How to Identify Performance Issues on Your Minecraft Server Using Spark
Find out exactly what's causing lag with detailed performance profiling
Find out exactly what's causing lag with detailed performance profiling
What is Spark?
Spark is a performance plugin that shows what's using your server's CPU, memory and tick time. It tells you what's actually causing lag instead of guessing.
Getting Started & Installation
- Go to Minecraft, and then go to the "Spigot Plugins" or "Modrinth Mods" depending on your server software.
- Search for "Spark" and install the latest version.
- Restart your server so it loads.
Checking Server Health
Run this to see your server's overall health: /spark health
It shows your TPS (ticks per second, where 20 is perfect), tick time, loaded entities and chunks, and memory usage. If TPS is well below 20, you have a problem.
Profiling Your Server
Start the profiler: /spark profiler start
Play normally for 1-2 minutes so it records your server under normal load.
Stop the profiler: /spark profiler stop
Open the report link it gives you (hosted on spark.lucko.me). It shows which plugin, world, entity or code is using the most CPU.
Essential Commands
- /spark health: shows server health.
- /spark profiler start: starts recording.
- /spark profiler stop: stops and gives you a report link.
- /spark tickmonitor: tracks what happens during lag spikes over time.
Important Considerations
- TPS vs RAM: Low TPS is a CPU problem, not a memory one. Adding RAM won't fix it.
- Reading Reports: The biggest entries at the top of the report are your problem.
- Common Causes: Plugins doing heavy work every tick, redstone or hopper farms, mob farms, or chunk generation.
Conclusion
With Spark you can see exactly what's causing your server's lag and fix it properly. Profiling replaces guessing.
Similarly, if you are having any type of issue or problem with your server at MCServerHost you can always get in touch with us by joining our Discord server or writing to us at support@mcserverhost.com.
Related guides
- Boosting Your Server Performance with ClearLagg — Boost Minecraft server performance using ClearLagg to automatically manage dropped items and entities.
- Secure Your Cracked Minecraft Server with AuthMeReloaded — Protect your cracked server from unauthorized player access.
- How to Allow Multiple Versions to Join Your Minecraft Server with ViaVersion — Let players on different Minecraft versions join your server, whatever version it runs
- How to Set Up Ranks on Your Minecraft Server Using LuckPerms — Create ranks and manage permissions with the most popular permissions plugin