Vanilla is Mojang's Java Edition server software. You can run it in your own folder for a friend server that is plug-in-free and close to the official game.
Step by step
-
Get the jar file you want from Minecraft's official Java server download. Check the Java requirement of that version and open a separate working folder.
-
Open terminal in that folder and run
java -Xmx2G -jar server.jar nogui. Make the filename the same as the jar you downloaded. -
If you accept the EULA terms, set up the generated file. Once the server is opened, set your game mode, difficulty and whitelist preference via
server.properties. -
Log in locally first, then verify the network path your friends will connect to. Test if the world reopens by closing it with
stopfrom the console.
Keep in mind
Bukkit or Paper plugins will not install on Vanilla jar.