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How to Install EssentialsX on Your Minecraft Server

How to Install EssentialsX on Your Minecraft Server

EssentialsX is the most popular and comprehensive core plugin for Minecraft servers, providing over 100 essential commands and features that every server needs. From teleportation and homes to economy systems and kits, EssentialsX forms the foundation of most successful Minecraft servers. With Loafhosts' LoafPanel, installing and configuring EssentialsX is simple through our integrated Plugin Manager.

What is EssentialsX?

EssentialsX is a complete suite of essential server tools that replaces the need for dozens of individual plugins. It's the modern continuation of the original Essentials plugin, actively maintained and updated for current Minecraft versions.

Key Features

Player Commands:

  • Player homes (/home, /sethome, /delhome)
  • Teleportation requests (/tpa, /tpahere, /tpaccept)
  • Spawn teleportation (/spawn, /setspawn)
  • Warps (/warp, /setwarp, /delwarp)
  • Back to previous location (/back)

Administrative Tools:

  • Kick, ban, and mute players
  • Teleportation commands (/tp, /tphere)
  • Player management (/heal, /feed, /fly, /god)
  • Inventory management (/give, /item, /clear)
  • World management (/time, /weather)

Economy System:

  • Built-in currency system
  • Balance checking (/balance, /bal)
  • Money transfer (/pay)
  • Admin money commands (/eco)
  • Signs for buying/selling

Additional Features:

  • Kits (starter items, rank kits)
  • Custom join/quit messages
  • Nickname system (/nick)
  • AFK detection
  • Chat formatting and colors
  • Mail system (/mail)
  • Private messaging (/msg, /reply)
  • Player list customization

Why EssentialsX?

Advantages:

  • Consolidates essential features into one plugin
  • Extremely lightweight and optimized
  • Active development since 2016
  • Comprehensive documentation
  • Huge community support
  • Modular design (install only what you need)
  • Compatible with all major plugins

EssentialsX Modules

EssentialsX is split into modules that you can install separately:

Core Module (Required)

EssentialsX - The main plugin with all basic features

Optional Modules

EssentialsXChat - Advanced chat formatting, channel system EssentialsXSpawn - Enhanced spawn management EssentialsXGeoIP - Show player locations on join EssentialsXAntiBuild - Building restrictions and permissions EssentialsXProtect - Simple world protection EssentialsXXMPP - Jabber/XMPP chat bridge (discontinued)

Recommended Setup: EssentialsX + EssentialsXChat + EssentialsXSpawn

Prerequisites

Before installing EssentialsX:

  • Access to your Loafhosts panel at https://panel.loafhosts.com
  • Minecraft server running Spigot, Paper, Purpur, or similar
  • Vault plugin (recommended for economy features)
  • Operator access to your server

Installation via LoafPanel Plugin Manager

Install EssentialsX through the integrated Plugin Manager.

Step 1: Access the Plugin Manager

  1. Log in to your Loafhosts panel at https://panel.loafhosts.com
  2. Select your Minecraft server
  3. Navigate to Management → Plugins
  4. The Plugin Manager interface opens


Step 2: Search for EssentialsX

  1. Use the search bar at the top
  2. Type "EssentialsX"
  3. You'll see multiple EssentialsX modules
  4. Look for the main "EssentialsX" plugin first


Step 3: Select Version

  1. Click on EssentialsX (the core module)
  2. Click Versions to see available releases
  3. Select the latest version for your Minecraft version
  4. Check compatibility with your server version


Step 4: Install Core Module

  1. Click the blue Install or Download button
  2. Wait for download confirmation
  3. The plugin is placed in /plugins/ folder

Step 5: Install Additional Modules (Optional)

Repeat the process for optional modules:

  1. Search for "EssentialsXChat"
  2. Install desired version
  3. Search for "EssentialsXSpawn"
  4. Install desired version

Note: Install additional modules AFTER the core EssentialsX plugin.

