Short answer

Stop the server, install one plugin built for your server software and Minecraft version, start it, and read the console before adding the next. Plugins work on Paper and Purpur; Fabric uses mods instead. On ChunkArc, plugins and mods are installed from the panel's catalogue, which filters projects by your server software and Minecraft version.

Before you install anything

Plugins are for Paper and Purpur servers. They are not Fabric mods, and a plugin made for another Minecraft version may not load. Check the plugin page for its supported server software and Minecraft version before downloading it. For a plugin that needs more than the server port — proximity voice chat — see how to set up voice chat. Folia is stricter still — a Paper plugin does not automatically run on it, as the Paper vs Folia comparison explains.

Download plugins from their official project page or a trusted platform such as Modrinth or Hangar. Avoid repackaged JAR files and “cracked premium” downloads.

Install a plugin in the panel

  1. Stop the world in ChunkArc Manage before installing a plugin.
  2. Open Plugins & mods and search the catalogue for a release compatible with your server software and Minecraft version. Check and install any required dependencies before starting.
  3. Start the server and wait for the console to finish loading.
  4. Read the plugin's own documentation before changing its configuration files.

ChunkArc's plugin page filters results using your server software and Minecraft version. An empty result usually means the project does not publish a compatible build, not that a random version is safe to install.

If a plugin does not work

For specific errors such as missing dependencies or an incompatible Java version, follow the Minecraft plugin not loading checklist. Diagnose the first error before reinstalling anything.

Open the Console and look for the first error after startup. Common causes are an unsupported Minecraft version, a missing dependency, an outdated plugin, or a plugin that does not support Folia. Remove only the plugin that caused the error, then start again.

For Paper and Purpur, start with a small set of maintained plugins. Add one plugin, confirm the server starts, then add the next. This makes it possible to identify the change that caused a problem.

A note about Folia

Folia has different compatibility requirements. A Paper plugin does not automatically work on Folia. Install plugins only when their authors explicitly state Folia support; otherwise choose Paper or Purpur for the broadest plugin ecosystem.

Start with a compatible server

Paper is the usual choice for a first plugin-based Minecraft server. Create it from the ChunkArc website or Discord, then manage files and plugins in the panel. Read the Paper vs Purpur comparison if you want more built-in configuration. See the free Minecraft server hosting limits before installing a large plugin set.

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