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ViaVersion translates Minecraft network protocols so supported clients can connect to a server running a different Minecraft version. It does not add newer blocks, items, mobs, mechanics, or other gameplay content to an older server.
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What ViaVersion does
Minecraft clients and servers communicate using version-specific network protocols. When those protocols differ, a client can be rejected before it joins. ViaVersion provides a translation layer that lets supported client versions communicate with a server running another version.
The result is protocol compatibility, not a game-version upgrade. A client may be able to connect through ViaVersion, but the server still determines the available world data, mechanics, items, and gameplay rules. ViaVersion’s documented goal is compatibility and balanced gameplay; adding newer gameplay features to an older server is outside its function.
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Check these prerequisites before changing files
Use an officially supported server platform
The documented platforms are CraftBukkit, Spigot, Paper, and Velocity. Forks that substantially change those platforms may not be officially supported, even if they retain a similar plugin directory. If you use a fork, test the exact ViaVersion release with a backup or staging instance before applying it to a production network.
Confirm Java 17 or newer
Current ViaVersion builds and the current ViaSetup guidance require Java 17 or newer. A special build may be available for an environment that cannot use Java 17, but do not assume that an older Java runtime will load the normal release. Check the Java runtime used by the server process, not only the Java version installed elsewhere on the machine.
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You need access to the server’s files so you can copy a JAR into the correct directory. You also need to stop and start the server, or otherwise perform a complete reboot. A plugin-manager install and the in-game /reload command are not substitutes for a restart; ViaVersion can fail to work correctly when reloaded that way.
Keep a proxy current
If your network uses BungeeCord or Velocity, keep the proxy software updated as well as the backend servers. A protocol plugin cannot correct every incompatibility caused by an outdated proxy or by another plugin that handles packets incorrectly.
Decide where ViaVersion belongs on a network
On a single Paper, Spigot, or CraftBukkit server, install ViaVersion on that server. On a proxy network, the official guidance allows installation on either the proxy or the servers behind it, but the choice changes where translation occurs and what each component can observe.
Proxy versus backend placement
| Installation approach | Typical platform | Operational requirement | Important considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backend installation | Paper or Spigot servers behind a proxy | File access and restart control for each backend that should translate protocols | ViaSetup presents this as the recommended arrangement for Paper/Spigot networks. Translation occurs at the backend level. |
| Proxy installation | Velocity or another supported proxy | File access and restart control for the proxy | Translation occurs before traffic reaches a backend. Confirm that the proxy and its plugins support the client range you intend to allow. |
| BungeeCord arrangement | BungeeCord with Paper or Spigot backends | Separate access to the BungeeCord and backend plugin directories | ViaSetup specifies ViaBungee in the BungeeCord plugins folder and ViaVersion/addons in /plugins/ViaVersion/. |
For a Paper or Spigot proxy network, ViaSetup recommends the backend-server arrangement. Follow the generator’s recommendation for the exact server version and network design rather than copying a layout intended for a different proxy.
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Placement can affect how some 1.8 behavior is visible to plugins and can influence anti-cheat performance because protocol translation happens at a different level. If anti-cheat checks, packet listeners, or legacy-client behavior matter to your network, test the chosen placement with the actual plugin set.
Install on every backend or only one?
Install ViaVersion wherever a client’s protocol must be translated. If all players connect through a proxy and the proxy performs the translation, a backend may not need its own ViaVersion instance. If translation is performed on the backends, install it on the relevant backend servers. Avoid installing components in random combinations; use the official ViaSetup output for the versions and topology you run.
Install ViaVersion on Paper, Spigot, or CraftBukkit
- Stop the server. Shut down Minecraft cleanly before changing the contents of its plugin directory. This prevents a partially written JAR or a plugin that remains loaded from a previous session.
- Download the current release. Open the ViaVersion project on Hangar and download the latest release shown there. Use the release that matches your server’s supported environment; do not rename the file or extract it.
