Choosing a server type
Vanilla is the reference implementation — accurate, but slow above a handful of players. Paper and Purpur are drop-in replacements with major performance work and plugin support; they are the right default for survival and minigame servers. Fabric and Forge / NeoForge run mods rather than plugins and are required for modpacks.
Versions
Match the server version to the version your players launch. Plugins and mods are version-specific: a Paper 1.21 plugin will not load on 1.20.4. Change the version from the panel startup settings, and always take a backup before a major version jump — world formats are not downgradeable.
server.properties essentials
The settings that matter most: max-players, view-distance (8-10 is a good balance; 12+ costs real CPU), simulation-distance, difficulty, online-mode (keep this true unless you know exactly why you are disabling it), spawn-protection, and motd. Edit the file from the panel file manager and restart to apply.
Whitelists and operators
Run whitelist on then whitelist add PlayerName from the console to lock the server to invited players. Grant yourself admin with op PlayerName. On plugin servers, prefer a permissions plugin such as LuckPerms over blanket operator status for staff.
Plugins
Upload plugin jars into /plugins through the file manager or SFTP and restart. Useful starting set: LuckPerms for permissions, EssentialsX for commands and homes, CoreProtect for grief rollback, and Chunky for pregenerating world chunks. Check each plugin supports your exact server version before installing.
Backups
Take a manual backup from the panel before any risky change, and schedule a recurring backup task. Backups count against your storage allocation, so prune old ones. Keep at least one copy off-platform for worlds you cannot lose.
Performance tuning
Low TPS is almost always caused by view distance, entity counts, hopper and redstone farms, or an aggressive chunk-loading mod. Reduce view and simulation distance first, then use a profiler such as Spark to find the hot spot. Pregenerating the world with Chunky removes most exploration lag. If the server is genuinely out of RAM, upgrade from the panel — see billing and upgrades.
Running a modpack instead
Modpacks have their own install path and sizing rules. Follow the modpack guide.