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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →To install a Mindustry server plugin, obtain a Java .jar built for the exact Mindustry version running on your dedicated server, copy it into the server’s config/mods/ folder, and restart the server. Confirm the plugin in the startup console or with the mods command. Plugins run on the server, so players normally do not install the plugin on their clients. Configuration is plugin-specific: there is no universal Mindustry plugin config.json.
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What a Mindustry server plugin does
A Mindustry server plugin is a server-side Java modification packaged as a JAR file. It extends the dedicated server rather than changing every player’s game installation. Typical plugins add administrative or gameplay commands, introduce custom game modes, automate moderation tasks, or expose settings that the server owner can change.
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Because the code runs on the server, a client normally needs only the regular Mindustry game to join. The server sends the game state and applies the plugin’s rules. A plugin that adds a feature visible to players may still have its own client-facing limitations, so read that project’s documentation before assuming every feature works in every client version.
Compatibility is tied to the Mindustry release for which the plugin was built. A JAR that worked on one game version can fail on another, even when the filename looks correct. Treat the game version, plugin release, and any stated API requirement as a single compatibility set.
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What you need before installing
- A running dedicated server: You need access to its files and a way to stop and start it safely.
- The exact Mindustry version: Record the version shown by the server at startup or in its administration information before downloading a plugin.
- The plugin JAR: Download the release intended for that version. Do not assume the newest JAR supports an older server.
- Plugin documentation: Keep the project’s README or instructions available. Commands, permissions, options, and file names are defined by each plugin.
- A backup: Copy the server’s configuration and any existing plugin files before making changes, especially on a production server.
- Console or log access: You will need startup output to determine whether the server discovered and loaded the plugin.
Stop the server before changing its JAR files. Copying a file while the process is running can leave the server with an incomplete view of the directory, and a running process may overwrite configuration as it shuts down.
How to install a Mindustry server plugin manually
- Identify the server version. Check the dedicated server’s startup banner or administration output and write down the complete version string. Use that value when checking the plugin’s release notes.
- Obtain the correct JAR. Download the plugin release that states support for your Mindustry version. Keep the original filename unless the plugin documentation explicitly instructs you to rename it. A plugin archive is normally used as a JAR; do not extract its contents into separate files.
- Stop the dedicated server. Use the server’s normal shutdown command or hosting-panel control. Wait until the process has exited before editing files.
- Open the server’s configuration directory. Inside the server installation, locate the
configdirectory and then itsmodssubdirectory. The destination is exactlyconfig/mods/, not themodsdirectory used by a player’s desktop game. - Copy the JAR into
config/mods/. Place the file directly in that folder. Avoid an extra nesting level such asconfig/mods/MyPlugin/MyPlugin.jarunless the plugin’s own instructions explicitly require it. - Start the server. A restart is required for the server to discover and load the plugin. There is no installation effect while the server remains stopped or while an old process is still running.
- Read the startup output. Watch the console and logs for the plugin’s load message or for an exception. Keep the complete stack trace if one appears; the first error and the plugin name are usually more useful than a later cascade of messages.
- Check the installed list. After startup, run the server’s
modscommand if it is available. The command is a practical way to verify that the server sees the plugin, while the plugin’s own command or feature confirms that it initialized correctly.
If the server starts normally but the plugin is not listed, treat that as a discovery or packaging problem rather than a configuration problem. If it is listed but a feature does not work, consult the plugin’s usage instructions and its version requirements.
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The standard location is the dedicated server’s config/mods/ folder. This path is relative to the server installation or working directory, so the absolute path differs by operating system, hosting provider, container, or panel. A file manager may hide the leading server directory, but the logical destination remains config/mods/.
| Location | Purpose | Correct for a server plugin? |
|---|---|---|
config/mods/ in the dedicated-server files |
Server-side plugin discovery | Yes |
A player’s local game mods folder |
Client-side modifications | No |
| An arbitrary folder beside the server JAR | Not a documented plugin location | No, unless a particular host or plugin explicitly maps it |
Hosting panels sometimes provide a one-click mod or plugin installer. When they do, the panel should place the file in the same server-side location and restart the instance for you. Verify the resulting file and startup output rather than assuming a successful upload means a successful load.
