Paper vs Spigot vs Purpur

The Fork Chain

These three aren't independent projects. Each one builds on the last:

Because of this chain, Purpur includes everything Paper has, which includes everything Spigot has. A plugin that works on Spigot will work on Paper and Purpur. A Paper plugin works on Purpur but not on Spigot. A Purpur plugin works only on Purpur.

Performance

Paper and Purpur perform nearly identically — Purpur inherits all of Paper's optimizations and adds very little overhead. Both are substantially faster than Spigot.

Key performance differences Paper/Purpur have over Spigot:

• Async chunk loading — Chunks load on separate threads instead of blocking the main tick loop. This alone eliminates most chunk-loading lag.
• Optimized entity AI — Paper reduces the frequency of expensive AI calculations for distant mobs.
• Better tick scheduling — Paper's tick loop is more efficient, reducing overhead per tick.
• Reduced memory usage — Paper uses less memory for the same workload through various internal optimizations.
• Optimized block ticking — Redstone, fluid, and random tick processing is faster in Paper.

On a server with 20+ players, you'll typically see 1-3 TPS better performance on Paper/Purpur compared to Spigot under the same conditions. On smaller servers the difference is less noticeable, but there's no reason to use Spigot when Paper exists.

Configuration

This is where the three diverge most:

Spigot

Adds spigot.yml with basic configuration: mob spawn limits, entity activation ranges, and some performance knobs. Relatively limited.

Paper

Adds config/paper-global.yml and config/paper-world-defaults.yml with hundreds of options:

• Async chunk loading settings
• Anti-cheat configuration (anti-xray built-in)
• TNT and sand duplication toggles
• Villager optimization settings
• Detailed mob spawning controls
• Hopper optimization
• Book, sign, and chat limits

Purpur

Adds purpur.yml with gameplay customization that neither Spigot nor Paper offers:

• Make any mob rideable
• Customize mob health, speed, and behavior per-mob
• Custom enchantment limits
• Sign editing without breaking
• Custom advancement, recipe, and loot table features
• Beacon range customization
• Toggling specific vanilla features per-world

Purpur's extras are all off by default, so it behaves identically to Paper out of the box. You opt into the features you want.

Plugin Compatibility

All three run Bukkit and Spigot plugins. Paper adds its own API, and some modern plugins require it. The numbers:

• Spigot: Runs Bukkit + Spigot plugins
• Paper: Runs Bukkit + Spigot + Paper plugins
• Purpur: Runs Bukkit + Spigot + Paper + Purpur plugins

In practice, virtually every plugin works on all three. The rare exceptions are plugins that exploit vanilla bugs that Paper patches (like TNT duping machines). These still work if you re-enable the vanilla behavior in Paper's config.

Update Speed

When Mojang releases a new Minecraft version:

• Paper typically updates within days of a new Minecraft release, sometimes the same day.
• Spigot updates quickly too, usually within the first few days.
• Purpur waits for Paper to update first, then adds its patches. Usually 1-3 days behind Paper.

Which Should You Use?