Minecraft Server Plugins
Server-side Minecraft plugins for Paper, Spigot, Bukkit, Purpur, Velocity, BungeeCord, and Sponge, with compatibility, dependency, and source review notes.
Start with the plugins almost every server runs.
Permissions, protection, rollback, and the everyday commands players expect. These six cover the baseline for a new Paper or Spigot server.
- EssentialsXHomes, warps, kits, economy, and the admin commands most servers treat as standard equipment.
- LuckPermsThe permissions plugin everything else assumes you have. Set up groups once and every other plugin slots in.
- WorldGuardRegion protection for spawn, builds, and arenas. Pairs with WorldEdit for selections.
- CoreProtectBlock logging and rollback. When someone griefs, you undo it instead of restoring a backup.
- GriefPreventionPlayer-driven land claims that stop grief before it happens, with no admin babysitting.
- BlueMapA live 3D web map of your world that players open in any browser.
Showing 10 resources
Server PluginJavaDynmap
Dynmap renders a real-time Google Maps-style web map of your Minecraft server that any player or admin can browse from a web browser, with live player tracking, multiple worlds, and marker support.
Jul 9, 2026@mikeprimm
Server PluginJavaFastAsyncWorldEdit
FastAsyncWorldEdit (FAWE) is a fork of WorldEdit for Paper and Spigot that turns minutes-long region edits and schematic pastes into a near-instant operation, while adding extra brushes, masks, and per-player limits.
Jul 9, 2026@IntellectualSites
Server PluginJavaQuickShop-Hikari
QuickShop-Hikari is an open-source chest shop plugin that lets Minecraft server players buy and sell items without typing a single command, running on Paper, Purpur, Folia, and Spigot.
Jul 9, 2026@creatorfromhell
Server PluginJavaGeyser
Geyser is a free, open-source bridge plugin that connects Minecraft Bedrock Edition clients to any Java Edition server running Paper, Spigot, BungeeCord, or Velocity. Players on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, Android, iOS, and Windows can join a Java server without any change on their end.
Jun 24, 2026@GeyserMC
Server PluginJavaBlueMap
BlueMap is a server-side plugin that renders your Minecraft world as a real-time interactive 3D map, viewable in any web browser. Works with Paper, Spigot, Purpur, Folia, and Sponge across Minecraft 1.13 through 1.21.
Jun 11, 2026@BlueColored
Server PluginJavaCoreProtect
CoreProtect is a fast, server-side data logging and anti-griefing plugin. It records block changes, container interactions, and player actions, letting admins roll back grief damage or restore builds in seconds without impacting server performance.
Jun 11, 2026@Intelli
Server PluginJavaGriefPrevention
GriefPrevention is the original self-service land claim plugin for Minecraft Java servers. Players use a golden shovel to stake out their territory, blocking grief, theft, and trespassing without any admin involvement.
Jun 11, 2026@RoboMWM
Server PluginJavaWorldGuard
WorldGuard lets server admins protect regions of land from griefers, restrict building and PvP by zone, and fine-tune dozens of gameplay flags across any world.
Jun 11, 2026@me4502
Server PluginJavaLuckPerms
A fast, flexible permissions plugin for Bukkit, Spigot, Paper, BungeeCord, Velocity, and Waterfall servers, with a web editor and a wide range of storage backends.
May 20, 2026@lucko
Server PluginJavaEssentialsX
EssentialsX is a Java Edition server plugin suite for Paper, Spigot, and Bukkit servers, with commands and utilities for homes, warps, economy, chat, signs, and admin workflows.
May 18, 2026@mdcfe
What server plugins are (and what they are not).
Server plugins are Java programs that run inside server software such as Paper, Spigot, or Purpur. They change how the server behaves: permissions, land protection, economy, chat, minigames. Players join with a completely vanilla client, and nothing is installed on their side.
That server-side rule is what separates plugins from mods. Mods load through Fabric, NeoForge, or Forge and change the game client itself, so every player usually has to install them. If a project ships as a Fabric or Forge jar, it is a mod, not a plugin, even when it only does server-side work.
Plugins do not run on Realms or on the vanilla server jar. You need a self-hosted or rented Java Edition server running plugin-capable software.
Which server software to run.
Every plugin page on MinecraftHub lists the server software it supports. The short version:
| Software | What it is | Run it when |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | The modern standard. Fast, stable, runs Bukkit and Spigot plugins. | You are starting a server today. |
| Spigot | The older base Paper builds on. | A legacy setup or a specific plugin forces it. |
| Purpur | A Paper fork with hundreds of extra config toggles. | You want Paper plus deep customization. |
| Folia | Paper with regionized multithreading. Breaks many plugins. | Huge player counts spread across the map. |
| Velocity | A proxy that links multiple servers into one network, with its own plugin ecosystem. | You run more than one server. |
How to install a plugin.
Download the plugin jar from the source linked on its page, drop it into the server's plugins folder, and restart. Most plugins generate a config folder on first boot; edit it, then restart again or use the plugin's reload command.
Check two things before installing: the server versions the build targets, and its dependencies. LuckPerms and Vault sit underneath a large share of the plugin ecosystem, so install those early and the rest goes smoothly.
Server plugin questions.
Do plugins work on Minecraft Realms?
No. Realms does not allow third-party server software, so plugins cannot run there. To use plugins you need your own Java Edition server running Paper, Spigot, Purpur, or similar, either self-hosted or rented from a host.
What is the difference between a plugin and a mod?
Plugins run inside the server and never touch the client; players join with an unmodified game. Mods load through Fabric, NeoForge, or Forge and change the client itself. There is no such thing as a Fabric or Forge plugin in the Bukkit sense.
Do plugins work on Bedrock Edition?
Not directly. Bedrock servers use their own software and addon system. A Java server running the Geyser plugin can let Bedrock players join, but the plugins themselves still run on the Java side.
Are server plugins free?
The big ones are. EssentialsX, LuckPerms, WorldGuard, and CoreProtect are free and open source. Some niche plugins sell premium versions; every MinecraftHub page links the official source so you can see the real price and license before downloading.
Which Minecraft versions do plugins support?
Each build targets specific server versions, and Minecraft's quarterly drops (26.1, 26.2, and so on) mean plugins update more often than they used to. Check the supported versions listed on a plugin's page before updating your server.
Guides for plugins.
All guides ↗- beginner
Beginner Minecraft Installation Guide
A beginner-friendly guide to installing Minecraft mods, resource packs, shaders, maps, data packs, add-ons, skins, and server plugins without mixing up folders or editions.
- resource roundup
Beginner Minecraft Resource Roundup
A beginner-friendly roundup of Minecraft resource types, what each one changes, and which downloads to try first on Java Edition or Bedrock Edition.
- troubleshooting
Minecraft Beginner Troubleshooting Checklist
A calm first-pass checklist for fixing common Minecraft problems before changing files, reinstalling the game, or blaming a world.