Hytale Server Mods and Plugins: How They Work (2026)

Q: Can I install mods while the server is running?

Restart after adding or removing files in mods/. /plugin reload is useful for changing a plugin's config, but a restart is the reliable way to add something new.

Hytale mods run on the server. You drop Java plugins (.jar) and asset packs (.zip) into the server's mods folder, restart, and every player who joins receives the content automatically. Nobody installs anything on their own PC, and Hypixel has said it does not intend to support client mods at all. That one design choice makes modded Hytale servers much simpler to run and join than most modded games.

Short answer

Download the mod from a trusted source, such as CurseForge. Check it supports your server version.
Stop the server.
Put the .jar or .zip file in the mods folder next to config.json.
Start the server and check the console for load errors.
Players join as normal. The server sends them what they need.

Types of Hytale mods

Hypixel describes four kinds of content in its modding overview:

Type	Format	What it changes
Server plugins	Java `.jar`	Game logic: commands, minigames, economy, permissions, new systems
Data assets	JSON in a pack	Blocks, items, NPCs, drop tables, world generation
Art assets	Models, textures, sounds in a pack	How new content looks and sounds. Models are made in Blockbench.
Save files	Worlds and prefabs	Ready made maps and builds you can share

In practice, server owners deal with two file types: plugins (.jar) and asset packs (.zip). A plugin can also carry its own asset pack inside it.

How players get the content

When a player connects, the server sends the assets its packs and plugins add. That is why Hytale servers can add new blocks, mobs and items without asking players to install a modpack. It also means:

Every player on the server always has the same content.
Switching between servers with different mods needs no setup.
The server, not the player, decides which mods are active.

For single player, players pick mods per world. Since Update 6 in August 2026, the game has an in game mod browser on the main menu for finding, installing and updating mods, and Hypixel has said there will be no paid mods in it.

Where the mods folder is

The server creates its folders on first start:

Server/
├── HytaleServer.jar
├── config.json
├── permissions.json
├── whitelist.json
├── bans.json
├── mods/
├── logs/
└── universe/

Plugins and asset packs both go in mods/. Asset packs can stay zipped: drop the .zip in as you downloaded it. If you start the server with --mods you can point it at extra mod folders as well.

Plugins vs early plugins

Normal plugins use Hytale's plugin API and load from mods/. Early plugins are different: they load before the game and can change the server's code as it loads. They go in a separate earlyplugins/ folder and only load if you start the server with:

java -jar HytaleServer.jar --assets ../Assets.zip --accept-early-plugins

The flag exists because Hypixel treats early plugins as unsupported and a stability risk. Only use them when a specific mod asks for it, and expect them to break on game updates.

What a plugin contains

Every plugin .jar includes a manifest.json that tells the server about it. The fields you will see:

Field	Meaning
`Group` and `Name`	The plugin's identity, like `com.example` and `MyPlugin`
`Version`	The plugin's own version
`Main`	The Java class the server starts
`ServerVersion`	Which server versions it is built for
`Dependencies`	Plugins it needs. The server will not load it without them.
`OptionalDependencies`	Plugins it works with if present
`IncludesAssetPack`	Whether the jar also carries assets

When a plugin fails to load, check Dependencies first. A missing dependency is the most common reason.

Managing plugins on a running server

These console commands come with the server:

Command	What it does
`/plugin list`	Lists loaded plugins
`/plugin load <plugin>`	Loads a plugin
`/plugin unload <plugin>`	Unloads a plugin, and any plugins that depend on it
`/plugin reload <plugin>`	Reloads a plugin after you change its config
`/plugin manage`	Opens the plugin management screen in game
`/packs list`	Lists loaded asset packs

/pl and /plugins work as short forms of /plugin. For anything you added or removed from the mods folder, a full restart is the safe option. More commands are in Hytale server commands.

When a mod breaks the server

By default the server refuses to start when a mod fails to load, which protects your world from half loaded content. Your options:

Read the log. The logs/ folder and the console name the mod that failed and usually why: a missing dependency, a version mismatch or a broken file.
Remove the mod from mods/ and start again.
Start anyway with --ignore-broken-mods, which tries to boot even if one mod fails. Fine for testing, risky on a live world. It does not cover core plugins, and since Update 6 the server stops if a core plugin fails.

Back up the universe folder before adding any mod that changes world generation or adds blocks. Removing a block mod later can leave holes or errors in places that used its blocks.

Mods and game updates

Hytale is in early access, and versions must match exactly: when Hypixel releases an update, players' games update and the server has to follow, or nobody can connect. Mods often need updates too. Update 6 changed the network protocol and Hypixel told server owners that servers and plugins needed a rebuild to connect.

Chapter 1 arrives on 12 October 2026 and touches combat, AI and world generation, so plan for some plugins to break that day:

Back up the server before updating.
Check each mod's page for a Chapter 1 version.
Update the server, then add mods back one at a time.

For plugin developers

Plugins are written in Java against the server jar, which Hypixel publishes on its Maven repository at maven.hytale.com as com.hypixel.hytale:Server. Hypixel has also announced a Shared Source programme that puts the server source, the protocol and the game's assets on GitHub for licence holders who accept its terms. Start the server with --disable-sentry while developing, so your test crashes are not sent to Hypixel's crash reporting.

Mods on GamezServers Hytale servers

Hytale servers on GamezServers are coming soon. When they open, mods work the same way as above: upload .jar and .zip files to Server/mods with the file manager or SFTP and restart. The panel will also have settings for Load early plugins and Start even if a mod fails, so you never edit a launch line, plus 3 one click backups for before every mod change.

We plan Hytale servers at 4 GB for up to 10 players, 8 GB for plugins and up to 30 players, and 12 GB for heavy mods or large public servers. Check the Hytale server hosting page and join the waitlist to get an email the moment you can deploy. Until then, how to make a Hytale server covers self hosting, and Hytale server requirements explains sizing.

FAQ

Do players need to install mods to join a modded Hytale server?

No. The server sends the content when they join. That is how Hytale is designed, and Hypixel does not plan to support client mods.

Where do I download Hytale mods?

CurseForge is the main home for Hytale mods, and Hypixel's server manual points there. For single player, the in game mod browser added in Update 6 is the easiest way.

Can I install mods while the server is running?

Restart after adding or removing files in mods/. /plugin reload is useful for changing a plugin's config, but a restart is the reliable way to add something new.

Why will my server not start after adding a mod?

A mod failed to load, usually because of a missing dependency or a version mismatch with the server. Check the console or logs/ for its name, then remove or update it.

Do Hytale mods work with any server version?

No. Mods are built for specific versions, and early access updates often break them. Check that a mod supports your server version before installing, especially after a big update like Chapter 1.