Minecraft Plugin Dependencies Explained

Direct answer

Plugins can require another plugin to load or use one optionally for extra features. On Bukkit-style plugins, depend is required and softdepend is optional; modern Paper plugins use a different dependency format.

Recommended procedure

1. Check the project’s documentation for required companion plugins and their compatible versions.
2. On Bukkit-style plugins, inspect the JAR’s plugin.yml. Required depend entries block loading when missing; softdepend influences optional integration and ordering.
3. On a Paper plugin using paper-plugin.yml, check its dependencies sections (bootstrap/server) and required/load values instead of assuming Bukkit fields apply.
4. Install each dependency from its real developer, in the correct server plugin directory. Keep dependency and dependent plugin versions compatible.
5. Restart; inspect startup logs for UnknownDependencyException, version/API errors or circular load-order errors.

Why this matters

An optional bridge such as Vault does not itself provide every economy system; the downstream plugin still needs an actual provider or integration. Do not interpret any installed dependency as proof of complete functionality.

How to verify the result

• The startup log should no longer report missing required plugins.
• Both dependent and dependency should load successfully; on Paper check /plugins and test the specific integration.
• If multiple plugins form a cycle, use the authors’ supported dependency versions and seek a fix rather than forcing unsupported load order.

Version and compatibility notes

Official references

• PaperMC: plugin.yml depend and softdepend
• PaperMC: paper-plugin.yml dependencies
• PaperMC: Missing dependency errors

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