Back to minecraftBack to minecraft.net

This category is for Realms and dedicated server feedback. Please send support issues to help.mojang.com, as support posts, bugs, and individual server issues will be removed. Remember that when it comes to "adding more servers" or realm restrictions we are constrained by the rules of the various platforms Minecraft is available on. Thanks!

← Realms and Dedicated Servers
8355

[Java Edition] Performance Enhancements For Minecraft Servers (Multithreading?)

Performance is a serious issue for servers, and since the release of 1.13 the issues preventing servers from upgrading only seem to rise. Adding multithreading support will allow for Minecraft Servers to be able to upgrade to 1.14, which is known to have issues with chunk loading and lighting. 

The inability to use more than one thread is a huge restriction for servers. There are certain processes that can and should be done in parallel, some ideas are below. Server software like Spigot and PaperSpigot has implemented some of these, but others require such far reaching changes to Minecraft that only Mojang can implement it and have it work for everyone.

Some things that should be added include

  1. multithreaded chunk loading
  2. multithreaded chunk generation
  3. per-dimension tick threads, with synchronization on going through a portal
  4. chunk serialization and gzipping for saving to disk to be done in a separate thread
  5. an option to make lighting not calculated server side
  6. all mobs AI should be ticked simultaneously, this includes mob pathing to players and other things
  7. move as much packet handling as possible to the netty thread
Avatar
Registered User shared this idea

154 Comments

Post is closed for comments.

Sorted by oldest
  • 4
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    2B2T needs this update.

    Please add it!

  • 6
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    This suggestion is very needed, for Minecraft itself too, not just serverside, but also the game itself. This option would allow us to be able to have more smooth experience playing large worlds in the game, where constant lighting and redstone updates are needed. This allows Mojang to expand on the possiblites of Minecraft without worrying about lag.

  • 13
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    As it currently stands, we no longer live in a world where game devs can be lazy and only use one core; those days ended more than a few years ago. Processors aren't scaling up in per-core performance as much as they used to, they're getting more cores instead. The fact that some servers have faced increasing problems because Minecraft still only runs one logic thread for several years now is unacceptable; this is even an issue in the modding sphere now, as I ran a game on 1.15 with a fairly restrained modlist... and came out with sub-30 framerates on a machine that can run almost anything the industry can throw at it. I have no doubts 1.16 would run even worse with mods.

    Beyond all that, though, I've also observed poor performance on my private server I run for my friends, and have had constant lag problems despite running on good hardware and with only a handful of people. That's... depressing. And though I haven't had much time to test, I suspect the only reason the server hasn't started running even worse with the move from 1.14 to 1.16 is because I also moved from Spigot to Paper in the process.

    This needs to happen. There's no excuse. It doesn't have to happen all at once, though. Start with threading dimensions separately, that should be a fairly easy starting point. 1.17 for the first steps, no later.

  • 10
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    Forget a cave update! *This* is the most important thing Minecraft needs!

  • 7
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    This is even a problem when i play single player, no mods at all, the client server sometimes cannot keep up with itself because it only uses one core of my computer

  • 5
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    I totally agree, this is exactly what servers need. 

    Minecraft's community is important, as far as I'm aware, so enabling servers to run a significantly high amount of players is actually needed.

    I can understand why people can get..."passionate" with this topic; no one likes lagging servers and those where you can find many people to play with usually are the funniest.

    This is not a brand new issue, it's been years since a fix was needed.

    Please, Mojang, understand that we are the community, we are constantly playing the fantastic creation you've given us. So we are the ones that can tell you what annoys us the most.

    Mojang, you were the one that told us to do whatever we want, to create our wildest imaginations...that no one could tell us what we can or cannot do.

    So, please allow us, your loyal community, to create magnificent large servers where we can play without having enormous performance issues.

    Please prove to us that you really listen carefully to your community.

    Thanks for reading.

  • 5
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    Although this would require a massive overhaul of Minecraft's source code, without it, we're looking at some pretty poor utilization.

  • 6
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    you could even delay 1.17 2 years and give us multithreading instead and i'd be happy, because i know that it would need almost rewriting the entire game.