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Plugin metadata and what it tells you
A valid Mindustry plugin includes metadata in a file named plugin.json or plugin.hjson. The metadata identifies the plugin and its entry point. The main class is expected to extend mindustry.mod.Plugin. These details matter most when you are inspecting a JAR, building a plugin, or diagnosing a package that the server ignores.
For server owners
You normally do not edit the metadata. If a downloaded JAR contains no plugin metadata, is actually a different type of mod, or was packaged incorrectly, the server may skip it or report an error at startup. Ask the plugin author for a server-plugin build instead of trying to repair the archive by guessing at files.
For plugin developers
Place the metadata in the archive in the layout expected by the Mindustry plugin loader, and make the declared main class extend mindustry.mod.Plugin. Build against the same Mindustry API family as the server you intend to support. Test the packaged JAR, not only an IDE project, because an incorrectly assembled release can omit metadata or dependencies.
How plugin configuration works
Mindustry does not provide one universal plugin config.json at a fixed path. Configuration is generated and interpreted by each plugin. After the first successful restart, a plugin typically creates its own subdirectory or JSON file somewhere inside config/ or config/mods/. The exact name, location, and keys come from that plugin’s documentation.
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- Start once with the plugin installed. Let it initialize and create its default files.
- Stop the server cleanly. Do not edit a file while the plugin is writing it.
- Locate the newly created plugin directory or JSON file. Sort the configuration directory by modification time if many files are present, and match the name to the plugin’s documentation.
- Read the documented key names and value types. A setting may be a string, Boolean, or number; spelling and capitalization are plugin-specific.
- Change only documented values. Preserve valid JSON or HJSON syntax and avoid deleting keys that the plugin expects.
- Restart and check the console. Many settings are read during initialization, so a restart is the reliable way to apply them.
The official Mindustry core API lets plugin developers define settings. A configuration value can be a string, Boolean, or number, and creating a new configuration instance adds that value to the server’s configuration list. That API behavior explains why two plugins can generate different files and why a generic, one-size-fits-all configuration path cannot be assumed.
If no configuration file appears, first confirm that the plugin actually loaded. A plugin that was placed in the wrong directory or rejected for incompatibility cannot generate settings. If the plugin is listed but still creates no file, follow its README; some plugins use commands to create or save settings instead of writing defaults immediately.
How to use a plugin after it loads
Find the plugin’s commands
Loading only proves that the server recognized the JAR. Usage commands, aliases, arguments, and required permissions are defined by the plugin. Read its documentation and look for a command list or first-run instructions. If the plugin provides a help command, run it from the server console or in game using the syntax documented by the author.
Test one feature at a time
Use a private map or test instance before enabling a new game mode or automation on a busy public server. Confirm that the command produces the expected response, that a normal player can join, and that existing maps and rules remain usable. Record the original setting before changing it so you can restore the previous behavior without guessing.
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Understand server-only behavior
Players do not normally copy a server plugin to their own clients. Tell players which Mindustry version the server requires and explain any gameplay changes in your server rules. If a plugin’s documentation identifies a separate client requirement, treat that as an exception specific to that project rather than a general Mindustry plugin rule.
Use the installed list as a diagnostic, not a feature list
The mods command can show that a plugin is installed, but it does not document every command or setting. A plugin can be present and still be disabled by its configuration, limited to administrators, or waiting for a particular game state. Use the project’s instructions for those details.
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Why a Mindustry plugin is not loading
The JAR is in the wrong directory
Confirm that the file is directly under the dedicated server’s config/mods/ path. A common mistake is copying it to a client’s local mods folder or creating an additional directory level. Move the JAR, restart the server, and check the startup output again.
