How to make your builds less lag inducing

It is in everyone's interest to build things that does not cause the server or the connected clients to lag. This page details both verified and unverified ways of reducing both server and client lag.

Server lag is most commonly referred to as TPS, which ideally should be 20 at all times. Any number below e.g. 15 will make the server lag noticable in terms of jerky mob movement and slow block breaking. To view TPS, use the /tps command. There are also a few client mods that are able to display TPS in real time, such as MiniHud.

Client lag is most commonly referred to as FPS, and should be equal to your monitor refresh rate, which is usually 60+. When FPS is below the monitor refresh rate you will start experiencing "screen tearing", or micro stuttering if Vsync is enabled, especially when turning your viewport left and right. Minecraft has a built in FPS counter which you can refer to at any time.

Building tips to increase TPS

Verified tips

• To stop the flow of lava or water, use fence gates rather than signs since signs are more lag inducing than fence gates. This is useful for both vertically and horizontally flowing liquids.
• To transport items vertically in a closed circuit, alternate between hoppers and chests/barrels (e.g. hopper -> chest -> hopper -> chest) rather than using hoppers only
• To store items in bulk in storage silos, alternate between hoppers and chests, rather than using a vertical hopper stack (todo: this will need an image)
• Avoid "exposed hoppers", i.e. hoppers that have their top surface open to items. Hoppers are considered exposed even if they have a carpet, trap door, or bottom slab on top of it since items can still go through those blocks.
• If you can't avoid an exposed hopper, put a compost on top of it, rather than a solid block or a furnace (furnaces was the general advice before hoppers were introduced in Minecraft).
• Use blocks instead of signs or item frames to denote what you are storing in e.g. a chest, since both signs and item frames are known sources of lag.

Unverified tips

• Mob proof the Nether with bottom-slabs rather than buttons since buttons "listens" to button presses which puts load on the server.
• If you can't use bottom slabs to mob proof the Nether, use buttons rather than pressure plates since pressure plates can be activated by mobs.

Building tips to increase FPS

Verified tips

todo

Unverified tips

todo