Setting up Spark and starting a Spark profiler on a Minecraft Spigot server offers crucial insight into its performance. A distributed computing framework, Spark swiftly dissects hefty data loads with finesse. This combo enables pinpointing performance bottlenecks, such as sluggish plugins or subpar server configurations, paving the way for fine-tuning and boosting overall server efficiency. With Spark's capabilities, server administrators can make informed decisions to optimize gameplay and ensure smoother player operations.
Requirement: Bukkit or Spigot/Paper is required to install and run a Spark Profiler on a Minecraft Server.
How to Install Spark on a Minecraft Server
1. Download Spark.
2. Log in to the BisectHosting Starbase panel.
3. Stop the server.
4. Go to the Files tab.
5. Open the plugins folder.
6. Upload the .jar file from step 1.
7. Start the server.
How to Run a Spark Profiler on a Minecraft Server
1. Join the server.
2. The Spark profiler will automatically start. Let it run for a few minutes.
Note: To reset the profiler, run the following commands in succession:
/spark profiler cancel/spark profiler start
3. Input the following command in chat to view the profiler while it runs: /spark profiler open
4. Enter the following command in chat to stop the profiler: /spark profiler stop
5. Click the generated link to open the Spark Profiler results.
How to View the Spark Report
1. Toggle the desired displays. Turn on all displays to view more information.
| Widget | Description |
| TPS | Ticks per second. Drops in the default TPS indicate lag. |
| MSPT | Milliseconds per tick. Lower ticks are better for performance. |
| Memory | Excess or lack of RAM will negatively impact the server. |
| GC | Garbage collection. A slow GC will lag the server. |
2. In the displays section, open the desired tab.
| Display | Description |
| Memory | Displays important details on Heap. |
| JVM Flags | Shows the JVM arguments the server started with. |
| World | View the different entities currently spawned in the server. |
3. Choose the desired view.
| View | Description |
| All view | Open the dropdowns to find high-process threads. Main threads that launch and run Minecraft are commonly high. |
| Plugins | Mods view | Displays the usage of each plugin/mod. |
Note: The bars on the right show a visual representation of the percentages.
4. Click the flame icon to open the Flame Graph. This is an alternate view of the All view dropdowns that uses bars. Click the x icon to return.
5. Choose the export icon to save the report. Compare multiple Spark reports to track server performance.
Note: Creating an initial report will help set a baseline for comparing Spark reports.