forever world

Usually it means the overworld is preserved and player builds are kept. Servers may still reset the End, add a separate resource world, or occasionally rotate non-primary worlds to keep new terrain, loot, and elytra access flowing.

On older servers, expect thousands to tens of thousands of blocks from spawn. Nether highways and public portals are the common way to get out fast, and some servers provide a resource world so you can gather without stripping the main world.

It matures and consolidates. Early-game items lose value, while convenience and services win: bulk blocks, shulker restocks, map art, redstone builds, custom farms, and reliable enchanted gear. Rules around duping, villager trading, and AFK farms matter more because inflation compounds over time.

Persistence is the defining feature, not combat settings. Many are cooperative with land protection. Others allow PvP, but conflict tends to be political and costly because bases, infrastructure, and reputations are long-term assets.

Ask how protections work, how grief is handled, whether any worlds rotate, and what the server does about lag on an aging map. Also look for infrastructure norms like nether roof rules, spawn build guidelines, and policies on abandoned claims.