FAQ & Troubleshooting

General Questions

What does VoxelBench measure?

VoxelBench measures your Minecraft server's performance through 40+ tests covering hardware (CPU, RAM, Disk, Network) and gameplay (chunk loading, mob spawning, redstone, explosions, etc.). Results are combined into a single VoxelScore for easy comparison.

Does running a benchmark affect my players?

Yes, temporarily. During gameplay tests, the server may experience lag as VoxelBench intentionally stresses specific systems. We recommend:

• Running benchmarks during low-activity periods
• Warning your players beforehand
• Using /bench stop if you need to abort

Hardware tests (CPU, RAM, Disk) run asynchronously and have minimal impact on TPS.

How long does a full benchmark take?

Approximately 10-15 minutes depending on your server's hardware. Faster servers complete tests more quickly.

Can I run benchmarks on a production server?

Yes, but keep in mind:

• There will be temporary TPS drops during gameplay tests
• All test entities and blocks are cleaned up automatically
• A 30-minute cooldown prevents accidental re-runs
• Run during off-peak hours for best results

Are my results public?

Standard benchmark results submitted to voxelbench.com are visible on the public leaderboard. You control the level of hardware information shared via the anonymization setting.

How is the VoxelScore calculated?

The VoxelScore is computed on the backend using weighted averages:

• Single-Core CPU: 45%
• Gameplay Stress: 35%
• Hardware: 20%

Higher scores indicate better server performance.

Troubleshooting

"Rate limited" error

A 30-minute cooldown exists between benchmark runs. Wait for the cooldown to expire, or use voxelbench.start.force permission to bypass it.

Benchmark gets stuck

If a test appears frozen:

1. Use /bench stop to cancel
2. Check the server console for error messages
3. If the test was a gameplay test, verify the test world/area is accessible
4. Try running the specific test individually: /bench test <testName>

"Connection failed" when submitting results

VoxelBench needs to reach voxelbench.com via HTTPS. Check:

1. Your server can make outgoing HTTPS connections (port 443)
2. voxelbench.com is not blocked by a firewall or proxy
3. DNS resolution is working (nslookup voxelbench.com from the server)

Results are saved locally regardless of submission failures. You won't lose your benchmark data.

GUI not opening

1. Ensure you have the voxelbench.gui permission
2. Check that your inventory is not full
3. Try reloading: /bench reload
4. Check the server console for errors

Tests create blocks/entities that aren't cleaned up

VoxelBench uses try-finally blocks to guarantee cleanup. If cleanup fails:

1. Check the server console for errors during the test
2. The test area is typically in remote chunks that can be safely regenerated
3. Use a world editor (WorldEdit) to clean up if needed
4. Report this as a bug

Plugin not loading

1. Check Java version: java -version (requires Java 16+)
2. Check server version: Must be 1.17 or newer
3. Check for errors in the console during startup
4. Ensure the JAR is in the plugins/ folder (not a subfolder)
5. Verify the JAR is not corrupted (re-download if needed)

Wrong language

VoxelBench auto-detects each player's Minecraft client language. To override:

• For one player: /bench lang en_US
• For all players: Set language.force: true and language.default: en_US in config

Monitoring dashboard not accessible

1. Check the web server is running: /bench monitor web start
2. Verify the port is correct (default: 8080)
3. Check firewall allows incoming connections on the configured port
4. If accessing remotely, ensure bind-address is 0.0.0.0 (not 127.0.0.1)
5. Check for port conflicts with other plugins

HTTPS certificate errors

If using a self-signed certificate:

• Browsers will show a security warning - this is normal for self-signed certs
• You can add an exception in your browser
• For production use, consider using a proper SSL certificate

DiscordSRV notifications not working

1. Verify DiscordSRV itself is working
2. Check that integrations.discordsrv.enabled is true
3. Verify the channel-id is correct (or empty to use the default channel)
4. Check that notifications.benchmark-results or other notification types are enabled

PlaceholderAPI placeholders not showing

1. Verify PlaceholderAPI is installed and working
2. Use /papi parse me %voxelbench_tps% to test
3. Run a benchmark first - some placeholders need at least one result
4. Reload PlaceholderAPI: /papi reload

Performance Tips

For better benchmark scores

1. Reduce other plugins: Disable resource-heavy plugins during benchmarks
2. Allocate enough RAM: Ensure the JVM has sufficient heap space
3. Use modern Java: Java 21 provides significant performance improvements over Java 16/17
4. Use Paper: Paper includes many performance optimizations over Spigot
5. Pre-generate your world: Pre-generate chunks to eliminate generation overhead
6. Tune JVM flags: Use optimized startup flags (Aikar's flags recommended)

For more consistent results

1. Run multiple benchmarks (/bench start 5 60) and average results
2. Ensure the server is idle during benchmarks
3. Close any running backup tasks
4. Avoid running during garbage collection storms (increase heap if needed)