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What you will build
This tutorial takes you from an empty development folder to a locally tested Hytale server plugin. The primary route uses the Java server API published by Hypixel Studios and the maintained HytaleModding/plugin-template. The template supports Java or Kotlin and supplies Gradle tasks for preparing a development installation and launching a local server.
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The examples focus on a small first feature: a command or event handler that you can expand into gameplay systems. Hytale’s official documentation currently labels release 0.7.2 as current (2026), so treat every API name and setup instruction as version-sensitive. Re-check the documentation and Java API reference before changing a dependency or updating a server.
Prerequisites and machine requirements
| Requirement | What the current guidance says | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Operating-system architecture | The official server manual supports x64 and arm64 devices. | Your Java runtime and server package must match the machine architecture. |
| Memory | Hypixel Studios’ 2026 manual gives 4GB RAM as the minimum for a Hytale server. | That is a floor, not a performance target. Player count, entities, view distance and world loading can raise the real requirement. |
| Java | Install Java 25. The server manual, the plugin template and current setup guidance all require it. | Older Java releases can prevent Gradle tasks or the server from starting. |
| Editor | Use an IDE with Java or Kotlin and Gradle support; the template and CurseForge guide recommend IntelliJ IDEA. | Code navigation, Gradle integration and debugger support are valuable when learning the API. |
| Source template | Use the maintained HytaleModding/plugin-template rather than assembling a build from unrelated snippets. | It keeps repositories, plugin tasks and the expected project layout aligned with current development tooling. |
Verify Java before opening the project
Open a terminal and run:
java -versionThe reported major version should be 25. If your system has multiple JDKs, also check the Gradle JVM selected by your IDE; a terminal using Java 25 does not help if the IDE launches Gradle with an older JDK. Correct the IDE’s Gradle JDK setting, then run the version check again.
Start with the official documentation and API reference
Read the Hytale Documentation for the current release and use its Java server API reference when you need a class, method or event signature. The API reference is the authoritative contract for Java plugins; blog posts and old examples may target a different release.
- Confirm the displayed release before copying an example. The documentation identifies 0.7.2 as current in 2026.
- Use the API reference to identify the command interface, event types, registration hook and player or server objects required by your feature.
- Keep the release number beside your project notes. When an update changes an interface, you can tell whether the break is in your code or in the server API.
Do not guess a package or method name from memory. Hytale plugin APIs can evolve while the game is in active development, and a class that worked against one release may not compile against another.
Set up the Java or Kotlin template
- Copy or clone the maintained HytaleModding/plugin-template into a new working directory. Open that directory as a project in your IDE, not merely as a collection of source files.
- Inspect
gradle.propertiesand replace the template’s project metadata with your own mod ID, display name, version and other values requested by the file. Keep the mod ID stable after you publish; changing it can make the server treat an update as a different plugin. - Run the development setup task from the project root:
./gradlew setupHytaleDevOn Windows, use the repository’s Gradle wrapper command appropriate to your shell if the Unix-style wrapper is not recognized.
- Start the local development server with:
./gradlew runServerWatch the terminal for the server’s startup and authentication messages. Leave this process running while you test, and stop it cleanly before rebuilding or replacing the plugin.
The first Gradle run can download dependencies and take longer than later runs. A failed setup is usually an environment or version problem rather than a Java-code problem, so check Java 25, network access to the repositories declared by the template and the exact task output before editing source.
Understand the project layout before writing code
| Path or file | Purpose | Typical beginner action |
|---|---|---|
src/main/java |
Java source files. | Create your plugin class and feature classes here, keeping package names consistent with the source tree. |
src/main/resources |
Non-code resources loaded into the plugin. | Keep manifest.json and any configuration or text resources here. |
manifest.json |
Describes the plugin to Hytale. | Set the ID, main class, version and compatibility metadata so the server can identify and load the plugin. |
gradle.properties |
Project identity and Gradle properties used by the template. | Edit the existing keys rather than inventing a second configuration system. |
| Gradle build and settings files | Declare repositories, plugins, dependencies and tasks. | Run the supplied tasks first; change these files only when the API documentation or template instructions require it. |
Manifest fields you must keep coherent
The template’s manifest supports the fields below. The exact spelling and nesting are defined by the current template, so preserve its structure while changing values.