  • 4
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    Hytale is going to be a big competitor with Minecraft when it releases, and server functionality seems to be a big focus of theirs. If Minecraft were to implement multithreading for servers, I think it would create a rise in the quality of Minecraft servers, and it could be a reason someone would decide to continue to play Minecraft rather than switching over to Hytale. Minecraft could really use an update like this, as even the largest, most expensive servers have issues with lag in an over 10 years old game.

  • 5
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    Dedicate an entire update to just optimizing the dedicated server and giving more control over options on CPU intensive operations. 👍

  • 3
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    If this is available on the bedrock server, I don't think it would be that hard on the java server

  • 2
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    Imagine what we can do with so much more players on one map !

  • 2
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    As a Java developer, I don't think adding this feature would take THAT long...
    Maybe just a little bit at a time, but even just chunk loading and generation on a secondary thread would give a HUGE improvement in performance. (Thanks)

  • 3
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    Heck yes. We need this more than most things. I would actually take this over the mountains/dungeons update

  • 8
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    Some ideas I would like to add to this:

    1. GPU parallelization
    I can think of many things that can be optimized by using the parallel processing powers of GPUs, such as explosions and physics interactions. I'm pretty sure the technical side of people will find more things to parallelize

    2. Chunk loading
    On 2b2t, there used to be a plugin that refuses to load chunks when the player attempting to load the chunks are moving too fast. Hausemaster eventually banned elytras on 2b2t, so there is no need for the plugin anymore, but just imagine how much would server TPS for servers with people traveling really fast improve with this.

    3. Chunk caching
    Chunks that are frequently visited by members of a server, such as chunks containing a base or chunks for the Cowmercial district on Hermitcraft should be prioritized when loading chunks, and should also be stored in RAM or some other alternative storage for fast access. I mean, having chunks for a build load faster than other places is really great, and also reduces stress on the SSD/hard drive.

    Great idea, but has more potential

  • 2
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    It would be so amazing to finally get rid of these single core limitations, while it might be difficult it certainly has to be possible. It would be way more epic than any cave update could ever be. Please mojang just start working on multi-threading!

  • 5
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    Knowing that a server is still playable at around 200 players on the same map with one core ; having 64 cores would mean 12 800 players (of course this is probably not linear but you get the idea) So this is a needed update

  • 3
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    One year later, still no signs of this ever happening... Imo, I'd sacrifice new content, even something like a new dimension, just so servers can finally update past 1.12.2

  • 6
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    we really need this. performance has always been an issue, even in versions pre.1.13. although it was bearable and did not cause as much of a significant impact as versions after 1.12, it's still something that could definitely be improved on. doesn't even matter if it'd take a while to finish, it could easily be announced as a new major update to the game and take the place of a possible next major update that is intended to introduces more features.

  • 4
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    I truly believe optimizing Minecraft for multi-core handling is going to be a game changer for everyone in the community. People with worse PCs will be able to play much more properly without as many issues such as lag spikes and freezes, leading them to downloading mods to help boost their performance a bit. Servers would also benefit the most out of this,lowering maintenance costs for servers GREATLY while also boosting how well they will perform on average.
    It would also be great if Data-Packet transfer would be added, as it would allow players from different places around the globe to play unimpended by latency issues.

    I greatly hope this thread is taken seriously and something is done about this.

  • 2
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    One of the reasons as to why Minecraft became so popular was because of multiplayer servers, they should definitely add this and focus on servers more and give server owners more tools to work with.

  • 1
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    Totally for it! Mojang, please optimize your game servers. I really want to play on popular servers where the version is higher than 1.12.2

  • 1
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    Most of all great mods for Minecraft also stuck on 1.12.2, that`s a pity...
    Please, don`t hurry with next versions, fix this for 1.16 at least...

  • 3
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    Vanilla server core can't works normally when the players more than 10.

  • 4
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    I think it will be good idea, plz.

  • 3
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    Хорошая идея, особенно поможет сервм выживания.

  • 1
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    я полностью согласен с этим 
    ну как бы реально

  • 5
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    ждём толпу русских коментов

    (от пятки)

  • 1
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    Хорошая идея, а то одно и тоже на сервах

  • 4
    Registered User commented
    Comment actions Permalink

    It would be great to play with 100+ players on one server