What Is Minecraft TPS?

Server TPS (Ticks Per Second) 

is used to measure the overall performance health of your server. Like a heartbeat, your server runs at a steady rate of 20 ticks per second — that’s one tick every 0.05 seconds. During each tick, various aspects of the game world advance slightly: mobs move, grass grows, items in motion change position, entities check their surroundings and update their behavior, health, and hunger, and much more. Your entire server runs in rhythm with its TPS. When your server is running at the ideal 20 TPS, you’ll experience smooth, lag-free gameplay. But if your server’s TPS drops — even slightly — you’ll start to notice lag.

The "Rubber Band" Effect

As your server’s TPS decreases, you’ll begin to experience what’s known as the rubber band effect. The server will start skipping ticks in an attempt to catch up, often reverting in-game actions a few seconds back. Players usually recognize this when mobs suddenly teleport, blocks break but drop their items seconds later, combat hits seem delayed, or the sun appears to jump backward in the sky. Every in-game action and event is governed by the server’s TPS. As it drops, your server effectively slows down — time itself begins to move slower.

What Determines TPS?

Server TPS is mainly influenced by the speed and capabilities of the hardware running it. While hardware is a key factor, it’s not the only one. What’s actually happening on the server is equally important. Poor server management can impact performance just as much as weak hardware. TPS drops can result from in-game events caused by plugins, mods, redstone contraptions, and much more. Pinpointing the exact cause of a TPS drop isn’t always easy — but it can be largely prevented with proper server management.

What Causes TPS Drops?

When adding mods or plugins, you need to think about the long-term effects of your choices. Many new server owners wrongly assume that the number of players determines performance. Before saying “there are only a few players online and the server is lagging a lot,” remember that player count has only a minor impact on overall server performance. The main causes of TPS drops usually come from what’s happening in the world itself — especially on modded servers, where every new block or mechanic adds complexity.

Every functional block you add requires the server to allocate resources to ensure that function runs properly. On its own, a single block has minimal impact — but when that block becomes part of a large network (for example, a solar panel array), the server must dedicate exponentially more resources to process it.

Imagine a setup with 1,000 solar panels. Each panel constantly checks the time of day and its surrounding blocks for cables to deliver power. If those cables connect to another array, the main power line is updated with the combined energy of both systems. These updates happen every 0.05 seconds, and when combined with everything else occurring on the server, it quickly adds up. It’s easy to see how this strain can overwhelm a system that Minecraft was never originally designed to handle.

Preventing TPS Drops

The key is solid server management practices. Whenever you add something — whether in-game or on the backend — think about the long-term impact it might have. This requires understanding what you’re adding. For mods and plugins, that means reviewing what they do and making an informed guess about their long-term effects.

In-game, consider the size of your worlds and the types of blocks you’re placing. Some modded blocks are far more resource-intensive than others, and even one of them can cause major TPS issues. Also, multiple players with separate large bases can increase server load. If possible, build close together and share machines in a community area. Build conservatively — only what you actually need — and avoid unnecessary constructions that could otherwise strain your server’s resources.

Conclusion

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Stuffy @ HolyHosting