How do I migrate my server from Paper to Fabric (or Forge)?
Not sure which software you should be moving to? Open the Minecraft server type picker under Tools on our site (zerosrp.co.uk/tools) and it will walk you through it in four questions.
Changing server software type is a significant operation. The most important rule: back up everything first. Use the Backups page to create a complete backup before making any changes.
Paper and Fabric (or Forge) use different plugin/mod systems. Plugins written for Paper (Bukkit API) do not work on Fabric or Forge, and Fabric/Forge mods do not work on Paper. If you are migrating to gain access to mods that are not available as plugins, you will need to replace your plugin functionality with equivalent mods.
To switch: open the Version Manager, select Fabric (or Forge), choose the Minecraft version, and save. The panel downloads the new JAR. On next start, the server loads under the new software.
World files (the world/, world_nether/, and world_the_end/ folders) carry over between Paper and Fabric/Forge in most cases, but there are exceptions. Custom chunks generated by worldgen mods will not load on vanilla or Paper, and some block entity data from Paper-specific plugins may not survive the migration. If your world is large or contains complex builds, test with a copy of the world first.
Before starting after the JAR change, review the server log on the first run for any "Unable to load class" or "missing dependency" errors that indicate removed plugins are still in the plugins/ folder. Move or remove any incompatible files via File Manager before your first public restart.
Want to try this on a real server?
Everything described here is available on the trial too, on the same hardware and the same panel as the paid plans. Try it free for 24-hour, no credit card required.
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