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How to Install Nukkit and Add Plugins to a Bedrock Server

Install legacy Nukkit safely, configure its first run, add compatible plugin JARs, connect over Bedrock UDP, and avoid mixing Nukkit, Cloudburst, and Endstone ecosystems.
Length10 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team

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Use the server software that matches your plugin ecosystem first. Legacy CloudburstMC/Nukkit uses Java 8 or newer, while Cloudburst is a separate server family that requires Java 17 or newer and does not load Nukkit plugins. The Nukkit project site now presents Endstone as the official successor to legacy Nukkit, so a new long-term deployment should evaluate Endstone before committing to the older line.

For a legacy Nukkit installation, place the server JAR in its own directory, launch it once to generate server.properties, nukkit.yml, and the required folders, then copy compatible plugin JARs directly into that server’s plugins folder and restart. The startup console is the authority on whether each plugin loaded.

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Choose the correct Bedrock server line

“Nukkit” can refer to more than one project in current Bedrock discussions. Identify the server family before installing Java or downloading plugins; a JAR built for one ecosystem is not automatically usable in another.

Server line Java requirement in the official guidance Plugin ecosystem When to choose it
Legacy CloudburstMC/Nukkit Java 8 or newer Nukkit plugins packaged as JAR files Use when you specifically need an existing Nukkit plugin or a setup built around the legacy Nukkit API.
Cloudburst Java 17 or newer Cloudburst plugins; legacy Nukkit plugins are not supported Use only with plugins and instructions written for Cloudburst.
Endstone Check the release’s current requirements Endstone’s own compatibility model Evaluate for a new deployment because the Nukkit project site identifies it as the official successor to legacy Nukkit.

Re-check the download page and compatibility notes for the Bedrock version you intend to host. A plugin that worked on one Nukkit build can fail after a server API change even when the filename still ends in .jar.

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Prepare Java and a dedicated server directory

Install the Java runtime for your chosen family

Install a working Java runtime before launching the server. For legacy Nukkit, the official installation guide lists Java 8 or above. Cloudburst’s separate guide lists Java 17 or above. If a particular server build documents a narrower range, follow that build’s requirement rather than assuming the newest installed Java is compatible with every plugin.

Verify the installation from a terminal or command prompt with:

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java -version

Read the major version shown by the command. If the shell reports that java is not recognized, install Java or add its executable directory to the operating system’s PATH before continuing.

Create an isolated folder

Make a directory used only by this server. Keeping the JAR, scripts, configuration, worlds, logs, and plugins together makes upgrades and backups predictable. Download the server JAR from the selected project’s official release or build location and place it in that directory. The basic legacy command shown in the Nukkit materials is:

java -jar nukkit-1.0-SNAPSHOT.jar

If your downloaded file has a different name, substitute that exact filename in every script and command. Do not rename a plugin JAR to make it appear compatible; compatibility is determined by the plugin’s code and declared metadata.

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Launch Nukkit on Windows, Linux, or macOS

The first launch is important even if you plan to run the server through a host panel or container later. It creates the directory layout and configuration files that subsequent starts use.

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Windows

  1. Open Notepad in the server directory and create a file named start.bat. Ensure Windows has not silently saved it as start.bat.txt.
  2. Enter the launch command followed by pause:
java -jar nukkit-1.0-SNAPSHOT.jar
pause
  1. Save the file beside the server JAR and double-click start.bat.
  2. Keep the command window open while the server initializes. The pause line leaves the window visible if Java exits, allowing you to read the error instead of losing it.

Linux

  1. In the server directory, create start.sh containing:
#!/bin/sh
java -jar nukkit-1.0-SNAPSHOT.jar
  1. From that directory, make the script executable:
chmod +x start.sh
  1. Start the server with:
./start.sh

Run the command from the directory containing the JAR, or use an absolute path to the JAR. A script launched from another working directory can place relative files somewhere unexpected and make the server appear to have lost its worlds or plugins.

macOS

  1. Create a file named start.command in the server directory.
  2. Change the script to its own directory before launching Java, then run the JAR:
#!/bin/sh
cd "$(dirname "$0")"
java -jar nukkit-1.0-SNAPSHOT.jar
  1. Make it executable:
chmod a+x start.command
  1. Double-click start.command in Finder or run it from Terminal. Keep the Terminal window available so startup errors remain visible.

