Minecraft server glossary
PvP, grief, claim, whitelist… The 30 words you meet on Minecraft servers, explained simply.
- AFK
- "Away from keyboard": a player who stays connected without playing. Many servers kick AFK players after a few minutes.
- Anarchy
- A server with no rules and no staff to referee: cheating, griefing and stealing are allowed. The most extreme kind of survival. Learn more →
- Bedrock
- The Minecraft edition for mobile, consoles and Windows. It cannot join Java servers, except cross-play ones. Learn more →
- BedWars
- Team mini-game: each team protects its bed. While the bed stands, you respawn; once it is destroyed, death is final. Learn more →
- Claim
- A protected area a player reserves so nobody else can build or break there. Common in Survival and Semi-RP.
- Cross-play
- A server that accepts both Java (PC) and Bedrock (mobile, console) players, often thanks to the Geyser plugin. Learn more →
- Factions
- A game mode where players form clans, protect their base and raid other clans to loot them. Learn more →
- Farm
- A build that produces resources automatically (wheat, iron, experience…). Some servers limit their size to avoid lag.
- Griefing
- Destroying or damaging another player's builds without their consent. Forbidden on most servers, except anarchy ones.
- Hub (lobby)
- The welcome world you land in when you connect, before picking a game mode on servers that offer several.
- IP
- A server address (for example play.myserver.com) that you paste in Minecraft to join it. Learn more →
- Kit
- A set of items given by a command (/kit), often at the start or at regular intervals depending on your rank.
- Lag
- Game slowdown: delayed actions, players teleporting around. It comes from the player's connection or an overloaded server.
- Mini-games
- Servers offering short rounds: BedWars, SkyWars, parkour, Rush… You play round after round, solo or in a team. Learn more →
- Modded
- A server using mods (Forge, Fabric) that add blocks, machines or creatures. You need the same modpack to join it. Learn more →
- MOTD
- "Message of the day": the two lines of text shown under the server name in the Multiplayer list.
- NuVotifier
- A plugin that receives the votes sent by ranking sites so the server can reward the player in game. Learn more →
- Pay-to-win
- When a server's store sells advantages that make you win (weapons, armour, resources). "No pay-to-win" servers only sell cosmetics. Learn more →
- Plugin
- An add-on installed on a server (Paper, Spigot) to add features: protection, economy, mini-games… Players have nothing to install. Learn more →
- PvP / PvE
- PvP: player versus player fights. PvE: fights against the environment (mobs, bosses). Many servers mix both. Learn more →
- Rank
- A player's rank on a server (VIP, Hero…), with perks. It is earned by playing, voting or buying it in the store.
- RP (roleplay)
- Roleplay: each player plays a character with a job and a story. Semi-RP keeps Survival freedom with roleplay elements. Learn more →
- Season (wipe)
- A reset of a server's world on a set date, so everyone starts again on a new map. Season launches draw many players. Learn more →
- SkyBlock
- You start on a small floating island with very few resources and expand it bit by bit. Often with challenges and an island ranking. Learn more →
- Spawn
- The point where you appear in a world, often protected and decorated. The /spawn command takes you back there on many servers.
- Staff
- The team that runs the server: moderators, admins, builders, developers. Servers often recruit among their players. Learn more →
- Survival
- The original game mode in multiplayer: gather, build and survive, often with an economy and land protection. Learn more →
- Version
- The Minecraft number (1.8, 1.20, 1.21…). A server accepts one or several versions; pick a compatible one in the launcher. Learn more →
- Vote
- On a ranking site, voting for a server helps it climb the ranking. Many servers give an in-game reward for every vote. Learn more →
- Whitelist
- The list of players allowed to connect. A "whitelisted" server is private: you need to ask the team for access.
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