How to update plugins on a Minecraft server

To update a plugin, take a snapshot, stop the server, replace the old .jar in the plugins folder with the new one, and start the server again. The plugin's config folder stays in place, so your settings carry over.

Before updating#

1. Read the changelog. Major version jumps sometimes change config formats, commands or permissions.
2. Check compatibility. Make sure the new version supports your Minecraft and Paper version.
3. Take a snapshot or backup. Use the Snapshots or Backups section of your server so you can roll back if the update breaks something. Each server has 3 snapshot slots by default.

Step by step#

1. Download the new .jar from the same source you got the original from.
2. Stop the server from the console.
3. Open the file manager and go to plugins.
4. Delete the old jar, for example LuckPerms-Bukkit-5.4.100.jar.
5. Upload the new jar.
6. Start the server and watch the console for the plugin's enable message and any errors.

Deleting the old jar matters. If you leave two versions of the same plugin in plugins, Paper reports an ambiguous plugin name and only one of them loads, often the wrong one.

Using the update folder#

Bukkit-based servers also support an update folder. Put the new jar in plugins/update with exactly the same file name as the old jar, and on the next restart the server swaps it in automatically. This is handy for scheduled restarts, but because plugin file names usually include the version number, deleting and uploading by hand is often simpler.

After updating#

• Run plugins in the console to confirm it is enabled (green).
• Look in the plugin's folder for new or renamed files. Some plugins write a fresh default config and keep your old one as config.yml.old or similar, so you may need to copy settings across.
• Test the main features: commands, permissions and anything players rely on.

Updating when you change Minecraft version#

When you move the server to a newer Minecraft version, update your plugins at the same time. Old plugins built against an older API may fail with errors like Unsupported API version or NoSuchMethodError. A safe order is:

1. Snapshot the server.
2. Check every plugin has a release for the new version. Remove or replace any that do not.
3. Update the server jar and the plugins together.
4. Start the server and read the full startup log before letting players in.

Plugins that are critical and not yet updated are a good reason to wait before upgrading Minecraft.

Rolling back#

If an update causes problems, stop the server and either put the old jar back or restore the snapshot you took. Restoring a snapshot rolls back the whole server, including worlds, so anything built since the snapshot is lost.

Related#

• Why a plugin won't load
• Where to download safe plugins