Minecraft plugin development glossary

Active server · api-version · BBCode · bStats · Bukkit · Event handler · Folia · Funnel · Hangar · Main thread · Mapping file · Modrinth · MSPT · Obfuscation · Paper · plugin.yml · ProGuard · Relocation · Resource pack · Retention · Scheduler · Shading · spark · Spigot · Spiget · Stack trace · Tick · TPS · Update checker

Active server

A server that ran your plugin in the last 30 days. PluginAnalytics' plans are sized by active servers, and players are never limited. More →

api-version

The line in plugin.yml that tells the server which Bukkit API version your plugin was written for (for example 1.20). Without it, modern servers load the plugin in legacy mode.

BBCode

The markup SpigotMC uses for resource descriptions: [B]bold[/B], [IMG]link[/IMG], [LIST] and so on. It's how you add images, headings and the tracking tag to a listing. More →

bStats

A free, open-source service that counts the servers and players running a Minecraft plugin and shows them on public pages. More →

Bukkit

The original plugin API for Minecraft servers. Spigot, Paper, Purpur and Folia all keep it, so a Bukkit plugin runs on all of them.

Event handler

A method marked @EventHandler that the server calls when something happens (a player joins, a block breaks). Slow handlers for frequent events, like PlayerMoveEvent, are a common cause of lag. More →

Folia

PaperMC's fork that ticks regions of the world in parallel, on several threads. Plugins must use region-aware schedulers and declare folia-supported: true. More →

Funnel

A sequence of steps (joined, started a game, finished it) showing how many players or servers reach each one and where they drop. More →

Hangar

PaperMC's official plugin repository, a place to publish Paper and Velocity plugins next to SpigotMC and Modrinth. More →

Main thread

The server thread that runs each tick: entities, blocks and most plugin code. Anything slow on it (database calls, file access) delays the whole server. More →

Mapping file

The file ProGuard writes with every renamed class and method. You need the mapping of each release to read stack traces from that release. More →

Modrinth

A mod and plugin platform with search by loader and version. Many Paper and Purpur users find plugins there. More →

MSPT

Milliseconds per tick: how long the server takes to run one tick. Under 50 the server keeps up; it's a better health signal than TPS because it moves long before TPS drops. More →

Obfuscation

Renaming a plugin's classes and methods so the jar is hard to read and modify. Usually done with ProGuard on premium plugins. More →

Paper

The most used Minecraft server software, a fork of Spigot with better performance and an extended API.

plugin.yml

The file in every plugin jar that names the plugin, its version, main class, commands and permissions.

ProGuard

A tool that shrinks and obfuscates Java jars. It needs keep rules for whatever Bukkit finds by name, like the main class and event handlers. More →

Relocation

Moving a library's package into your own when you shade it (com.example.lib → me.you.plugin.lib), so two plugins with different versions of the same library never clash. More →

Resource pack

Textures, models and sounds a server sends to players. Plugins that add custom items or blocks often generate one.

Retention

How many players or servers are still there some time after they started. Install retention: how many servers still run your plugin each week after installing it. More →

Scheduler

The API for running code later or repeatedly. Spigot has BukkitScheduler; Folia replaces it with global, region, entity and async schedulers. More →

Shading

Packing a library inside your plugin's jar (with the Gradle shadow plugin or maven-shade-plugin) so server owners don't have to install it. More →

spark

A profiler for Minecraft servers that records what the server spends its time on, while you watch. It ships with Paper. More →

Spigot

A fork of CraftBukkit and the base of Paper. SpigotMC is also the largest site for publishing plugins.

Spiget

An unofficial API that reads public data from SpigotMC resources, such as download counts and versions.

Stack trace

The list of method calls that led to an exception, from where it was thrown back to where it started. It's how you find the line that failed. More →

Tick

One step of the game loop. A server aims for 20 ticks per second, so each tick has 50 milliseconds. More →

TPS

Ticks per second. 20 is the target; lower means the server can't keep up and players feel lag. More →

Update checker

Code in a plugin that checks SpigotMC or Modrinth for a newer version and tells admins. More →