- Mod ID: a unique, stable identifier.
- Main class: the fully qualified class that Hytale should initialize.
- Version: your plugin version, independent of the Hytale release number.
- Author: the person or team responsible for the plugin.
- Description: a short explanation visible to administrators.
- URL: an optional project page if you maintain one.
- Dependencies: plugins or APIs that must be present before yours loads.
- Server-version metadata: compatibility information required by the template and current server.
A common failure is a main-class value that does not match the package declaration, or a manifest stored outside src/main/resources. Fix the path and spelling before investigating API code.
Implement a first feature safely
Start with one observable behavior and no persistent data. A command that reports a small piece of server or player information, or an event handler that logs a player connection, gives you a short feedback loop without introducing database or world-editing complexity.
Plan the behavior
- Choose one trigger: a command entered by a player, a player-connect event, or a chat event.
- Define the result in one sentence, such as “when a player connects, write a line to the server log” or “when an authorized player runs the command, return the current player count.”
- Decide what should happen for an invalid sender, missing permission or malformed argument.
- Write down the expected log line or chat response so you can distinguish a successful registration from a command that was never loaded.
Follow the API registration sequence
Use the 0.7.2 Java API reference to select the current interfaces and registration methods. The names can change between releases, so the following is a schematic sequence rather than copy-and-paste code:
plugin initialization
- obtain the server or plugin context
- create the command or event handler
- register it with the context
- return control to the serverPlace the implementation under src/main/java, keep initialization small, and move business logic into a separate class once the first test works. Compile after each API change. If the IDE cannot resolve an import, consult the API reference and the template’s declared dependency instead of adding a random library.
Test the feature in the local server
- Stop the local server if it is running with an old build, then run
./gradlew build. - Locate the newly produced plugin JAR in the build output. Do not rename it unless the template or deployment instructions tell you to; the manifest, not a filename guess, identifies the plugin.
- Place the JAR in the local server’s Mods directory as described in the deployment section below.
- Restart the server and read the startup log. Confirm that your plugin is listed as loaded before testing its command or event.
- Trigger the behavior exactly once, record the result, then test the failure case you planned. A plugin that only works for the happy path is not finished.
Build and deploy the Java plugin
Build with Gradle
From the project root, run:
./gradlew buildThe Gradle build compiles source, processes resources and writes the distributable JAR into the project’s build output. The exact subdirectory and filename are determined by the template; inspect the task output rather than assuming a path.
Install for a Windows local server
CurseForge’s plugin guidance, modified January 14, 2026, identifies the local Windows Mods directory as:
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- Copy the JAR produced by
./gradlew buildinto that Mods directory. - Remove or move the previous version if both files would represent the same plugin; duplicate versions can create confusing load results.
- Start the server and verify the plugin’s load message before connecting with a client.
On another operating system, use the corresponding Hytale UserData Mods directory created by the official server installation. Keep the server’s required file layout intact; do not scatter plugin files through the world or executable directories.
Authentication, assets and the server runtime
The official server manual documents device authentication and the --assets launch argument. Expect an authentication step when you first run a server or move it to a new machine. Follow the current prompts in the manual rather than copying credentials between machines.
The server also expects a particular installation layout and asset availability. If the process starts but cannot load a world or reports missing assets, check the manual’s required files and launch arguments before debugging your plugin. A plugin cannot initialize reliably while the underlying server is incomplete.
For development, keep a separate test server and test world. This lets you restart frequently, replace a JAR safely and reproduce a bug without risking a production world.
Java/Kotlin versus HytaleJS
Java or Kotlin is the first-party-aligned route because Hytale publishes a Java server API and the maintained template builds directly against it. HytaleJS is a documented JavaScript/TypeScript bridge maintained separately. It can be a good fit if your existing skills are in web tooling, but it is not the official Java API itself.
