Minecraft Server RAM Calculator
How much RAM does your Minecraft server need? Pick your server type and how many players you expect to get a sensible starting point.
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How this is worked out
Every server needs a base amount to run the game and load the spawn area. On top of that, each player adds loaded chunks and entities around them, which grows quickly with view distance. Plugins and mods add their own memory, and modpacks need far more because every mod adds blocks, items and code.
It's a rule of thumb, not a guarantee: farms, big redstone builds and badly written plugins can use much more. If your host gives you a set amount, leave about 1 GB of it spare for Java itself rather than giving all of it to the server.