- Open the server’s plugin directory. In the server file layout, locate the directory named
plugins. It is normally alongside the server JAR and the world directories. If the directory does not exist, start the server once with the supported platform so it can create its normal structure, then stop it before copying the plugin. - Copy the JAR. Place the downloaded
ViaVersion.jarfile directly inplugins. Do not put the JAR inside an archive, a second nestedpluginsfolder, or an unrelated plugin’s directory. - Start or reboot the server. Start the stopped server normally. If you copied the file while the process was running, stop it and perform a complete restart instead of relying on a plugin manager or
/reload. - Read the startup log. Confirm that the ViaVersion plugin is discovered during startup and check for Java, dependency, or loading errors. Resolve a loading error before testing client connections; a server that starts with a disabled or failed plugin has not completed the installation.
- Check the plugin in-game or from the console. Run
/viaversionto display the installed version and available commands. The command works from the console as well, without the leading slash if your console syntax requires that.
The basic installation is complete when the plugin loads without errors and the command responds. Configuration changes are a separate task; do not add unrelated settings until the unmodified installation has been verified.
Install on Velocity or a BungeeCord network
Velocity
- Stop the Velocity proxy before changing its plugin files.
- Use the current ViaVersion release appropriate for the proxy and Java runtime. Current documented builds require Java 17 or newer unless a special build is supplied.
- Copy the ViaVersion JAR into the Velocity proxy’s
pluginsdirectory. - Start the proxy and inspect its log for plugin-loading, Java, or dependency errors.
- Connect with a test account, then use the ViaVersion commands available on the proxy to inspect the connection and protocol information.
Installing on the proxy means translation happens before the connection reaches a backend. That can be useful when one proxy serves several compatible backends, but verify the behavior of anti-cheat and other packet-sensitive plugins in the resulting arrangement.
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BungeeCord
For the BungeeCord layout documented by ViaSetup, put ViaBungee in the BungeeCord plugins folder. Put ViaVersion and its addons in /plugins/ViaVersion/ on the backend servers. Restart the proxy and the affected backends, then review each startup log. Do not assume that copying only one component to one machine provides translation for every server in the network.
Backend installation behind a proxy
If you follow ViaSetup’s recommended Paper/Spigot backend arrangement, stop each backend that will perform translation, copy ViaVersion into that server’s plugins directory, and restart each one. Confirm that the proxy forwards players to those exact servers. A plugin installed on an idle test backend cannot help a player who is being sent to a different backend.
Understand client-version coverage and optional addons
The exact compatibility range depends on the current ViaVersion release and the server platform. Use the official ViaSetup generator for the versions you actually run. The documented examples illustrate the direction of compatibility:
| Server version example | Client versions documented as accepted | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| 1.20.x server | 1.20.x and 1.21.x clients | Newer 1.21.x clients can join the 1.20.x server within the supported release and platform limits. |
| 1.21.x server | 1.21.x clients | The example does not by itself establish support for older clients; use the current compatibility guidance and addons where required. |
When ViaBackwards is needed
ViaBackwards adds backward support for clients from 1.9 through 1.21 on the documented server platforms. Use it when clients older than the base ViaVersion compatibility range must join a newer server. Install it only after confirming the matching ViaVersion arrangement and the current supported versions.
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ViaRewind can extend support to 1.8 and 1.7 clients. Legacy versions have more protocol and plugin edge cases, so test login, movement, inventory, chat, and any gameplay-critical features before enabling those clients for everyone.
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What addons cannot do
ViaBackwards and ViaRewind translate protocol differences; they do not recreate newer gameplay on an older server. A 1.8 client joining a newer server may see a translated representation of the server’s data, but it does not turn the server into a 1.8 or 1.21 game build.
Verify the installation and inspect connections
Use the startup log first
- Confirm that ViaVersion appears among the plugins loaded during startup.
- Check for Java-version errors, missing dependencies, or a message indicating that the plugin was disabled.
- On a proxy network, inspect the proxy log and each backend log that is expected to load a Via component.
