Mods vs Plugins in Minecraft

Minecraft is without a doubt one of the most influential games ever created. With regular updates and a procedurally generated infinite world, the limit is what you can do. Unfortunately, vanilla Minecraft can get a little boring after a while. Mods and plugins are a good way to breathe new life into your vanilla server or world, but choosing between mods and plugins can be a bit overwhelming. In this guide, we'll explain the difference between mods and plugins and how they can be used on a Holy Hosting server.

What Is a Plugin?

Plugins are like an extension for your browser. They make use of existing functions and code within the game to add new features. Since they don't make changes to the base game, your players don't need to install anything or make any changes to their game to join the server.

Effects on Server Performance

Since plugins don't change the base game, they don't consume many resources. Most plugins take up very little server space and don't have a big effect on performance. Plugin loaders like Paper were designed to drastically improve your server's performance and prevent lag. To some extent, most plugins are flexible in terms of version. This means that in some cases you can still use a plugin even if it hasn't been updated to the latest game version.

Management

Virtually all available plugins will come with configuration files and permission nodes for you to customize. Configuration files will allow you to enable or disable features or change how some features work to better suit your server. Permission nodes allow you to control who on your server can use certain features.

Limitations

The biggest downside to plugins is the lack of variety. Because plugins only use functions already present in the game, they don't add new items like blocks or textures. That said, the game still gives plugin creators a lot of flexibility, so there is a plugin for just about everything.

What Is a Mod?

Mods, as the name implies, modify the base game files. This allows mods to add new items like blocks, mobs, and game mechanics. Mods can turn the game into something completely new. Mods can be grouped together to create Modpacks like RLCraft or Skyfactory.

Effects on Server Performance

Unlike plugins, mods add new items to the game and alter the base game code to do so. This means they consume a lot of resources and are far more likely to cause your server to lag than plugins. This is especially true for mods that make drastic changes to the game, such as the Biomes O' Plenty or Twilight Forest mods. The more mods you have, the more resources they'll use. Having a large number of players can make the lag even worse.

Management

Like plugins, almost all mods come with configuration files you can change to suit your needs. However, most mods don't have any kind of permission system. This means that in most cases, every player on the server will get access to everything a mod includes, unless you make changes to the mod's configuration files to prevent this.

Limitations

Mods are version-specific; they will only work on the game version they were created for and no other. A mod created for Minecraft 1.12.2 will only work on 1.12.2. If you try to install it on a 1.16.5 server, it will either not load at all or the server will crash entirely.

Due to the way mods work, they are far more likely to cause your server to crash. The ticking entity crash is the most common crash caused by mods. This occurs when a mod tries to change an entity, such as a zombie or a chest, and causes it to become corrupted. When this happens, the server won't be able to load the entity and will crash every time it tries.

Comparison Between Both

Both options have many advantages and disadvantages. Here's a brief look at the different pros and cons of using mods or plugins on your server:

Plugins

Pros

Players don't need to install anything

More stable than mods

Less lag

More control over player permissions

Cons

Less variety

Can only be installed on servers

Mods

Pros

Can be used in both single-player and multiplayer

Adds new items and mechanics

Large number of popular modpacks

Cons

More resource-demanding

Version-specific

More likely to cause lag and crashes

Use Cases

Minigames

One of the most popular reasons for using plugins is to create minigames on your server. There are thousands of plugins available to help you run games like Murder Mystery, Skyblock, and Bedwars. Holy Hosting has a wide range of preconfigured minigames for you to choose from and install, but you can also create your own through the use of plugins.

ModPacks

Modpacks are a very popular way to enhance your Minecraft experience. There are thousands of packs available to change the game in any way you can imagine. Pixelmon, for example, is a popular pack that lets you start your own Pokemon adventure. Modpacks can turn Minecraft into a completely new game without having to buy anything.

Quality of Life

Plugins and mods are great for adding new features to your game, but that doesn't have to be the end goal. Many players use plugins and mods to add quality-of-life improvements to their server or their game. These improvements can range from simple changes like allowing players to move mob spawners to creating minimap displays and adding shaders to your game.

There are thousands of these quality-of-life plugins and mods available to choose from and make your game a little more enjoyable.

Conclusion

With that, you're ready to choose which option, mods or plugins, is right for you. While both have their pros and cons, they are invaluable tools for building your server. Thanks to the massive Minecraft modding community, there is a plugin or mod for just about every need. You can use plugins to create minigames and improve quality of life on your server, while mods are a good choice for completely changing the game into something new. Each option will enhance your experience and give you the opportunity to add new features for your players on your Holy Hosting server.