Choose BDS for a Bedrock survival world with official game mechanics. PocketMine-MP follows a different plugin and gameplay concept; since official support ended, with a fork you also need to check protocol maintenance and the plugin API. An identical Bedrock client does not make the world formats interchangeable.
Last checked: September 25, 2026.
For an existing Bedrock survival world, the official Bedrock Dedicated Server, or BDS for short, is the obvious starting point. PocketMine-MP is a standalone server implementation with a plugin system. Decide based on the game mechanics you need and the data format you already have.
The Decision Starts with Your World
A group with existing builds, animals, redstone and add-ons needs more than a reachable server address. First write down what has to be preserved. For a newly planned minigame lobby, on the other hand, plugin features may come first and a freshly built world may be acceptable.
| Requirement | What you should check |
|---|---|
| Continue an existing Bedrock world | Test BDS and the required packs with a copy |
| Classic survival with mechanics as official as possible | Use BDS as your starting point |
| Custom PHP plugins and game modes | Check a maintained PocketMine-MP fork and its plugin API |
| Play a Java modpack | Choose a suitable Java mod platform |
| Let Bedrock clients join a Java server | Check Geyser as a separate crossplay setup |
What BDS Brings
BDS is Mojang's server software for Bedrock. Microsoft documents the world folder, configuration and the use of resource and behavior packs in the BDS guide. An add-on still has to meet its own requirements. Experimental features and scripts may have additional conditions.
BDS does not offer a PocketMine plugin system. You cannot simply install a PocketMine .phar file or a Paper plugin there. Check whether the feature you want is available through a supported add-on or another intended route.
What PocketMine-MP Does Differently
The PocketMine-MP project was a standalone Bedrock server implementation in PHP with a plugin system. The official project was discontinued on July 9, 2026 and the GitHub repository was archived; since then, updates for new Minecraft versions come only from the community via forks. It is not a complete replacement for all vanilla mechanics. Review the project description and your specific requirements before planning an existing survival world around it.
The Minecraft client, the PocketMine version and the plugin API must match. The last official release, 5.44.3 (July 2026), only supports Bedrock 1.26.30. Current clients can no longer connect with it; whether and how quickly a fork adopts a new protocol is not guaranteed.
The Same Edition Does Not Mean the Same World Format
BDS and PocketMine both serve Bedrock clients and both store data in the LevelDB format; however, PocketMine does not know many vanilla blocks, entities and mechanics (redstone, mob AI, world generation). A complete BDS world folder is therefore not automatically a save that PocketMine can read and use without loss. Before switching, check the documented format support of the target version.
Plan a conversion as a separate operation on a copy, if it is supported for your goal at all. Check not only the terrain, but also inventories, entities, containers and mechanics. Without reliable proof, your current environment remains the safe baseline. A blanket promise that you can simply move the same world between both programs would be misleading.
Choosing the Right Option in Hosting
Check the Bedrock offer to see which server software is available for your order. Note down your requirements and compare them with the variant offered. The price alone does not tell you whether your world or your plugins will work there.
Before taking over a running group, you need a maintenance window, a full backup and a separate test target. Keep the original unchanged during testing. The guide Creating and Restoring Backups describes how to safeguard your data.
A Switch Needs Clear Acceptance Points
Note down beforehand a spawn point, important structures, inventories, animals, redstone builds and required extensions. On the target copy, check each point with a normal Bedrock account. Test a small change after a restart. Readable terrain alone is not enough for a survival move.
If content is missing, stop the copy and check the format and feature scope. Do not switch back and forth repeatedly with the same already converted file. For a new attempt, prepare a fresh copy of the original backup.
Are there plugins for BDS?
Officially, only behavior and resource packs. Unofficial plugin loaders such as LeviLamina or Endstone extend BDS without Mojang support. Consoles can reach a BDS only via LAN or DNS redirection, not through "Add Server".
FAQ
Is PocketMine-MP generally worse?
No. It solves different tasks. For a project with purpose-built plugins, it can be the right platform. For an existing survival world, its specific mechanics are what matter.
Can Geyser convert a Bedrock world to Java?
No. Geyser connects Bedrock clients to Java servers. World conversion is a separate task.
Does every Bedrock add-on work on BDS?
Check the add-on's BDS support, version and dependencies. A working local world is a sensible first test, but not yet approval for a server.
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Testing the Software Choice on a World Copy
Create a list of redstone, mobs, inventories and required packs. Start a copy under the target software and check these features one by one. A successful join only confirms the network protocol, not that your world was fully carried over. After saving again and restarting, also check containers and entities. If a necessary mechanic fails, stay with the current server type or plan a separate rebuild. With a PocketMine fork, you should also check the documented client support and maintained releases; an archive of the original project gives no approval for current clients.