How to install Minecraft plugins on Paper and Spigot

Installing a plugin is copying one file and restarting. The details differ a little between a hosted server panel and a server you run yourself, so both are covered here.

Before you start

• Your server must be Paper, Spigot, Purpur or another Bukkit-based server. Fabric, Forge and vanilla servers cannot load these plugins.
• Know your Minecraft version. A plugin built for 1.21 may refuse to load on 1.19.
• Make a backup of the server folder. It takes a minute and saves a bad evening.

Install on a server you run yourself

1. Stop the server.
2. Open the server folder and find the folder named plugins. It is created on the first start.
3. Copy the .jar file into plugins. Do not unzip it.
4. Start the server.
5. Look at the console. You should see a line like "Enabling MyPlugin v1.0.0". Type /plugins in game or in the console, a loaded plugin is listed in green.

Install on a hosting panel

Most panels (Pterodactyl, Multicraft and similar) have a file manager. Open the plugins folder, use Upload, choose the .jar and restart the server from the panel. Some hosts also offer a plugin installer, but it only lists public plugins, so a custom jar goes through the upload.

Configure it

On the first start a plugin usually creates its own folder inside plugins with a config.yml. Stop the server, edit the file, and start again. Many plugins also have a reload command, but a full restart is the safest way to apply a change.

If the plugin does not load

• "Unsupported class file major version" means the jar needs a newer Java than the server uses. See our Java guide.
• "Invalid plugin.yml" means the file inside the jar is broken. Rebuild the plugin or ask the chat to fix it.
• "Unsupported API version" means the plugin was built for a newer Minecraft than your server runs. Rebuild it for your version.
• Nothing in the log at all usually means the file is not in the plugins folder, or it is still zipped.

Folder layout after the first start

After you start the server with a new plugin, look inside the plugins folder. You should see the jar and a folder with the same name. That folder is created by the plugin and holds its config.yml and any data files. If the folder is missing, the plugin did not load, and the console will say why.

server/
  plugins/
    HomesPlugin-1.0.0.jar
    HomesPlugin/
      config.yml
      homes.yml

Updating or removing a plugin

To update, stop the server, replace the jar with the new one and start again. The config folder stays, but check the new version for added options. To remove a plugin, stop the server, delete the jar and, if you do not need the data, its folder. Do not delete the jar while the server is running, because that can cause errors.

Frequently asked questions

Do players need to install anything?

No. Plugins run on the server only, so players join with a normal client.

Can I run plugins and mods together?

Not on the same software. Paper and Spigot load plugins. Fabric and Forge load mods. Some hybrid servers exist, but they are less stable and not supported here.

The plugin loads but a command does nothing. What now?

Check that you have the permission for it and that the command is listed in plugin.yml. Then read the console right after running it, because errors appear there.