How to Manage Plugins on a Minecraft Server
General Information
Plugins allow you to add new features to your Minecraft server. With them, you can manage permissions, secure the server, add new commands, or automate tasks. Plugins work only on servers with engines that support the Spigot/Paper/Bukkit API (e.g., Paper, Spigot, Purpur, Leaves, etc.) – they do not work on Vanilla or Forge/Fabric servers.
Before modifying plugin configurations, it is recommended to create a full server backup to avoid potential data loss in case of problems.
Always check the plugin’s compatibility with your server engine version before installation. A plugin designed for a newer version may not work on an older engine.
Adding Plugins to the Server
- Stop the server in the Console tab (on the left-hand navigation bar).
- Go to the Files tab in the server management panel.
- Open the
pluginsfolder. - Click Upload to server (cloud icon with an upward arrow).
- Select the
.jarfile downloaded from an official source. - Once the upload is complete, restart the server to activate the plugin.
Example: Installing the EssentialsX plugin
- Download
EssentialsX.jarfrom https://essentialsx.net/downloads.html- Upload it to the
pluginsfolder- Restart the server
Removing Plugins
- Stop the server in the Console tab.
- Go to the Files tab.
- Open the
pluginsfolder. - Select the
.jarfile of the plugin you want to remove. - Click the three-dot icon and choose Delete.
- Restart the server to deactivate the plugin.
Configuration files may remain in the plugins folder after deletion. Remove them manually if they are no longer needed.
Managing and Configuring Plugins
After installation, most plugins create their own subfolder within the plugins directory containing configuration files (.yml). You can modify them either:
- Directly in the server management panel.
- Or by downloading the file locally, editing it, and re-uploading it.
Every change requires a server restart, unless the plugin provides a reload command, such as:
/lp reload
Example: In EssentialsX, set
spawn-on-join: trueinconfig.yml, then restart the server so players are automatically teleported to spawn when they log in.
Plugins to Avoid
- Outdated plugins – may be incompatible with newer versions.
- Plugins from unknown sources – risk of malicious code.
- Plugins duplicating the functionality of others – can cause conflicts.
- Resource-heavy plugins on weak machines – monitor CPU and RAM usage.
Basics of LuckPerms
LuckPerms is one of the most popular permission management plugins. It allows you to create groups, assign permissions, and fully control access to commands and features.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
/lp help | Displays a list of available commands |
/lp editor | Generates a link to the web editor |
/lp user <player> parent add <group> | Assigns a player to a specific group |
/lp user <player> permission set <perm> true/false | Grants or revokes a permission for a player |
/lp listgroups | Lists all groups |
/lp user <player> info | Shows detailed information about a player |
Full documentation and command reference: https://luckperms.net/wiki/Command-Usage
To correctly display prefixes and suffixes, the Vault plugin is required.
Recommended Plugins and Their Use Cases
| Category | Plugin | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Permission Management | LuckPerms | Powerful permission management plugin allowing group creation, permission handling, and multi-platform support. |
| World Editing | WorldEdit | Advanced world-editing plugin with tools for fast building, copying, and pasting structures. |
| FastAsyncWorldEdit | Optimized version of WorldEdit with asynchronous processing and performance improvements, designed for large networks. (experimental) | |
| Mapping | Dynmap | Classic mapping plugin with real-time world rendering, Google Maps style, may burden the main server thread. |
| BlueMap | Modern 3D rendering map plugin with multiple perspectives (flat, 3D, StreetView) and asynchronous processing. | |
| Pl3xMap | Minimalistic and lightweight map plugin with fast rendering in a vanilla-like style. | |
| Squaremap | Efficient 2D real-time map plugin with very low performance impact. | |
| Overviewer | External tool for generating static high-resolution maps, not real-time. | |
| Tablist & Scoreboard | TAB | Advanced player list manager supporting LuckPerms ranks and detailed customization options. |
| Holograms | FancyHolograms | Hologram plugin with animations, interactive elements, and placeholder support. |
| DecentHolograms | Lightweight hologram plugin with animations and optimized packet-based rendering. | |
| NPC | FancyNPC | NPC plugin (1.19.3+) with realistic characters, advanced animations, and command-binding support. |
| Citizens | Feature-rich NPC plugin with traits, scripting, and advanced AI, may consume resources at scale. | |
| Diagnostics & Security | CoreProtect | Logs and restores changes to blocks/items, protecting servers from griefing. |
| Spark | Advanced server performance diagnostics with detailed reports. | |
| Version Compatibility | ViaVersion | Allows newer client versions to join older servers. |
| ViaBackwards | Allows older client versions to join newer servers. | |
| Server Protection | LPX (premium) | Prevents crashes by monitoring critical server failures and restarting processes. |
| InventoryRollback Plus | Creates automatic backups of player inventories after key events (death, joining, leaving server). | |
| AxInventoryRestore | Modern lightweight alternative to InventoryRollback Plus, focusing on simplicity and performance. | |
| Sonar | Advanced real-time antibot plugin with detection algorithms. | |
| Customization | SkinsRestorer | Restores player skins on offline-mode servers or when Mojang authentication is unavailable. |
| Anticheat | Themis | Open-source anticheat fully compatible with GeyserMC for Java and Bedrock cross-play servers. |
| GrimAC | Free open-source movement anticheat supporting versions from 1.8 upwards. | |
| Lightning Grim | Continuation of GrimAC with performance fixes, improved checks, and bug fixes. | |
| Vulcan (premium) | Packet-based advanced anticheat supporting 1.7 to the latest versions. | |
| Matrix (premium) | Commercial anticheat with advanced detection capabilities. | |
| Authentication | AuthMe | Most popular offline-mode authentication plugin with username protection and registration. |
| LimboAPI + LimboAuth | Lightweight authentication for Velocity proxies – fast, efficient login without server strain. | |
| PvP | PvPManager Lite | Prevents players from logging out during combat, with timers and penalties. |
| CombatLogX | Advanced anti-combat logging plugin with warnings and configurable penalties. |
It is recommended to install mapping plugins only on servers with a minimum of 2 vCPU.
Official Plugin Sources
Always download plugins only from official and trusted sources.