Reference
Glossary
42 game server hosting terms explained in plain English. From allocations to world seeds.
A
- Allocation
- A network port assigned to your server. Players connect using your server's IP and allocation port (e.g.,
play.witchly.host:25565). Some plans include multiple allocations for plugins that need additional ports. - Anti-Cheat
- Software that detects and prevents cheating on game servers. Examples include EasyAntiCheat (Rust, Palworld) and server-side plugins like Vulcan or Matrix (Minecraft).
B
- Backup
- A saved snapshot of your server's files at a point in time. Can be created manually or on a schedule. Used to restore your server if something goes wrong — plugin conflicts, world corruption, or accidental deletions. Learn more →
- Bedrock Edition
- The version of Minecraft that runs on consoles, mobile devices, and Windows 10/11. Different from Java Edition. Can connect to Java servers using GeyserMC for crossplay. Crossplay guide →
C
- Console
- The command-line interface for your server, accessible through the dashboard. Shows real-time server output and accepts commands for administration.
- CPU Pinning
- Assigning specific CPU cores exclusively to your server. Prevents other processes from competing for the same cores, ensuring consistent performance.
- Cron
- A time-based scheduling system using five-field expressions (minute, hour, day, month, weekday). Used to schedule automated tasks like restarts, backups, and commands. Schedules guide →
- Crossplay
- The ability for players on different platforms (Java and Bedrock) to play together on the same server. Achieved through GeyserMC and Floodgate plugins. Setup guide →
D
- DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service)
- An attack that floods a server with traffic to make it unavailable. Game servers are frequent targets. Network-level DDoS mitigation helps keep servers online during attacks.
- Dedicated Resources
- CPU, RAM, and storage that are reserved exclusively for your server, not shared with other customers. The opposite of over-allocation. Elite plans →
E
- Egg
- A server configuration template that defines how a game server is installed and started. Includes startup commands, Docker images, and environment variables.
F
- Fabric
- A lightweight Minecraft mod loader focused on performance and simplicity. Competes with Forge. Popular for performance-focused modpacks and client-side mods. Mods guide →
- Forge
- The original Minecraft mod loader. Supports the largest library of mods. Heavier than Fabric but has deeper mod compatibility for complex modpacks. Modpacks guide →
G
- GeyserMC
- A proxy that translates between Minecraft Bedrock and Java protocols, enabling crossplay. Runs as a plugin on Java servers. Crossplay guide →
H
- Heartbeat
- A periodic signal sent by a server to indicate it's still running. Monitoring systems use heartbeats to detect when a server goes down.
I
- Instance
- A single game server deployment. One account can have multiple instances, each with its own resources, files, and configuration. Deploy your first server →
J
- JAR File
- A Java Archive file used to run Minecraft server software (e.g.,
paper.jar,fabric-server.jar). The server JAR contains the game engine and is executed by Java. - Java Edition
- The original PC version of Minecraft, written in Java. Supports mods, plugins, and extensive server customization. Minecraft guide →
- JVM Flags
- Command-line arguments passed to the Java Virtual Machine that affect how it manages memory and performance. Aikar's flags are the most commonly recommended for Minecraft servers. Optimization guide →
L
- Latency (Ping)
- The time it takes for data to travel between a player's computer and the server, measured in milliseconds. Lower is better. Affected by physical distance and network routing.
M
- Modpack
- A curated collection of mods bundled together for a specific gameplay experience. Examples: ATM10, RLCraft, Create: Above and Beyond. Typically requires more RAM than vanilla. Modpacks guide →
- MOTD (Message of the Day)
- The text and formatting displayed in a Minecraft server's listing in the multiplayer menu. Can include color codes and special formatting. MOTD guide →
- MSPT (Milliseconds Per Tick)
- How long each server tick takes to process. Should stay below 50ms for a smooth 20 TPS. Higher MSPT means the server is struggling.
N
- NVMe
- Non-Volatile Memory Express. The fastest type of solid-state storage, significantly faster than SATA SSDs. Essential for game servers where chunk loading and world saves are I/O intensive.
O
- Over-Allocation
- A hosting practice where providers sell more resources than their hardware can physically deliver, betting that not all customers will use their full allocation simultaneously. Causes lag during peak hours.
- Oxide/uMod
- The primary plugin framework for Rust servers. Allows installing community-made plugins that add features like economy systems, teleportation, and admin tools. Oxide guide →
P
- Paper
- A high-performance Minecraft server software forked from Spigot. Includes significant optimizations for better TPS and lower resource usage. The most popular choice for plugin-based servers.
- Plugin
- A server-side modification that adds features without changing the core game files. Minecraft plugins run on Paper/Spigot; Rust plugins run on Oxide/uMod. Minecraft plugins →
- Purpur
- A Minecraft server software forked from Paper with additional configuration options and gameplay tweaks. Adds features like rideable mobs and per-player view distance.
R
- RCON (Remote Console)
- A protocol for remotely executing commands on a game server. Used by Rust for remote administration and by third-party tools for server management. RCON guide →
- Resource Pool
- Your total available resources (RAM, CPU, Disk, server slots) that are shared across all your free-tier servers. Can be expanded by purchasing upgrades in the store. Resource pool guide →
S
- SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol)
- A secure method for transferring files to and from your server. Uses port 2022 on Witchly. Clients like FileZilla or WinSCP connect to upload worlds, configs, and mods. SFTP guide →
- Spark
- A performance profiler for Minecraft servers that analyzes CPU usage, memory allocation, and tick timing. Essential for diagnosing lag. Optimization guide →
- SRV Record
- A DNS record type that maps a domain name to a specific IP address and port. Allows players to connect with a clean domain (e.g.,
play.yourserver.com) instead of an IP:port combination. Domains guide → - Subuser
- A secondary user with limited access to your server. Permissions are granular — you control what they can do (console, files, backups, etc.) without sharing your account. Subusers guide →
T
- Tick
- A single cycle of the game server's main loop. Minecraft runs at 20 ticks per second (one tick every 50ms). Each tick processes player actions, mob AI, redstone, and world events.
- TPS (Ticks Per Second)
- A measure of server performance. 20 TPS is perfect; below 18 means noticeable lag. Tracked using commands like
/tpsor profiling tools like Spark. Optimization guide →
V
- Vanilla
- An unmodified game server with no plugins or mods. Runs the official server software as-is.
- View Distance
- How many chunks the server sends to each player. Higher values mean more terrain visible but more CPU and network usage. Typical values: 6-10 for community servers. Optimization guide →
W
- Whitelist
- A list of players allowed to join the server. When enabled, only whitelisted players can connect. Used for private or invite-only communities. Security guide →
- Wipe
- The process of resetting a Rust server's world data. Forced wipes happen monthly (first Thursday); voluntary wipes are up to the server owner. Blueprint wipes reset player progression. Wipe guide →
- World Seed
- A number that determines how the game procedurally generates terrain. Using the same seed produces the same world layout. World management →
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