How to Install Plugins on a Minecraft Server (Paper, Spigot & Purpur)

Plugins vs mods: check your server software

Plugins and mods are not the same thing, and this is the first place people get stuck.

• Plugins run on the server only. Players join with a normal, unmodded game. They need plugin-capable server software: Paper, Purpur or Spigot (and proxies like Velocity have their own plugins). • Mods change the game itself and run on Fabric, Forge or NeoForge. Most mods must be installed by every player too.

A Vanilla server can't load plugins at all. If you put a plugin .jar into a Vanilla server, nothing happens. Switch to Paper first; it runs Vanilla worlds and adds the plugin system. Bedrock Dedicated Server doesn't support Java plugins either.

Where to download plugins

Only download plugins from the official sites and the developer's own pages. A plugin runs with full access to your server, so a fake or modified jar can steal data or wreck your world.

• Modrinth (modrinth.com/plugins): plugins with clear version and loader filters. • Hangar (hangar.papermc.io): PaperMC's own plugin repository. • SpigotMC (spigotmc.org/resources): the largest and oldest collection. • The developer's GitHub releases page, linked from one of the above.

Avoid sites that offer paid plugins for free. Those "leaked" jars are a common way to spread malware to servers.

• Check two things before downloading: the Minecraft versions the plugin supports, and whether it lists other plugins as dependencies.

Installing a plugin by hand

1. Download the .jar file for your server's Minecraft version. 2. Stop the server. 3. Upload the jar into the plugins/ folder in the server's main directory. Upload the jar itself, not a zip that contains it. 4. Start the server. 5. Run /plugins in game or plugins in the console. Your plugin should be listed in green.

The first start creates a folder for the plugin, usually plugins/PluginName/, with its config.yml and other files.

• Don't use /reload to load new plugins. It reloads every plugin in a way many plugins don't support, causing memory leaks and odd bugs. Restart instead.

Installing on Enzonic with one click

On an Enzonic Paper or Purpur server, open the plugin installer in the panel. It searches Modrinth, Hangar and SpigotMC together, shows versions that match your server, and installs required dependencies along with the plugin. Restart the server afterwards so the plugin loads.

You can still install anything by hand: upload jars to plugins/ with the web file manager or an SFTP client such as FileZilla. Both work on the free tier. Paid SpigotMC resources have to be downloaded from your own SpigotMC account and uploaded this way.

Dependencies: plugins that need other plugins

Many plugins rely on others. Common ones are Vault (an economy and permissions bridge), ProtocolLib (packet access), and PlaceholderAPI (placeholders shared between plugins). The plugin's page lists what it needs.

If a dependency is missing, the plugin fails to load and the console shows an error naming the missing plugin, often as UnknownDependencyException. Install the dependency into plugins/ and restart.

Soft dependencies are optional. The plugin loads without them but enables extra features if they are present.

Configuring plugins

Most plugins are configured in YAML files inside their folder. YAML is strict about indentation: use spaces, never tabs, and keep the same indentation as the surrounding lines. A single wrong space can stop the whole file from loading.

After editing, use the plugin's own reload command if it has one (for example /lp reload style commands listed on the plugin page), or restart the server. Keep a copy of a config before large edits so you can roll back.

# Correct: two spaces per level, no tabs
settings:
  welcome-message: "Welcome to the server"
  max-homes: 3

Good first plugins for a new server

• LuckPerms: permissions, so you can decide who can use which commands. • EssentialsX: homes, warps, spawn, teleport requests and basic commands. • CoreProtect: logs block changes so you can roll back griefing. • A land claim plugin such as GriefPrevention, so players protect their own builds. • Chunky: pre-generates the world to reduce lag while exploring. • spark: performance profiler (built into recent Paper builds). • Geyser and Floodgate: let Bedrock players join.

Add plugins one at a time and test after each. If something breaks, you'll know which one caused it.

Updating plugins safely

1. Make a backup of the server, or at least the plugins/ folder. 2. Read the plugin's changelog for config changes or required server versions. 3. Stop the server, replace the old jar with the new one, and delete the old jar. Two versions of one plugin in plugins/ cause errors. 4. Start the server and check the console.

When you update Minecraft itself, check every plugin's supported versions first. Some plugins need an update for each new Minecraft release.

Plugins on a proxy network

If you run several servers behind a Velocity or BungeeCord proxy, there are two kinds of plugins. Proxy plugins go in the proxy's own plugins/ folder and handle things that span servers, such as network-wide chat, server switching menus, MOTDs and anti-bot protection. Server plugins go on each backend Paper server and handle gameplay.

A Velocity plugin won't load on Paper, and a Paper plugin won't load on Velocity. Check which platform a plugin is built for on its download page. Some plugins, such as LuckPerms and Geyser, offer separate downloads for each platform, and you install the matching version on each part of the network.

Troubleshooting: plugin not loading

Look at the console during startup and search for the plugin's name. The error tells you which case you have:

• "Unsupported API version" or the plugin says it needs a newer server: the plugin is made for a newer Minecraft version. Update the server or find an older plugin version. • UnsupportedClassVersionError or "class file version 65.0": the plugin needs a newer Java. Class file version 61 means Java 17 and 65 means Java 21. • UnknownDependencyException: install the missing plugin named in the error. • "Invalid plugin.yml" or "zip file is empty": the download is broken or you uploaded the wrong file. Download it again. • Nothing at all in the log: the jar is in the wrong folder, or the server is Vanilla or a modded server that doesn't load plugins. • Listed in red under /plugins: it loaded but failed to enable. Scroll up in the console for the error.

On Enzonic, if a plugin or Minecraft version needs a different Java version, the panel detects the mismatch and offers a one-click switch.

Install a plugin on a Paper Minecraft server: step by step

1. Use plugin-capable software Make sure the server runs Paper, Purpur or Spigot. Vanilla can't load plugins.
2. Download the right version Get the plugin's .jar from Modrinth, Hangar or SpigotMC, matching your Minecraft version, plus any listed dependencies.
3. Upload to the plugins folder Stop the server and upload the jar (and dependencies) into the plugins folder, or install them with your host's plugin installer.
4. Restart and verify Start the server and run /plugins. The plugin should appear in green. If not, read the console error.
5. Configure it Edit the config.yml in plugins/PluginName with spaces, not tabs, then use the plugin's reload command or restart.

Frequently asked questions

Related

• Paper server hosting
• GeyserMC and Floodgate setup
• Paper and Purpur optimization
• Make a server for friends
• Minecraft Java + Bedrock Crossplay Server: How It Works
• How Much RAM Does a Minecraft Server Need? (2026 Guide)