Before you start: plugins need Paper (or a fork)
Plugins are .jar files that run inside a plugin server. If yours runs Vanilla, Fabric or Forge, there's nowhere for them to load. Paper is the default on our servers, so you're probably set; if not, choosing the right software comes first.
Check your Minecraft version too. A plugin built for 1.20 may or may not run on 1.21, and its page lists what it supports. Why a plugin “for 1.16” sometimes works on 1.21.
Where to download Paper plugins safely
| Site | What it is |
|---|---|
| Hangar | PaperMC's own plugin repository, made for Paper |
| Modrinth | Plugins and mods, with clear version filters |
| SpigotMC | The largest classic plugin library |
| CurseForge (Bukkit) | A huge library of older Bukkit plugins |
How to install plugins, step by step
Take a backup
One click in the panel. If the plugin misbehaves, you roll back instead of debugging at midnight.
Get the right .jar
Download the build that matches your Minecraft version, and read the page for dependencies: some plugins need Vault, ProtocolLib or another plugin first.
Put it in plugins/
Drag it into the
pluginsfolder in the panel's file manager, or upload it over SFTP. Or skip both: search for it in the panel's Plugins tab and install it with one click.Restart the server
A full restart from the panel. Don't use
/reload: it reloads plugins halfway and causes strange bugs that vanish after a real restart.Check the console
Look for the plugin's startup line, or errors in red. Typing
pluginsin the console lists everything: green loaded, red failed.
Configuring your server's plugins
On first start, most plugins create their own folder inside plugins/ with a config.yml. That file is where you set messages, limits and features. Three rules keep it painless:
- Edit with the server stopped, or use the plugin's own reload command if it has one. Changes made while it runs can be overwritten when it shuts down.
- YAML is strict about spaces. Use spaces, never tabs, and keep the indentation the file already has; one wrong space and the plugin ignores the whole file. Editing configs without corrupting them.
- Permissions belong in your permissions plugin, not in each config. LuckPerms decides who can use what; setting it up properly takes twenty minutes and saves you months.
The plugins nearly every server ends up wanting
| Plugin | What for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| LuckPerms | Ranks and permissions | Install it first; others plug into it |
| EssentialsX | Homes, warps, kits, spawn and basic commands | Turn off the modules you don't use |
| CoreProtect | Logs griefing and rolls it back | Can use the MySQL database every plan includes |
| WorldEdit + WorldGuard | Building tools and protected regions | WorldGuard needs WorldEdit |
| Vault | Bridge between economy and permission plugins | Many plugins require it |
| DiscordSRV | Links Discord and the in-game chat | Needs a Discord bot token |
| Geyser + Floodgate | Lets Bedrock players join your Java server | Needs its own UDP port (allocations) |
| Chunky | Pre-generates the world so exploring doesn't lag | Run it in moderation (see below) |
When a plugin won't load
| What you see | Usual cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| “Unknown command” | The plugin failed to load | Read the console at startup for its error |
| “Missing dependency” | It needs another plugin first | Install the one it names (details) |
UnsupportedClassVersionError | Wrong Java version | Change Java in the panel's Startup tab (details) |
| Loads but does nothing | Permissions or config | Check LuckPerms and the plugin's config.yml |
| Two plugins break each other | Both handle the same thing | Keep only one (conflicts) |
Still stuck? A plugin will not load walks through the diagnosis in order. Ask us on Discord too: we're happy to help with small things like a plugin that won't start, and we'll always check whether the server, the panel or the network is the problem. Complex, made-to-measure configurations are the part we leave to you.
If you remember one thing
Paper plus a short list of well-maintained plugins, installed one at a time from trusted sites, restarted (never reloaded) and configured with care. That's most of what running a stable plugin server takes.
Questions people ask
Put the plugin's .jar in the plugins folder of a Paper, Purpur or Spigot server and restart it. On EnduranceNodes you can also install from the panel's Plugins tab.
No. Vanilla only supports datapacks. Switch to Paper first; your world carries over.
It reloads plugins halfway and leaves old data in memory, which causes bugs that disappear after a real restart. Restart instead.
No. Plugins run on Paper-type servers and players install nothing; mods run on Fabric or Forge and players usually need the same mods.
There's no fixed limit; it depends on what they do. Thirty light plugins can cost less than one heavy one. Watch your TPS and use spark if it drops.
About this article: It comes from what I have learned running EnduranceNodes, and it is published here first. We sell Minecraft hosting, so everything I say about us can be checked on this site, and I point out where we are not the best fit.