Finish the first-run setup

On its first successful start, Nukkit creates the folders and configuration files it needs. Let that initialization finish, then stop the server cleanly before editing settings. Do not copy plugins into a directory that does not yet belong to the server you actually launched.

Edit the two core configuration files

Review server.properties for the public-facing server name, game settings, player and network values. Review nukkit.yml for Nukkit-specific behavior, permissions defaults, and other server-level options exposed by that build. Make one logical change at a time and keep a backup of the original files so an invalid value can be reversed.

After saving changes, start the same script again and watch the console for parsing errors. Configuration keys can vary between server lines and versions; copy the key names already present in your generated files rather than pasting settings from an unrelated Cloudburst or Endstone installation.

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Keep the directory layout unambiguous

Your working directory should contain the server JAR, the launch script, configuration files, world folders, logs, and a plugins directory. The layout should look conceptually like this:

bedrock-server/
├── nukkit-1.0-SNAPSHOT.jar
├── start.bat        (or start.sh/start.command)
├── server.properties
├── nukkit.yml
├── plugins/
├── worlds/
└── logs/

Names for world and log directories can differ by build; the critical point is that plugins belongs to the server directory containing the JAR you launch.

Add and activate a Nukkit plugin

Check compatibility before copying anything

  • Confirm the download is a Nukkit-family plugin, not a Cloudburst-only or Endstone-only plugin.
  • Read the plugin’s supported server versions and required dependencies.
  • Use the JAR supplied by the plugin author. Do not unpack it, put it inside another archive, or change its extension.

The official Nukkit guide describes Pokkit as providing limited Spigot compatibility and cites MobPlugin for mob AI and spawning. “Limited” matters: a compatibility layer does not make every Spigot plugin safe to run, so check each plugin’s own support notes.

Copy the JAR to the root plugins folder

  1. Stop Nukkit if it is running.
  2. Open <server-directory>/plugins/.
  3. Copy the downloaded plugin file directly into that folder. The JAR must not be one level deeper, such as plugins/MyPlugin/MyPlugin.jar, unless the plugin’s documentation explicitly requires a different layout.
  4. Start Nukkit again with the normal launch script. Plugin discovery occurs during startup; simply copying a file into a running server does not activate it.

Confirm the load in the console

Read the startup output from the beginning. A successful plugin normally produces an enable or load message. A failed plugin produces a warning or stack trace that identifies the class, dependency, configuration value, or API call that caused the failure. Save the complete trace before trying random replacement files; the first “caused by” section is often more useful than the final line.

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After a plugin starts once, it may create its own configuration folder or file under plugins. Stop the server before editing those files, and restart after changes unless the plugin specifically documents a reload command.

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Connect to the server and check the network path

Local Windows connection

For a server running on the same Windows computer, connect to 127.0.0.1 using the Bedrock port configured by the server. The official Nukkit guide documents applying a Windows loopback exemption when a local connection is blocked. Follow that procedure if the client cannot reach the server even though the console shows it is listening.

Remote clients

Remote players need the host firewall and, when applicable, the router to permit the chosen Bedrock UDP port. Confirm that the port in server.properties matches the port forwarded or published by your host. Test from a second network rather than relying only on a client running on the server machine; local success does not prove that Internet routing is correct.

Container port publishing

The repository’s Docker example publishes UDP port 19132. If you use that example, publish the same UDP port on the host, allow it through the host firewall, and forward it on the router when the container is behind one. If you deliberately choose another port, change the server setting and every firewall, router, and container mapping together.

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Choose a deployment method

All four approaches can run a Bedrock server, but they differ in how much of the operating system and network you must manage.

Method Operational complexity Updates and rollback Persistence and backups Network and UDP control
Local scripts Lowest for one machine; you manage Java, files, and the process. Stop the server, replace or restore the JAR, and retain the old directory for rollback. Direct access to worlds, configs, logs, and plugins; backups are your responsibility. Full control of the host firewall and router.
Multicraft Panel reduces routine process management but adds panel-specific configuration. Use the panel’s file and version controls, while keeping an external copy before upgrades. Convenient file access depends on the panel setup; verify where automated backups are stored. Check that the host exposes and forwards Bedrock UDP rather than only web or TCP ports.
Docker Moderate; you manage an image, container, environment, and mounted data. Pin an image or JAR version, recreate the container, and keep the previous image and data volume available. Persist the server directory in a volume or bind mount; back up that data outside the container. Explicit port publishing makes UDP mapping clear; the host firewall still applies.
Kubernetes with Helm Highest; useful when you already operate a cluster, storage, and ingress or load-balancing infrastructure. Use chart and image revisions for controlled rollouts and rollback, validating world data before promotion. Requires durable persistent storage and a tested snapshot or backup process. Expose a Bedrock UDP service and confirm the cluster’s network implementation supports it.

