Older clients welcome

Paper 26.2 that players on older Minecraft versions can join too, with ViaVersion and ViaBackwards translating between versions.

SMP
Crossplay

Open in my dashboard

Created and started on Playkeeper 0.4.4 on 28 Sep 2026: ready in 13 seconds, with nothing failing to load. Crossplay turned on too, with Geyser and Floodgate starting cleanly.

What it installs

The versions the template pins, as they installed when we started it, so your dashboard installs the same.

ViaVersion5.12.03.1M downloadsGPL-3.0-or-later
ViaBackwards5.12.02.1M downloadsGPL-3.0

Before your first session

GuideHow to make a Minecraft SMP serverSet up a Minecraft SMP for friends: Paper 26.2 with Chunky, CoreProtect and Simple Voice Chat, 4 GB, as a one-click template started on a real server.Read the guide

The same server by hand

With Docker and the itzg image Playkeeper runs servers in, sized the way Playkeeper sizes it and with the pinned versions. Open TCP 25565 in your provider's firewall.

# Older clients welcome: Paper 26.2 on Java 25, 3 GB in all
docker run -d --name old-clients-welcome -p 25565:25565 \
  --memory 3G --memory-swap 3G \
  -e EULA=TRUE -e TYPE=PAPER -e VERSION=26.2 -e MEMORY=2304M -e USE_AIKAR_FLAGS=TRUE \
  -e DIFFICULTY=normal -e PVP=true -e MAX_PLAYERS=20 \
  -e MODRINTH_PROJECTS=viaversion:FaishMnD,viabackwards:SxGhdsPK \
  -v old-clients-welcome-data:/data itzg/minecraft-server:java25

Older clients welcome

What it installs

Before your first session

The same server by hand

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Your server is one command away.