Which one should I start with?

If you are not sure, start with Paper. You can switch later from the server panel.

Which server software should you use?

Plugins or mods? That one question decides most of it.

The options

Paper is fast and supports plugins. It is a good default for most servers.

Purpur is Paper with more ways to customize. Pick it if you want extra settings to tweak.

Fabric is for mods and modpacks.

Pumpkin is a native Minecraft server written in Rust.

Plugins or mods

Plugins add features on the server, like ranks, homes or minigames, and run on Paper or Purpur. Mods can change the game itself and run on Fabric. In your server panel, use Plugins for plugin software and Mods for Fabric.

Change it later

You can change software and Minecraft version from your server panel. Take a backup first, because plugins and mods must match the software and version you switch to.

Common questions

Which one should I start with?: If you are not sure, start with Paper. You can switch later from the server panel.