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Allowing Multiple Versions (ViaVersion)

How to let players join your server with newer or older Minecraft clients.

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Understanding the Plugins

There are three main plugins in the "Via" family:

• ViaVersion: Allows newer clients to join an older server (e.g., 1.20 player joining 1.16 server).
• ViaBackwards: Allows older clients to join a newer server (e.g., 1.12 player joining 1.16 server).
• ViaRewind: Extends support back to 1.7/1.8 versions.

Installation

1. Determine which direction you need support for. Most servers just need ViaVersion.
2. Download the jar(s) from SpigotMC or Hangar.
3. Upload them to your /plugins/ folder.
4. Restart your server.

Configuration

ViaVersion works out of the box for most setups. However, you can tweak settings in plugins/ViaVersion/config.yml.

Note for Geyser Users: If you are using Geyser (Bedrock support) alongside ViaVersion, ensure Geyser is updated to the latest build, as they work closely together.

Common Issues

• Block Glitches: If a 1.8 player joins a 1.20 server, they won't see new blocks (like Deepslate) correctly. ViaBackwards tries to map them to similar old blocks, but it won't be perfect.
• Anti-Cheat: Some anti-cheat plugins struggle with multi-version support due to movement differences between versions.