> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.sculkhosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Pregenerate Minecraft Worlds with Chunky

> Use the Chunky plugin or mod to pre-generate your Minecraft world, eliminate exploration lag spikes, and stay within safe storage limits.

Chunky is a free, open-source plugin and mod that pre-generates chunks of your Minecraft world ahead of time. By generating terrain before players reach it, you eliminate the lag spikes that happen when the server has to create new chunks on the fly. The result is a noticeably smoother experience, especially on survival and exploration servers.

Pre-generation does come with tradeoffs:

* **Disk space.** Every generated chunk is written to disk. While all Sculk Hosting plans include unmetered NVMe storage, a fair-use soft limit of **100 GB** applies — generating an entire world will blow past it long before players ever reach the edge.
* **Generation time and CPU load.** Pre-generation is CPU-intensive. Generating millions of chunks can take days of continuous load and degrades performance for anyone playing while it runs.
* **Backup and restore overhead.** Larger worlds mean larger [backups](/panel/backups), longer save times, and slower restores if something goes wrong.
* **Diminishing returns.** Players almost never travel more than a few thousand blocks from spawn. Pre-generating beyond that wastes resources on terrain no one will see.

**Always cap the radius of your pre-generation.** A radius between **2,000 and 5,000 blocks** works well for most servers.

## Installing Chunky

Chunky works on Bukkit, Spigot, Paper, Purpur, Fabric, Forge, and NeoForge. Use the [plugin manager](/panel/plugin-manager) for the fastest install, or upload the JAR manually if your server type isn't supported in the search.

### Option 1: Install from the plugin manager (recommended)

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the plugin manager">
    Log in to [panel.sculkhosting.com](https://panel.sculkhosting.com), select your server, and click the **Plugins** or **Mods** tab in the sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Search for Chunky">
    Type `Chunky` into the search bar. Look for the plugin by **pop4959**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Install">
    Click **Install** next to Chunky. The panel downloads and places the file in your `plugins` or `mods` folder automatically.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Restart your server">
    Open the **Console** tab and restart the server so Chunky loads.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Option 2: Install manually

<Steps>
  <Step title="Download Chunky">
    Get the latest release from the [Chunky page on Modrinth](https://modrinth.com/plugin/chunky) for your server type and Minecraft version.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload the file">
    Open the [file manager](/panel/file-manager), navigate to the `plugins` folder (Bukkit/Spigot/Paper/Purpur) or `mods` folder (Fabric/Forge/NeoForge), and upload the JAR.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Restart your server">
    Restart from the **Console** tab to load Chunky.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Pre-generating your world

Once Chunky is installed and the server has restarted, run pre-generation commands from the **Console** tab.

<Warning>
  Pre-generated chunks are written to disk and **count against your server's storage quota**. A radius of 5,000 blocks generates roughly 1–3 GB of world data, depending on biomes and structures. A radius of 10,000 blocks can exceed 10 GB. Always set a reasonable radius before starting.
</Warning>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Set the world">
    In the console, set the world Chunky should target. For most servers this is your overworld:

    ```text theme={null}
    chunky world world
    ```

    Replace `world` with `world_nether` or `world_the_end` for those dimensions.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the center point">
    By default Chunky generates around `0, 0`. To center on your spawn or a specific location:

    ```text theme={null}
    chunky center 0 0
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set a safe radius">
    **This is the most important step.** Cap the radius to control how much disk space pre-generation will consume:

    ```text theme={null}
    chunky radius 3000
    ```

    Recommended radii:

    | Server size      | Radius (blocks) | Approximate world size |
    | ---------------- | --------------- | ---------------------- |
    | Small / private  | 1,000–2,000     | \~200–500 MB           |
    | Medium community | 2,000–5,000     | \~1–3 GB               |
    | Large public     | 5,000–10,000    | \~3–10 GB              |

    Stay well below your plan's storage limit. Check current usage in the panel sidebar before deciding.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start generation">
    Begin pre-generating:

    ```text theme={null}
    chunky start
    ```

    Chunky prints progress updates in the console. Generation continues in the background and survives restarts.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Monitor and pause if needed">
    Check progress at any time:

    ```text theme={null}
    chunky status
    ```

    Pause or cancel if you need to:

    ```text theme={null}
    chunky pause
    chunky cancel
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Performance tips

* **Generate during off-peak hours.** Pre-generation is CPU-intensive and can affect performance for online players. Run it overnight or when your server is quiet.
* **Throttle if needed.** Lower Chunky's CPU impact by reducing how aggressively it generates:
  ```text theme={null}
  chunky pattern concentric
  ```
* **Pre-generate the Nether at 1/8th radius.** The Nether uses an 8:1 coordinate ratio with the overworld. If your overworld radius is 3,000, set the Nether radius to about 375 to cover the equivalent area without wasting disk.
* **Don't re-run unnecessarily.** Once chunks are generated, they're saved permanently. You only need to pre-generate again if you expand the playable area.

<Note>
  If you fill your storage quota, your server may fail to save world data or stop responding. If you're unsure how much space your plan includes, check your current usage in the panel or contact [support](/help/contact-support) before running large pre-generations.
</Note>