DonutSMP Server Infrastructure
DonutSMP is a semi-anarchy public Minecraft server owned by streamer @DrDonut with server development handled by @ArchivePedro. The server is currently the most popular Minecraft server in the world with a live playerbase consistently over 35,000 and peaking at 60,000 concurrent players.
Backend Infrastructure
DonutSMP runs on Minecraft Java version 1.21.1 using Folia, a fork of Paper optimized for regionized multithreading to handle high player counts across multiple regions. GeyserMC enables cross-platform Bedrock support. The underlying infrastructure runs on AMD hardware using CachyOS with a plethora of kernel tweaks optimized for high-performance game server workloads. The hosting infrastructure is provided by OVH. For cross-server state management, DonutSMP uses Redisson and Redis pub/sub across their internal network. The server operates a custom sharding system called Goliath to distribute player load and world data across multiple server instances. The server implements a custom settings menu using the experimental Dialog API, allowing players to configure preferences directly from the in-game pause screen.
Connecting
Players connect via donutsmp.net, which auto-routes through an SRV record (_minecraft._tcp.donutsmp.net → java.donutsmp.net:25565). Java Edition players connect to java.donutsmp.net while Bedrock Edition players connect to bedrock.donutsmp.net. GeoDNS endpoints (geo.java.donutsmp.net and geo.bedrock.donutsmp.net) route players to the closest proxy region. No whitelist or application is required. The server is completely public and available to all players.
Network Architecture
The Overworld is split into 6 proxy regions to give global players low ping. Regions include NA East, NA West, EU Central, EU West, Asia, and Oceania. Players are automatically routed to the closest proxy region when connecting. The Nether and End dimensions are only available through the NA East proxy.
All traffic routes through TCPShield, which acts as both the network proxy and the anti-VPN layer. TCPShield provides DDoS protection and blocks connections from datacenter IP ranges owned by providers like Hetzner and DigitalOcean, displaying the error “We do not allow connecting from your internet provider.” This prevents players from bypassing bans or hiding their identity through VPN services. Behind TCPShield sits Velocity, which handles routing between proxy regions and backend server instances.
DNS is managed through Cloudflare with nameservers hunts.ns.cloudflare.com and adi.ns.cloudflare.com. Cloudflare provides CDN and additional DDoS protection for all DonutSMP services. Wildcard DNS is active, routing many subdomains to the same endpoints.
Web Services
store.donutsmp.net hosts the Tebex webstore for rank subscriptions and shard packages. api.donutsmp.net exposes the DonutSMP API for internal and external integrations. dev.donutsmp.net is the Minecraft development server, mirroring the live server environment for testing changes before deployment. status.donutsmp.net hosts a private Atlassian Statuspage for monitoring service health.
Anti-Cheat & Security
For Java Edition, DonutSMP uses AstroAC as the general anti-cheat plugin. For Bedrock Edition, DonutSMP uses Boar. The server also exploits a Minecraft vulnerability involving text translation in anvils and signs to detect cheat clients like Meteor Client and modules such as Freecam. A large number of Meteor Client users were banned through this method in a ban wave in March 2026. @ArchivePedro has also been seen using a fake player by the name of “MineProbe” to detect the use of “Spawner Protect”, a cheat module that auto-mines spawners when a player is nearby. The server also automatically bans anyone listing an item on the auction for a exorbitant price (>100x). For ban case review, the moderation team uses AdvancedReplay to record and review player actions, helping admins verify suspicious behavior and catch cheaters with concrete evidence. DonutSMP also uses a plugin to protect against offensive or disallowed maparts, such as swastikas and other inappropriate imagery. When a player creates a new map containing disallowed patterns, the server kicks the player with a warning. If the image is deemed inappropriate, the server deletes the map from existence entirely.