Plugins are the easiest way to add protection, economy, minigame and management features to your server. On ArcadeServers you can install plugins two ways: one-click from the built-in store, or by uploading your own .jar file.
1) Install from the addon store
Open the Addons tab in the server panel. Search across thousands of plugins from Spigot, Modrinth and Hangar. When you click a plugin, version compatibility is checked automatically; when a compatible version is found, the Install button installs it in one click. Just restart the server afterwards.
2) Manual .jar upload
For a plugin not in the store, go to the Files tab and upload the .jar into the plugins folder. After uploading, restart the server; the plugin creates its own config folder on first boot.
Version compatibility — the most common mistake
For a plugin to work it must match both the Minecraft version and the server software (Paper/Spigot). Load the wrong version and the server disables the plugin at boot and prints an error line to the console. Check the plugin's supported versions before installing; the store install does this check for you automatically.
Config files
Most plugins keep their settings under plugins/<PluginName>/config.yml. You can edit these files from the panel's file manager; mind the YAML format (indentation matters). After changes, restart the server to reload, or use the plugin's /reload-style command if it has one.
Permissions
To control command usage we recommend a permissions plugin like LuckPerms. A permissions plugin lets you manage which player can run which command via groups — essential for larger servers.
Note: plugin usage is supported on Starter and Standard packages; mod software (Fabric/Forge) requires Pro or higher. Plugin count is a recommendation, not a hard limit.