What Dynmap works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Bukkit, Paper, Spigot |
| Minecraft versions | 1.12.2, 1.16.5, 1.18.2, 1.19.4, 1.20.1, 1.20.6, 1.21.1, 1.21.11 |
Dynmap is a server-side plugin for Paper, Spigot, and Bukkit that renders a live, Google Maps style web map of your Minecraft world in any browser, with no player login required. It tracks player positions in real time, covers every loaded world including the Nether and the End, and starts its own web server so the map works within minutes of installing the JAR. Every platform build, including Forge and Fabric for modded servers, is current through Minecraft 1.21.11 as of the plugin's January 2026 v3.8 release.
What Dynmap Shows
Once installed, Dynmap starts an integrated web server on a configurable port (default 8123). Visiting that address in a browser opens a scrollable, zoomable map of every loaded world.
- Live player name markers with real-time positions
- Multiple render modes: surface (top-down), cave, and flat
- Day and night cycle visualization
- Chat messages displayed as an overlay in the browser
- Custom named markers placed by admins via command or API
- Separate map tabs for each server world
Installation on Paper and Spigot
Installation follows the standard Paper and Spigot plugin process. Drop the correct JAR into your server's plugins folder and restart; the integrated web server starts on port 8123 automatically.
- 1.Download the Spigot or Paper JAR for your Minecraft version from the Modrinth downloads page, or from SpigotMC directly if you're on a newer core than Modrinth's Paper or Spigot tags cover.
- 2.Stop your server if it is running.
- 3.Place the JAR in the plugins/ directory.
- 4.Start the server to generate the default configuration in plugins/dynmap/configuration.txt.
- 5.Open a browser and navigate to http://your-server-ip:8123 to confirm the map is rendering.
Dynmap commands
Every core Dynmap command runs through /dynmap, in game or from the server console; marker placement uses a separate /dmarker command. Each one is gated by its own permission node, so a permissions plugin can hand render or hide access to a rank without giving full admin rights.
- /dynmap fullrender [world[:map]] renders every tile for a world, or one map layer, from scratch. Requires dynmap.fullrender.
- /dynmap fullrender resume <world> restarts an interrupted full render and skips tiles already done. Requires dynmap.fullrender.
- /dynmap radiusrender <radius> [world x z] re-renders a fixed block radius instead of the whole world, the fast way to refresh the map after one build. Requires dynmap.radiusrender.
- /dynmap cancelrender <world> stops an active fullrender or radiusrender on that world. Requires dynmap.cancelrender.
- /dynmap pause all halts every render job; /dynmap pause none resumes them. Requires dynmap.pause.
- /dynmap hide [player] removes a player from the live map, yourself by default or another player by name. Requires dynmap.hide.self for your own position, dynmap.hide.others for someone else's.
- /dynmap show [player] restores a hidden player to the map. Requires dynmap.show.self or dynmap.show.others.
- /dynmap stats [world] prints render statistics for every world, or one. Requires dynmap.stats.
- /dynmap reload reloads Dynmap's configuration without restarting the server. Requires dynmap.reload.
Hosting compatibility for the live map
Dynmap's map runs from its own web server, not through the plugin's main server files, so it needs both an open port and direct file system access to write map tiles. Most free and shared hosts only offer FTP or SFTP access and do not expose extra ports for this reason, which is the single most common reason players cannot reach their map after installing Dynmap correctly.
- Aternos and exaroton do not open the extra port Dynmap and similar map plugins need, confirmed on Aternos's own community board; JourneyMap is a client-side alternative that works without one.
- Apex Hosting and Shockbyte both support Dynmap and publish their own setup guides, including pointing a custom subdomain at the map.
- Cloudflare can hide the port number behind a subdomain with a DNS record and a redirect rule, once the host already allows the port through; it does not open a port a host blocks.
Storage Backends and Rendering Performance
Tile rendering runs on background threads and does not block the main server tick. The first full render of a large world can take hours depending on server hardware. After that, Dynmap only re-renders changed chunks, which keeps ongoing CPU overhead low. Rendered tiles can be stored in several backends:
- Flat files on disk (default, no additional setup required)
- MySQL and MariaDB
- SQLite
- PostgreSQL
- AWS S3 (store and serve tiles directly from a bucket)
Setup Tutorial
How to set up Dynmap on a Minecraft Java Edition server
Questions about Dynmap.
5 questions
How do I install Dynmap?
Download the correct JAR for your server type from the Modrinth page, place it in your plugins folder, and restart the server. The built-in web server starts on port 8123 automatically. Visit http://your-server-ip:8123 in any browser to see the map.
Does Dynmap work on Paper and Spigot?
Yes. Dynmap supports Bukkit, Spigot, and Paper directly. Separate Forge and Fabric builds are also available for modded servers that don't run on Bukkit. Download the JAR that matches your specific server software from the Modrinth downloads page.
Which Minecraft version does Dynmap support?
All platforms, including Paper and Spigot, are current through Minecraft 1.21.11 as of the plugin's January 2026 v3.8 release. Modrinth's own listing still shows Paper and Spigot capped at 1.21.4, since that build wasn't re-uploaded there; SpigotMC lists v3.8 as the current version for every platform, so check there for the newest Paper or Spigot jar.
Does Dynmap affect server performance?
Tile rendering runs on background threads separate from the main server tick, so normal gameplay is not affected during incremental updates. The first full render of a large world is CPU and I/O intensive and can run for several hours. After the initial render, only changed chunks are re-rendered, which keeps ongoing overhead minimal.
Does Dynmap work on free hosts like Aternos?
Not reliably. Dynmap serves the map from its own web port, 8123 by default, and needs direct file system access to write map tiles rather than the FTP or SFTP access most free hosts provide. Aternos and exaroton have said on their own community board that they cannot open that port for Dynmap or similar map plugins. Apex Hosting and Shockbyte both publish setup guides confirming support, so a paid host is the more reliable choice.
