Paper vs Spigot vs Vanilla for Minecraft Hosting

What each option is

• Vanilla — Mojang official; pure survival, heavier at equal player counts.
• Spigot — Classic Bukkit plugin API; many older tutorials still say “Spigot.”
• Paper — Spigot fork focused on performance; preferred for most GlassHosting SMPs.

When to use which

Use Vanilla if you will not install Bukkit plugins. Use Paper for almost every friend SMP or public lobby on GlassHosting. Modded Java (Forge/Fabric) is a different path—do not mix Paper plugin advice with Forge modpack folders.

GlassHosting tips

1. Confirm the server image matches Paper, Vanilla, or your modloader in the panel.
2. Backup before switching software mid-season.
3. Match plugin versions to your Minecraft version after major updates.

Deep dive: Paper vs Spigot knowledgebase article.