How to install plugins on your server

Plugins only work on plugin-compatible server software: Paper, Spigot or Purpur. They do not work on Vanilla, and they are not the same thing as mods (which usually require client installs). If you're unsure what you're running, check our server software guide first.

Where to get plugins safely

Always check that the plugin supports your Minecraft version before downloading — a plugin built for 1.8 will not magically work on a modern server. And only download from the sources above; re-uploaded plugin jars on random sites are a classic malware vector.

• ✦Hangar (hangar.papermc.io) — PaperMC's official plugin repository
• ✦SpigotMC (spigotmc.org/resources) — the largest plugin library
• ✦Modrinth (modrinth.com) — modern, fast, hosts both plugins and mods

Installation, step by step

On first start, most plugins create their own folder inside plugins/ containing a config.yml. That's where you customize them — edit the file, then restart again (or use the plugin's own reload command if it has one).

• ✦Download the plugin's .jar file
• ✦Upload it to the plugins folder of your server (file manager or SFTP)
• ✦Restart the server — a full restart, not just /reload
• ✦Run /plugins in-game: the plugin should appear in green

A solid starter set

• ✦EssentialsX — homes, warps, kits and the core commands every server wants
• ✦LuckPerms — permissions: who can use which commands
• ✦Vault — a compatibility layer many other plugins depend on
• ✦WorldGuard + WorldEdit — protect spawn and manage regions
• ✦CoreProtect — logs every block change so you can roll back griefing

When a plugin doesn't load

• ✦Check the console log right after startup — the error is almost always explained there
• ✦Wrong Minecraft version is the most common cause
• ✦Missing dependency: some plugins require another plugin (often Vault) to be installed first
• ✦Two plugins doing the same job (two permission managers, two economies) often conflict — pick one