Use the built-in commands
/viaversiondisplays the installed version and available commands./viaversion listshows connected users and their protocol versions. Use it while a test client is online to confirm which protocol the server sees./viaversion probeforces a scan of backend-server protocol versions on proxy setups. Run it when the proxy’s view of a backend is unclear./viaversion dumpgathers diagnostic information for reporting a problem. Review the output for sensitive information before sharing it publicly.
Test with a controlled client matrix
Use at least one client version that matches the server and one version that requires translation. On a network with ViaBackwards or ViaRewind, add a client from each older range you intend to support. Record which proxy and backend the account reaches so a successful test is tied to the correct installation, not to another server in the network.
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Troubleshoot common failures
“Outdated Server” appears when a client joins
First inspect the startup log and verify that ViaVersion is installed on the server the player actually reaches. On a proxy network, confirm the selected placement: a plugin on one backend does not translate a connection sent to another backend, and a proxy installation must be loaded by the running proxy process.
If BungeeCord is involved, update BungeeCord when applicable, then restart it and the affected backend. Check the proxy and backend logs for a failed plugin load before changing client settings. The error can also indicate that the requested client version is outside the support range of the installed ViaVersion and addons.
The plugin is present but commands fail
A JAR sitting in the directory is not proof that the plugin loaded. Look for a Java or dependency error in the startup log, confirm that the file is in the active server’s plugins directory, and perform a full restart. Do not try to repair a failed load with /reload; restart after correcting the underlying issue.
Java errors prevent startup
Check the Java executable used by the launch script or service. Current documented ViaVersion builds require Java 17 or newer, so upgrading Java or selecting a specifically supported special build may be necessary. Changing the Java version without checking the rest of the server stack can affect other plugins; test the server startup in a maintenance window.
A proxy scan does not show the expected backend
Run /viaversion probe on the proxy, then verify that the backend is online and that the proxy is forwarding to the instance where ViaVersion is installed. Inspect both logs. A probe result cannot make an offline backend or an incorrectly placed plugin available.
/reload causes kicks or unstable behavior
Stop the server and perform a complete reboot. ViaVersion’s installation guidance warns that plugin-manager reloads do not provide proper operation. Test the client again only after the normal startup sequence has completed.
Older clients or a 1.8 server behave incorrectly
Review the compatibility of every packet-related plugin. The documentation specifically calls out possible interactions with ProtocolSupport, BKCommonLib, Orebfuscator, SkinRestorer, Citizens2, and other plugins that alter packet behavior. Disable or update conflicting components one at a time on a test instance, and compare the result with the same client on a clean server profile.
Choose an installation approach by network design
| Question | Single Paper/Spigot/CraftBukkit server | Velocity or BungeeCord network |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the plugin copied? | That server’s plugins directory |
The proxy, the backends, or both according to the selected design and official setup guidance |
| Who must be restarted? | The Minecraft server process | The proxy and every backend whose plugin files were changed |
| How is the client range determined? | ViaVersion, the platform, and any installed backward-compatibility addons | The same factors, plus proxy placement and the protocol capabilities of each hop |
| What access is essential? | File-manager access and permission to reboot the server | Access to the relevant proxy and backend files, logs, and restart controls |
| What special risk should be tested? | Plugin conflicts and unsupported server forks | Translation visibility, anti-cheat performance, routing to the intended backend, and proxy-specific components |
For a simple server, the safe workflow is deliberately small: stop it, copy the release JAR, restart it, read the log, and run the ViaVersion command. For a network, decide the translation layer first, generate the appropriate setup, and test every route that players can take.
What a successful installation looks like
A successful installation has three observable characteristics: the correct ViaVersion component appears in the startup log without Java or dependency errors; /viaversion responds and reports the installed version; and a client from the intended compatibility range can connect through the exact proxy and backend path used in production. If any one of those checks fails, fix the placement or loading problem before adding more addons or changing gameplay plugins.
Once the base plugin is stable, add ViaBackwards or ViaRewind only for a defined client range, retest legacy behavior, and keep the proxy and server platforms updated. This keeps protocol compatibility separate from content changes and makes future connection errors easier to trace.
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