MinecraftUpdated 5 min read

How to Install Plugins on a Minecraft Server

Install plugins from Modrinth, Hangar, SpigotMC and CurseForge with Package Manager, or upload the JAR yourself. Which server software runs plugins, permissions, and what the log says when one doesn't load.

Plugins add features to a Minecraft server (permissions, land claims, economy, minigames, Discord chat) without players installing anything.

Before you start: plugins need Paper

Plugins are written for the Bukkit API, which only some server software has.

Server software Runs plugins?
Paper or Purpur Yes: Bukkit, Spigot and Paper plugins. The best choice for a plugin server
Spigot Bukkit and Spigot plugins, but not Paper-only ones
Folia Only plugins built for Folia
Vanilla, Fabric, Forge, NeoForge No

On vanilla, switch to Paper in Package Manager first. Your world carries over: see How to Install Paper.

On a modded server, a plugin JAR is simply ignored: Forge, NeoForge and Fabric load mods, and have no Bukkit API. Look for a mod that does the same job instead (LuckPerms, for example, has Forge, NeoForge and Fabric versions). On Fabric, Cardboard can run some simple plugins: see How to Run Plugins on Fabric With Cardboard.

Install a plugin with Package Manager

  1. Open your server and go to Package Manager.
  2. Click Browse packages and search for the plugin. Results come from Modrinth, Hangar, SpigotMC and CurseForge.
  3. Open it, pick a version, and click Install. By default you only see versions built for your server's Minecraft version.
  4. If it needs other plugins, the panel shows Other packages will be installed too and adds them for you.
  5. Package changes are applied the next time the server starts, so restart it from Console when you're done.

The plugin appears under installed packages, and its config folder is created in plugins on first start.

Install a plugin that isn't listed

For a plugin Package Manager doesn't find, or a premium plugin you've bought:

  1. Stop the server from Console.
  2. Open Files and go into the plugins folder.
  3. Upload the plugin's .jar file. Don't unzip it or put it in a subfolder.
  4. Upload any plugins it depends on the same way. The plugin's page lists them; common ones are Vault, ProtocolLib, PlaceholderAPI and LuckPerms.
  5. Start the server.

For large uploads, SFTP is faster: see How to Configure an SFTP Client. Plugins added by hand aren't tracked, so Package Manager can't update them: you update them by replacing the JAR.

Download plugins only from Modrinth, Hangar or SpigotMC. Plugins run with full access to your server, and re-uploads on other sites can contain malware.

Warning

Restart the server to load a new plugin. Don't use /reload: it reloads every plugin in place, and many plugins break or leak memory when it's used.

Check it loaded

Run this in Console:

plugins

Plugins in green loaded. A plugin in red, or missing from the list, failed, and the startup log says why.

When a plugin doesn't load

Scroll Console back to the server start, or open logs/latest.log in Files, and search for the plugin's name.

The log says What it means Fix
Unknown/missing dependency plugins: [Vault] It needs another plugin Install the one in brackets, then restart
Unsupported API version Built for a newer Minecraft version Use a plugin version that matches your server
UnsupportedClassVersionError Needs newer Java than the server runs Update the server, or use an older plugin version
Could not load 'plugins/X.jar' Not a valid plugin for this server Check it's the plugin itself, for Paper or Spigot
Error occurred while enabling It loaded, then crashed starting up Read the lines below it; often a broken config or missing database
Ambiguous plugin name The same plugin is in plugins twice Delete the older JAR

See How to Read Server Logs.

Configure it

Most plugins create plugins/<PluginName>/config.yml. Open it in Files, change what you need, save, and restart (or use the plugin's own reload command if it has one: that's safe, unlike /reload).

Give players permission to use it

Plugin commands are limited by permission nodes, such as essentials.home. By default operators get everything and other players only the basics. Making everyone an operator is quick, but gives them every command, including stop and ban. For anything beyond a few trusted friends, install LuckPerms and grant only what each group needs: see How to Install LuckPerms. Each plugin's page lists its permission nodes.

Update or remove a plugin

Take a backup first in Backups. Then:

  • Installed with Package Manager: find the plugin under installed packages, and pick a newer version or remove it. Restart afterwards.
  • Uploaded by hand: stop the server, replace or delete the JAR in plugins, and start the server.

Removing a plugin leaves its folder in plugins. Delete that too if you don't want to keep its settings and data.