Screenshot 1 of 4. Wide view of a jungle biome with green canopy, pale stone cliffs and a river in ESU.
What ESU works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Bukkit, Folia, Paper, Purpur, Spigot, Velocity |
| Minecraft versions | 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 |
ESU is a server plugin for Bukkit, Spigot, Paper, Folia and Purpur, with a separate Velocity plugin, that bundles optimisation, chat tools and bandwidth-saving anti-xray into independent modules. It runs on the server only, so players join with a normal install. Its headline feature is a chunk data throttle that compresses block data players cannot see.
Server software and versions
- Bukkit, Folia, Paper, Purpur and Spigot: Minecraft 1.16.5 to 26.3. The newest build needs no dependencies, optionally PacketEvents, PlaceholderAPI and PlugManX.
- Velocity: Minecraft 1.16.5 to 26.3. The newest build needs no dependencies, optionally PacketEvents and ServerUtils.
Bandwidth and anti-xray
ChunkDataThrottle compresses hidden block data inside chunk packets and doubles as anti-xray. Processing takes up to 0.3 ms per chunk. On a 200-player vanilla survival server running for months, Rothes reports about 50% less upload bandwidth compared with vanilla. It needs Spigot or Paper 1.18+.
EntityCulling hides entities behind walls to save bandwidth, or to act as anti-esp, and needs Paper 1.19+. AfkEfficiency cuts packets sent to idle players, which helps around mob farms. DynamicChunkSendRate works with the Velocity plugin to smooth bandwidth spikes, and HighLatencyAdjust shrinks view distance for laggy players.
Other modules
- Chat: EsuChat (range chat, private messages, admin spy), ChatAntiSpam, SocialFilter for chat, signs and anvil names, and CommandAntiSpam and BlockedCommands with regular expressions.
- Server tuning: waterlogged block handling, chunk ticket settings, per-biome mob spawning, and spoofed view distance, simulation distance and difficulty.
- Upkeep: AutoBroadcast, AutoRestart, BetterEventMessages, SpawnProtect, and ExploitFixes for trident and bow duplication.
- Utilities: a News book with an in-game editor, commands such as ping, ip and tpChunk, and an ItemEdit module that changes the item in hand, separate from the ItemEdit plugin.
Installing and configuring
Follow the usual steps in how to install plugins on a Paper or Spigot server, then restart. ESU supports hot loading, unloading and updates, and messages follow each player's language.
Questions about ESU.
4 questions
How do I install ESU on my server?
Put the plugin file in the plugins folder of a Paper, Spigot, Purpur or Folia server and restart. For a proxy, use the Velocity plugin in the Velocity plugins folder. Then enable the modules you want in their configs, since all of them are off by default.
Does ESU work on Folia and Velocity?
Yes. Folia has its own listed builds alongside Bukkit, Paper, Purpur and Spigot, and a separate Velocity plugin exists. The Velocity side pairs with DynamicChunkSendRate, which uses proxy bandwidth information to adjust chunk sending.
Does ESU slow my server down?
The chunk throttle takes up to 0.3 ms per chunk, which Rothes describes as extremely low load. Because every module is disabled until you switch it on, you only pay for the features you enable.
Can I run ESU with Orebfuscator?
No, not for anti-xray. ESU's chunk throttle conflicts with other obfuscation plugins and cannot run alongside them. Choose one: either ESU's anti-xray or a separate Orebfuscator setup.