| Decision factor | Java or Kotlin template | HytaleJS |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Developers who want the published server API, IDE type checking and a conventional JVM plugin. | Developers already comfortable with JavaScript or TypeScript and Node-based build tools. |
| API position | Directly aligned with Hytale’s Java API reference. | A third-party bridge whose abstractions and release timing are maintained separately. |
| Tooling | Gradle, Java or Kotlin and an IDE with JVM support. | Node.js 18 or newer, @hytalejs.com/core, TypeScript and esbuild. |
| Build command | ./gradlew build. |
npm run build. |
| Deployment target | A plugin JAR in the Hytale server’s Mods directory. | dist/plugin.js copied into the HytaleJS scripts directory. |
| Maintenance risk | Changes track the official API, although the API itself can change with Hytale releases. | You must track both Hytale changes and the bridge’s compatibility updates. |
| Debugging | Strong Java/Kotlin navigation, compile-time checks and Gradle/IDE debugging. | Familiar Node and TypeScript diagnostics, with an additional runtime bridge layer. |
Build a HytaleJS plugin instead
Choose this route only if you want JavaScript or TypeScript and accept the separate maintenance layer.
- Install Node.js 18 or newer.
- Create the HytaleJS project with the dependencies documented by its maintainers:
@hytalejs.com/core, TypeScript and esbuild. - Implement one small feature. HytaleJS documents a
/playerscommand and examples for player-connect and chat events; use those examples as the syntax reference for the current bridge version. - Run the build task:
npm run build - Copy the generated
dist/plugin.jsto:hytale-server/mods/bmstefanski_HytaleJS/scripts/ - Restart the Hytale server. HytaleJS scripts are loaded on restart, so changing the file while the process is running will not test the new code.
Keep the bridge version and Hytale server release recorded together. If a script stops loading after an update, first check whether the bridge supports the new server release, then inspect your own code.
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Gradle says the Java version is unsupported
Run java -version, check the IDE’s Gradle JVM and verify that both report Java 25. A system-wide JDK and the IDE’s selected JDK can differ.
setupHytaleDev cannot prepare the environment
Confirm that you opened the template root, not a parent directory; allow Gradle to access its declared repositories; and read the first error in the task output. Re-run after correcting Java or network problems instead of repeatedly deleting files.
The server starts but the plugin is not listed
- Confirm the JAR is in the server’s Mods directory, not the project’s source or build directory.
- Check that the manifest is under
src/main/resourcesand that its main-class value matches the compiled package and class. - Remove an older duplicate JAR and restart.
- Verify that the plugin’s server-version metadata and dependencies match the current release.
The command or event never fires
Look for the plugin’s successful load message first. Then verify that registration occurs during plugin initialization, that the command name and event type match the API reference, and that your test uses the correct sender or permission. Add a log line at registration and another inside the handler; this separates a loading problem from a trigger problem.
Best Value
The server fails during startup after an update
Restore the last known-good JAR, keep the world unchanged, and test the new build on a copy of the server. Compare the current API reference and template metadata with the release you are running. Do not mix a plugin compiled for one release with an unverified server update.
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HytaleJS builds but nothing changes in game
Check that dist/plugin.js, not a TypeScript source file, was copied to hytale-server/mods/bmstefanski_HytaleJS/scripts/, then restart the server. Read the bridge and server logs for a script-load error.
Move from local testing to a maintained server
- Keep development, staging and production directories separate.
- Back up the world and plugin JARs before every production change.
- Test the exact built artifact on staging, including a clean restart and the failure cases for your command or event.
- Record the Hytale release, Java 25 version, plugin version and dependency versions in a change note.
- Update one dependency or plugin at a time so a regression has a clear cause.
- Stage updates during a maintenance window, stop the server cleanly, replace the artifact, start it and read the complete startup log before allowing players in.
The official manual documents staged updates and plugin loading as operational concerns, not just development details. Treat a plugin JAR as part of the server release: test it, back it up and keep a rollback copy.
A practical first-week learning plan
- Day 1: install Java 25, open the template and complete
setupHytaleDev. - Day 2: run
runServer, complete authentication and verify the server’s required layout and assets. - Day 3: read the current API reference and implement one command or connection event with a log message.
- Day 4: build the JAR, deploy it to the Mods directory and test both success and invalid-input behavior.
- Day 5: add configuration or permissions only after the first feature is stable; keep each change in version control.
Once this loop is reliable—edit, build, deploy, restart, read logs, test—you have the foundation for larger gameplay systems without losing track of which release or artifact is running.
Quick Recap
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