Step 6: Restart Your Server

  1. Navigate to General → Console
  2. Click the Restart button
  3. Wait for complete server restart
  4. EssentialsX loads and generates config files

Verifying Installation

Confirm EssentialsX installed correctly:

Via Console Log

  1. Navigate to General → Terminal
  2. Look for EssentialsX startup messages:
[Essentials] Loading Essentials vX.X.X
[Essentials] Enabling Essentials vX.X.X

Via In-Game Commands

  1. Join your server as an operator
  2. Type /essentials or /ess
  3. You should see the EssentialsX info display
  4. Try a basic command like /spawn

Via Plugins List

Type in-game or console:

/plugins

EssentialsX should appear in green, meaning it's loaded successfully.

Initial Configuration

After installation, configure EssentialsX for your server needs.

Step 1: Access Configuration Files

  1. Navigate to Management → Files
  2. Go to /plugins/Essentials/
  3. You'll see multiple configuration files


Key Configuration Files

  • config.yml - Main configuration
  • worth.yml - Item values for economy
  • kits.yml - Starter kits and rank kits
  • commands.yml - Custom command aliases
  • motd.txt - Message of the Day
  • custom.txt - Custom text file

Step 2: Edit Main Configuration

Open config.yml and review these important settings:

# Allow colored signs with &color codes
allow-colored-signs: true

# Allow players to change nicknames
change-displayname: true

# Enable /back command
back-on-teleport: true
back-on-death: false

# Teleport cooldowns and delays
teleport-cooldown: 0
teleport-delay: 0
teleport-invulnerability: 4

# Home settings
max-user-homes: 3
sethome-multiple:
  default: 3
  vip: 5
  mvp: 10

# Starting balance for new players
starting-balance: 0

# Enable economy features
economy-enabled: true
currency-symbol: '$'

# Death messages
death-messages: true

# Player list (TAB)
add-prefix-suffix: true

# Debug mode (disable after setup)
debug: false

Step 3: Configure Economy System

If using the built-in economy:

economy-enabled: true
currency-symbol: '$'
starting-balance: 100

Set item worth in worth.yml:

diamond: 10.00
iron_ingot: 5.00
gold_ingot: 8.00
emerald: 15.00

Step 4: Create Starter Kits

Edit kits.yml to create kits:

kits:
  starter:
    delay: 86400  # 24 hours
    items:
      - stone_sword 1
      - cooked_beef 32
      - oak_planks 64
      - torch 32
  vip:
    delay: 43200  # 12 hours
    items:
      - diamond_sword 1 sharpness:2
      - cooked_beef 64
      - golden_apple 8
      - ender_pearl 16
  tools:
    delay: 3600  # 1 hour
    items:
      - diamond_pickaxe 1 efficiency:4 unbreaking:3
      - diamond_axe 1 efficiency:4 unbreaking:3
      - diamond_shovel 1 efficiency:4 unbreaking:3

Step 5: Save and Reload

  1. Save all configuration files
  2. In-game or console, type:
/essentials reload

Or restart the server for all changes to take effect.

Essential Commands

Player Commands

Homes:

/sethome [name] - Set a home location
/home [name] - Teleport to home
/delhome [name] - Delete a home
/homes - List all your homes

Teleportation:

/tpa <player> - Request to teleport to player
/tpahere <player> - Request player teleport to you
/tpaccept - Accept teleport request
/tpdeny - Deny teleport request
/back - Return to previous location

Spawn:

/spawn - Teleport to spawn

Warps:

/warp <name> - Teleport to warp
/warps - List all warps

Economy:

/balance - Check your money
/bal - Short for balance
/pay <player> <amount> - Send money to player
/balancetop - Show richest players

Communication:

/msg <player> <message> - Private message
/r <message> - Reply to last message
/mail send <player> <message> - Send offline message
/mail read - Read your mail

Utility:

