How do I set my server's MOTD?

Paste the section-sign (§) code into the motd= line of your server.properties file, then restart the server. Most panels also accept it directly since § is a valid character in that file.

What's the difference between the § code and the & code?

They're the same formatting codes with a different prefix character. § is what Minecraft itself reads; & is what most plugins (EssentialsX, chat plugins, sign plugins) expect in their own config files and translate to § internally.

Can I use this for chat messages, not just the MOTD?

Yes — the same codes work in signs, books, /tellraw, scoreboard names and most plugin configs. Use the JSON output for /tellraw or any component that expects a JSON text component.

Minecraft MOTD & Color Code Generator

Where these codes work

server.properties — the motd field, shown in the multiplayer server list.
Plugin configs — EssentialsX, chat plugins, sign plugins and most others use the & variant in their YAML config files.
Commands — /tellraw, /title and book/sign NBT typically want the JSON text component form.

MOTD length limits

Vanilla clients wrap the MOTD at roughly 60 characters per line and show two lines before truncating — color codes themselves don't count toward the visible character limit, but each one still takes up bytes in the file, so keep formatting purposeful rather than piling on every color at once.