How to install plugins on a Minecraft server

Plugins add features to your server without players needing to install anything: land claims, economy, ranks, minigames and much more. Installing one only takes a minute, as long as your server can run them.

You need Paper or Spigot

The official vanilla server jar can't load plugins. You need server software with a plugin system, such as Paper, Spigot or a Paper fork like Purpur. Most owners use Paper. See Paper vs Spigot vs Purpur vs Fabric if you are not sure. Plugins don't work on Fabric or NeoForge servers, which use mods instead.

Where to download plugins safely

Use the well-known plugin sites: Modrinth, Hangar (run by the Paper team) and SpigotMC. Many larger plugins also link to official downloads from their own website or GitHub page. Avoid random re-upload sites and “cracked” premium plugins: they are a common way to get backdoors and malware onto servers.

Before downloading, check the plugin page for the supported Minecraft versions and server software, and when it was last updated. An old plugin may fail to load on a newer server.

Installing a plugin

1. Stop the server.
2. Put the plugin's .jar file in the plugins folder inside your server folder. On a host, upload it through the file manager or SFTP.
3. Start the server again. The plugin creates its own folder inside plugins with a config file.
4. Run /plugins in game or in the console. Working plugins are listed in green, plugins that failed to start in red.
5. Edit the plugin's config if needed, then restart again or use the plugin's own reload command if it has one.

Restart, don't use /reload

The built-in /reload command tries to reload every plugin while the server keeps running. Many plugins don't handle it well, and it can cause memory leaks, duplicated tasks and strange bugs. Always do a full restart after adding, removing or updating plugins.

When a plugin doesn't load

• Read the console during startup. Search for the plugin name and look at the first error, not the last one.
• Missing dependency: the error usually names another plugin that is required, for example a library or a permissions plugin. Install it into the same folder and restart.
• Wrong version: the plugin may be built for another Minecraft version or need a newer Java version. Download the matching release.
• Two plugins doing the same job can conflict. Remove one and test again.

Add plugins one or two at a time, and take a backup before big changes. Want players to get rewards for voting on CraftRank? The vote rewards guide walks you through our plugin.