The Nukkit repository documents Docker, Docker Compose, and Helm/Kubernetes examples, while the installation guide documents Multicraft. Whichever route you choose, keep the world data and plugin directory outside an ephemeral runtime so deleting a container or changing a panel instance cannot erase them.

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Troubleshoot a plugin or server that will not start

Java errors appear before Nukkit loads

  • Run java -version in the same shell or script that starts the server; a service account can use a different PATH from your interactive terminal.
  • Compare the reported major version with the requirement for the server family you selected.
  • Make sure the launch script points to the intended JAR and that there is not an older copy in another directory.

The plugin is not detected

  • Confirm the file ends in .jar and is directly under the server’s root plugins directory.
  • Check that you restarted the process after copying it.
  • Verify that you launched the server directory containing that plugins folder, rather than a second test directory.

The plugin is detected but fails during enable

  • Read the full console stack trace and identify the first meaningful cause.
  • Check the plugin’s declared dependencies and install matching dependency JARs in the same plugins directory when the author requires them.
  • Remove or rename a newly generated configuration file only after backing it up; malformed YAML or an obsolete option can stop initialization.
  • Test with the plugin’s documented server build. An API mismatch can look like a missing class even when the JAR copied correctly.

You are running Cloudburst

Do not expect legacy Nukkit plugins to load. Cloudburst’s official installation guidance explicitly says that Cloudburst does not support Nukkit plugins. Replace the plugin with a Cloudburst-compatible build or deploy the server family for which the plugin was written; changing the filename cannot bridge the API difference.

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Use the documented Windows loopback-exemption procedure, then recheck the address and port shown in your server configuration. Also make sure the Bedrock client and server are using the same protocol-compatible release; a successful Java process alone does not guarantee that a client can complete the connection.

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When to ask for project help

Collect the server-line name, server version, Java version, plugin filename and version, operating system, and the complete startup error. The Nukkit guide directs users with plugin loading problems to the project’s forums or Discord. Providing that context is more effective than posting only “plugin does not work.”

Plan updates, backups, and a safe rollback

  1. Stop the server cleanly before changing the server JAR, plugins, or configuration.
  2. Back up the worlds, server.properties, nukkit.yml, the entire plugins directory, and any plugin-generated data.
  3. Record the current server build, Java version, and plugin versions.
  4. Apply one server or plugin update at a time and start the server while watching the console.
  5. Join with a test Bedrock client, exercise critical plugin features, and inspect for new warnings.
  6. If the update fails, stop the process and restore the backed-up JAR and data rather than mixing files from two versions.

This procedure is the same whether files are started by a shell script, a panel, Docker, or Kubernetes; only the location of the runtime and persistent data changes.

Migration decision: legacy Nukkit, Cloudburst, or Endstone?

Stay on legacy Nukkit when an essential plugin has no maintained alternative and your Bedrock target remains compatible with the build you can run. Choose Cloudburst only when you are prepared to use its separate plugin ecosystem and Java 17-or-newer baseline. For a fresh project, investigate Endstone first because the Nukkit project site identifies it as the next-generation successor to legacy Nukkit, then verify that the plugins and Bedrock version you need are available for that line.

Do not copy a legacy world and plugin directory into a different server family and assume it is a migration. Back up the original, read the destination project’s migration notes, and test on a separate instance before exposing the new server to players.

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Installation checklist

  • Selected the server family based on the required plugins and target Bedrock version.
  • Installed the Java major version documented for that family.
  • Placed the server JAR in a dedicated directory and confirmed the launch command points to it.
  • Completed one first run so the configuration files and folders exist.
  • Edited server.properties and nukkit.yml with a backup of the originals.
  • Placed each compatible plugin JAR directly in plugins.
  • Restarted after every plugin installation and checked the startup console.
  • Verified dependencies, firewall rules, router forwarding, and UDP port mappings.
  • Backed up worlds and plugin data before updates.
  • Kept Cloudburst plugins separate from Nukkit plugins and evaluated Endstone for new deployments.

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