are missing out on half of the game. Minecraft servers open the door to endless multiplayer experiences, ranging from survival with friends, to massive custom worlds with tens of thousands of players.
But, what exactly is a Minecraft server, and why are servers important to the whole community? In this beginner’s guide, we will explain what Minecraft servers are, the different types of servers that are available, how to get started, and where you can find these servers.
What is a Minecraft Server?
A Minecraft server is an online-hosted multiplayer world, where players can connect and join to play together in real time. Instead of playing alone in a local world, you can connect through an IP address and share the same space with others. According to the Minecraft Wiki, Minecraft servers can range from being small private communities to absolutely massive networks, hosting tens of thousands of players at once.
Singleplayer vs. Multiplayer in Minecraft
- Singleplayer: explore, build, and survive alone in your own world.
- Multiplayer (servers): connect with others, join economies, fight battles, and share experiences together.
How servers change the gaming experience
Servers often run plugins, which add entirely new features, from in-game money and shops, to unique minigames. These do not exist in regular Minecraft.
Types of Minecraft Servers
Not all Minecraft servers are the same. Each type offers a different game style, and many servers combine various gamemodes to create a full-out network. Here are a few of the classic and famous types of servers out there:
Minecraft Survival Servers (SMP)
Minecraft survival, also known as Minecraft SMP, is the classic server type. Players gather resources, build bases, and survive together. Many SMPs add extra features such as land claims, economies, or even PvP twists; lifesteal SMP is a popular twist.
Minecraft Skyblock Servers
Start on a tiny floating island with limited resources, and work your way up by farming, trading, and expanding your island into a mega factory. Minecraft Skyblock servers often add quests, shops, and competitive leaderboards in order to develop engagement within the community.
Minecraft Prison Servers
Minecraft Prison servers have a rank-based progression system, where players mine blocks, sell their resources, and rank-up until they reach freedom. Players often mine blocks for hours, making it a “grindy” gamemode.
Minecraft Minigames Servers
Some servers focus on quick and fun competitive games such as Bedwars or PvP. Minecraft Minigames servers are perfect for players who want instant action rather than slow progression.
Why Play on a Minecraft Server?
Minecraft servers are popular because they add community and variety.
- Meet new friends: join active communities where people work together or compete against each other.
- Play unique gamemodes: Minecraft servers add plugins and mods that vanilla Minecraft does not include.
- Economy and progression: many servers introduce shops, auctions, and ranks that keep gameplay fresh and entertaining.
- Replayability: with new updates, events, and map resets, there is always something new to do, even if you only play on one Minecraft server.
How to Join a Minecraft Server
Finding a server IP
- Find a server IP (many are listed on Minecraft server listing websites)
- Open Minecraft → click “Multiplayer” → click “Add Server”
- Paste the IP and click “Join”
For a more step-by-step official walkthrough, check out Minecraft.net’s guide on how to play a Minecraft server.
That’s it, and you are now a part of a global community of Minecraft players. Make sure to check server list websites to discover active Minecraft SMP, Skyblock, and Prison servers tailored to your playstyle.
Final Remarks
Minecraft servers are a pivotal evolution of multiplayer gaming. Whether you are surviving with friends on an SMP server, break beds in a Bedwars Minigame server, or climbing the ranks on a Prison server, Minecraft servers keep the game exciting long after singleplayer loses its shine.
If you’re looking for your next adventure, explore the newest and most modern Minecraft server listing website at MinecraftServers.me, packed with fresh servers waiting for new players!
