Paper is a high-performance Minecraft server implementation that aims to fix gameplay and mechanics inconsistencies while maintaining compatibility with the Bukkit plugin ecosystem.
Paper addresses the problem of vanilla Minecraft server limitations and inconsistencies by applying patches to the server codebase that improve performance, fix bugs, and enhance gameplay mechanics. The project works by maintaining a patched version of the Minecraft server that can be run as a drop-in replacement for the standard server jar, allowing administrators to deploy it without changing their existing setup or plugin infrastructure.
Server administrators should choose Paper if they want improved performance and bug fixes without migrating away from their current Bukkit-compatible plugins. The tool suits any Minecraft server deployment where performance optimization and gameplay consistency matter. Plugin developers benefit from the Paper API, which extends Bukkit with additional events and capabilities, and can track upcoming API additions through the project's public roadmap. The project provides comprehensive documentation for both server operators and plugin developers, including javadocs and setup guides for adding Paper as a dependency.
The project maintains active development with regular builds and updates tracked through its build status. The team actively manages a public roadmap showing upcoming features and API additions. The project accepts community contributions through a defined pull request process documented in the repository. The maintainers operate transparently regarding project finances, using Open Collective to track and publicly display how donations support infrastructure costs.
