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Minecraft Editions

Minecraft comes in a number of different flavors with each Edition having something unique that it brings to the table. We've collected some information on the Editions and modding environments commonly used at WinterNode that you might find helpful.

Minecraft has different types of servers other than vanilla. Some of them have their own special additions. You can install a different edition of the server in Configuration → Advanced. By selecting the server edition you want and the Minecraft version you need.

Name

Special

Description

Vanilla

The default version of Minecraft with no modifications at all, provided by Mojang.

CraftBukkit

Plugins

CraftBukkit is a lightly modified version of the Vanilla software allowing it to be able to run Bukkit plugins.

Spigot

Plugins

Spigot is a modified version of CraftBukkit with improvements and optimizations.

Paper

Plugins

Paper is a fork of Spigot that expands its API, improves, and patches bugs.

PurPur

Plugins

PurPur is a fork of Paper that expands it’s API even further and increases the configuration options available to server owners. Allowing for more control over the server including enabling a number of the bugs that were hard-patched in paper.

BungeeCord

Proxy

BungeeCord is not Minecraft software and cannot run worlds. Instead, it is a proxy that connects other servers into a network by redirecting players from the Bungee server to a backend server. In order to have worlds on your BungeeCord server, or network, you need to purchase a separate server to connect to the BungeeCord server.

WaterFall

Proxy

Waterfall is a fork of the BungeeCord software, with improved Forge support and more features.

GeyserMC Standalone

Proxy

Geyser is not Minecraft software and instead it is a proxy that allows bridging Bedrock Edition players to Java Editions servers.

Forge

Mods

Forge allows running Forge mods that modify Minecraft's code. Users are also required to run Forge Mods to enter the server.

NeoForge

Mods

Neo-Forge is a fork of Forge, and is the defacto replacement for Forge post 1.20. For more information, read this Blog post.

Fabric

Mods, fast updates

Fabric allows running Fabric mods, it's lightweight and faster than Forge, and updates faster than Forge/Neo-Forge allowing for mods to be developed on snapshots of Minecraft and sometimes not require updates between versions.

SpongeForge

Plugins

SpongeForge is not a server type but rather a Forge mod that allows running Sponge plugins on a modded server.

Cardboard

Plugins + Mods

Cardboard (formerly Bukkit4Fabric) is a Fabric mod that adds support for Bukkit plugins. Support for every plugin isn't guaranteed, but some more popular ones like CoreProtect, Multiverse, and WorldGuard are actively supported by the Cardboard devs.

Checking your Server Version​

Using the command /version, found in Spigot based server, gives you info about the what software the server is running, such as it's name and version. This command is not available in the vanilla server.
For Vanilla, Forge, Fabric, and other non-Spigot servers, you can check the first few lines of the latest.log file, located in your server's logs folder, for the line Starting minecraft server version 1.xx.x. You'll find it within the first few lines and it will tell you what vanilla version of Minecraft you're running. You should also see a line mentioning the build of whatever 3rd parts software you're using.

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