Version compatibility: other Java versions on your server

What version compatibility does

Your server runs one Minecraft version, and normally a player has to be on exactly that version to get in. Version compatibility drops that requirement: friends join on a Java version newer or older than your server, with nothing to change on their side.

We install ViaVersion and ViaBackwards for you and keep them updated on every start:

• ViaVersion lets players on a version newer than your server in
• ViaBackwards lets players on a version older than your server in, and it runs on top of ViaVersion, which is why we install both together

Turn it on

In the Settings tab, turn on Let other Java versions in and save. The server restarts right away, and the first start takes a moment while the files download.

If a download fails, your server still starts without version compatibility and prints a warning line in the console. We never block a start on a download.

Your server version doesn't change

Version compatibility doesn't touch your server's version or your world. Your server stays on its own version:

The two plugins only translate between the player's version and the server's version while they connect and play.

What to expect

The translation isn't perfect, and the further a player's version is from the server's, the more you'll notice:

• Blocks and items added in newer versions look wrong or go missing for players on an older version
• Some newer sounds and mob behaviors never reach older versions
• Plugins that depend on version details can misbehave for a player on a different version

Fabric isn't covered

On Fabric the project ships under a different name (ViaFabric) with its own setup, and we didn't wire it into this switch. If your server is Fabric and you want it, install it yourself from the Mods tab.

Turn it off

Use the same switch: turn it off and save. We disable both plugins and leave them in place, so turning it back on starts them again with no new download.