Screenshot 1 of 2. A scene under a blue sky with a floating dark block and a cow-like mob, with a chat line reading /execute as @e[type=cow] run, shown with CommandAPI.
What CommandAPI works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Folia, Paper, Spigot, Velocity |
| Minecraft versions | 1.13, 1.16.5, 1.17.1, 1.18.2, 1.19.4, 1.20.6, 1.21.11, 26.1.2, 26.2, 26.3 |
CommandAPI is a server-side plugin library that brings the command UI introduced in Minecraft 1.13 to Bukkit-family plugins. It runs on Paper, Spigot, Folia and Velocity, and it is needed on the server only, so players install nothing. Other plugins call it to register their commands, which makes it a dependency more than a feature you notice.
Server software and versions
- Folia: Minecraft 1.15 to 26.3. The newest build needs no dependencies.
- Paper and Spigot: Minecraft 1.13 to 26.3. The newest build needs no dependencies.
- Velocity: Minecraft 1.20 to 26.3. The newest build needs no dependencies.
- Bukkit: Minecraft 1.13 to 1.21.8, builds stopped after July 2025. The newest build needs no dependencies.
What it adds for commands
Developers get validated commands instead of hand-written argument checks. Invalid input is stopped before it runs, and arguments arrive already parsed into the type the command wants.
- Over 40 argument types, with automatic casting to enchantments, entity types, locations, item stacks and potion effects.
- Integer ranges, relative locations with the ~ symbol, raw JSON parsing and suggestions based on who is online.
- Custom arguments that turn strings into your own objects, plus context-aware suggestions.
- Permissions on single arguments, so players without access do not even see the suggestions.
- Support for /execute, Minecraft functions and tags, and proxied senders that run a command as another entity.
- Automatic sender checks, such as a command that only players can run.
- No plugin.yml registration and no extra dependencies. The plugin collects no stats.
Converting existing plugin commands
A built-in converter makes commands from plugins that were not written with CommandAPI usable with /execute and datapacks. You do not need to write code for it.
Installation
Place the plugin file in the plugins folder of your Paper, Spigot, Folia or Velocity server and restart it. The plugin installation guide walks through the steps, and the documentation includes usage notes for server owners.
Questions about CommandAPI.
4 questions
Do players need to install CommandAPI?
No. CommandAPI is required on the server and unsupported on the player side. Players join with a normal install and see the improved command suggestions and validation that the server provides. Only the server owner places the plugin file in the plugins folder and restarts.
Does CommandAPI work on Folia and Velocity?
Yes. Folia and Velocity are both listed alongside Paper and Spigot, and each has a current 12.1.0 release. The ranges for every platform are in the list above. Bukkit builds stopped after July 2025, so use one of the other platforms.
Does CommandAPI need other plugins or dependencies?
No. The newest release on every listed platform requires nothing else. Developers also do not need to import Brigadier in their own projects to use it. You only need a supported server, plus whichever plugins rely on CommandAPI.
Is CommandAPI free and open source?
Yes. The source is on GitHub under an MIT License, which allows use, modification and redistribution. The project also states that it collects no stats about its plugin.
