Minecraft Plugins are server-side add-ons that change server behavior, add commands, manage permissions, and more. Players connect with a completely unmodified Minecraft client.
Paper is the recommended server software for plugins. It’s a fork of Spigot with better performance, faster security patches, and an extended API for plugin developers. We recommend Paper over Spigot and even over Vanilla, even if you aren’t using any plugins.
For step-by-step plugin installation instructions, see the Quick Start Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Plugins only work on Bukkit-based servers like Paper or Spigot. Fabric and Forge use mods instead. If you want plugins, switch to Paper using the Edition Installer.
Upload the plugin's .jar file to the plugins folder using the File Manager, then restart your server. See the Quick Start Guide for detailed steps.