The download is not a server-plugin JAR
Some projects publish several artifacts, such as source code, a client mod, a development build, or a release archive containing documentation. Use the file identified by the project as the server plugin. If the archive lacks plugin.json or plugin.hjson and the expected plugin entry point, obtain the correct release instead of renaming an unrelated file.
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The plugin targets another Mindustry version
A startup stack trace can indicate incompatibility, including a plugin built for a different game version. Compare the server version with the plugin release notes and supported versions. Install a compatible plugin build or move the server to a version explicitly supported by that build; do not treat a warning-free file copy as proof of compatibility.
The plugin loaded, but its command is missing
Run mods to distinguish discovery from feature initialization. If the plugin appears, check the documented command spelling, required arguments, and any permission or mode restrictions. Some commands are console-only, while others are intended for players; use the context stated by the plugin author.
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No configuration file was created
Check the startup log first. A plugin that failed before initialization will not generate settings. If it is listed as loaded, search both config/ and config/mods/ for a file or folder bearing the plugin’s name, then consult its documentation for command-generated settings or a non-default location.
The server fails during startup
Stop the server and preserve the complete console output. Remove or move the newly added JAR from config/mods/, then start the server to confirm that the plugin caused the failure. If the server starts without it, report the Mindustry version, plugin version, and first stack-trace error to the plugin maintainer. Keep a backup of the plugin configuration so you can restore it after installing a compatible release.
Updating or removing a plugin safely
- Read the new release notes and verify that the new JAR supports your server’s Mindustry version.
- Back up the existing JAR and that plugin’s generated configuration.
- Stop the dedicated server.
- Replace the old JAR in
config/mods/with the new one, or move the old JAR out of that folder to remove the plugin. - Start the server and inspect the console before allowing normal players to connect.
- Run
modsand test the plugin’s documented commands or game mode.
Do not delete generated configuration merely because you changed the JAR. A new release may reuse the same settings, while another release may require a migration described by its author. Keep the backup until the updated plugin has started and behaved correctly.
Manual installation versus a host-provided installer
| Consideration | Manual JAR installation | Host-provided installer |
|---|---|---|
| How the file is added | You download the JAR and copy it to config/mods/. |
The panel downloads or copies it on your behalf; verify the resulting file. |
| Version selection | You choose the release and check Mindustry compatibility yourself. | The panel may filter available releases, but you still need to confirm the server version and plugin support. |
| Restart requirement | You stop and restart the server manually. | The panel may offer a restart button; the plugin still takes effect only after a restart. |
| Configuration | You locate the plugin-generated files under config/ or config/mods/. |
The panel may expose a file editor, but the plugin’s own documentation remains authoritative. |
| Failure diagnosis | You have direct access to the JAR and console logs. | You may need to open an advanced log view or download the server log from the panel. |
| Client impact | Server-only; clients normally do not install it. | Still server-only unless the specific project documents an additional client requirement. |
Manual installation is the clearest method when you need a particular release or full control over files. A host installer can reduce file-management work, but it does not remove the need to check compatibility, read plugin instructions, or inspect startup logs.
A maintenance checklist for reliable plugin use
- Record the Mindustry server version before installing or updating anything.
- Keep each plugin’s JAR, documentation, and generated configuration together in your backup routine.
- Make one plugin change at a time so a new error has an identifiable cause.
- Restart after every install, update, removal, or configuration change that the plugin reads at startup.
- Use the startup console and
modscommand to verify discovery before troubleshooting gameplay behavior. - Never assume a file named
config.jsonexists for every plugin; use the plugin’s documented path and schema. - Test updates on a private instance before applying them to a public server.
With those checks, the installation process is repeatable: match the release to the server, place the JAR in config/mods/, restart, verify the load, and then configure and use the features documented by that plugin.
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