How to install plugins on a Minecraft server

Minecraft plugins add commands, permissions, minigames, and other server-side features. Vanilla Minecraft does not support plugins, so use compatible server software such as Paper (recommended) or Spigot.

Install plugins

Plugins can be installed by placing the *.jar file of the plugin in the ./plugins directory. If your server runs locally you would have to download the plugin jar file and copy it to the plugins directory of the server.

You can browse and download plugins from the various marketplaces, see PaperMC Hangar, SpigotMC and Modrinth.

Install plugins using the workshop

The simplest way to install plugins is by using our workshop. The workshop is a feature that we provide that enables you to easily browse and install plugins from various marketplaces.

To install a plugin through the workshop:

Navigate to your server on the panel.
Select 'Workshop' in the sidebar.
Select the 'Browse workshop' option.
Select the plugin that you want to install.
Press the 'Install' button.
Select the version that you want to install.
Press the 'Install' button to install the selected version.
Re-start the server to load the plugin.

Install plugins on (third party) hosting

When you use a hosting service like ours, you are typically not able to access the server files in the same manner as your local file system. Instead you have to use the provided (web)panel to manage the server files or use specialized protocols for managing files, such as FTP (File transfer protocol) or SFTP (SSH file transfer protocol).

Install plugins using the panel file management

Our panel offers the functionality to manage the server files directly from the browser. You don't need any other specialized client software to manage the server files, other than the browser that you're already using.

This option is only available for our paid server offering.

To install a plugin through the panel:

Navigate to your server on the panel.
Select 'Files' in the sidebar.
Select the plugins directory.
1. If the plugins directory does not yet exist, make sure that you are using server software that has plugin support and that you have started the server once, as that will generate the plugins directory.
Press the 'Upload files' button.
Select the plugin jar file that you want to install.
1. You can browse and download plugins from the various marketplaces, see PaperMC Hangar, SpigotMC and Modrinth.
Re-start the server to load the plugin.

Dependencies

Some plugins have a dependency on other plugins. This means that the plugin requires another plugin to function correctly. Install every required dependency and choose versions compatible with your Minecraft version and server software.