/kit <name> - Get a kit
/kits - List available kits
/suicide - Kill yourself
/afk - Mark yourself as AFK
/nick <nickname> - Change your nickname

Administrative Commands

Player Management:

/tp <player> - Teleport to player
/tphere <player> - Teleport player to you
/tpall - Teleport all players to you
/heal [player] - Heal player
/feed [player] - Feed player
/fly [player] - Toggle flight
/god [player] - Toggle invincibility
/speed <1-10> - Set movement speed

Moderation:

/kick <player> [reason] - Kick player
/ban <player> [reason] - Ban player
/unban <player> - Unban player
/mute <player> - Mute player
/unmute <player> - Unmute player
/socialspy - Toggle seeing private messages

Inventory:

/give <player> <item> [amount] - Give items
/item <item> - Give yourself items
/clear [player] - Clear inventory
/invsee <player> - View player inventory
/enderchest [player] - View ender chest

World:

/time <set|add> <value> - Change time
/weather <clear|rain|thunder> - Change weather
/ptime <player> <time> - Set player's time
/pweather <player> <weather> - Set player's weather

Economy:

/eco give <player> <amount> - Give money
/eco take <player> <amount> - Take money
/eco set <player> <amount> - Set balance
/eco reset <player> - Reset to starting balance

Warps:

/setwarp <name> - Create warp
/delwarp <name> - Delete warp

Spawn:

/setspawn - Set world spawn

Setting Up Kits

Kits are predefined item sets players can claim.

Creating a Kit

Method 1: Manual Configuration

Edit /plugins/Essentials/kits.yml:

kits:
  pvp:
    delay: 3600  # 1 hour cooldown
    items:
      - diamond_sword 1 sharpness:5 unbreaking:3
      - bow 1 power:5 infinity:1
      - arrow 1
      - diamond_helmet 1 protection:4 unbreaking:3
      - diamond_chestplate 1 protection:4 unbreaking:3
      - diamond_leggings 1 protection:4 unbreaking:3
      - diamond_boots 1 protection:4 unbreaking:3
      - golden_apple 16
      - ender_pearl 16

Method 2: In-Game Creation

  1. Fill your inventory with desired items
  2. Type:
/createkit <name> <delay>

Example:

/createkit starter 86400

This creates a kit from your current inventory with 24-hour delay.

Kit Permissions

Control who can use kits with permissions:

essentials.kits.<kitname> - Access specific kit
essentials.kits.* - Access all kits

With LuckPerms:

/lp group vip permission set essentials.kits.vip true
/lp group default permission set essentials.kits.starter true

Kit Signs

Create signs that give kits when clicked:

Line 1: [Kit] Line 2: Kit name

Players right-click to receive the kit.

Economy Configuration

Set up a fully functional economy system.

Basic Economy Setup

In config.yml:

economy-enabled: true
currency-symbol: '$'
starting-balance: 100
min-money: 0
max-money: 10000000000

Setting Item Values

Edit worth.yml to define buy/sell prices:

# Format: item_id: sell_price
diamond: 100.00
diamond_block: 900.00
iron_ingot: 10.00
gold_ingot: 20.00
emerald: 50.00

Money Signs

Create signs for buying/selling:

Buy Sign: Line 1: [Buy] Line 2: Amount (e.g., 64) Line 3: Item name (e.g., diamond) Line 4: Price (e.g., B 6400:S 5000)

Sell Sign: Line 1: [Sell] Line 2: Amount Line 3: Item name Line 4: Price

Trade Sign: Line 1: [Trade] Line 2: Amount to give Line 3: Item to give Line 4: Item to receive

Economy Commands

/bal - Check balance
/pay <player> <amount> - Send money
/eco give <player> <amount> - Admin give money
/eco take <player> <amount> - Admin remove money
/worth - Check item value
/sell <item|hand|all> - Sell items

Homes and Warps

Home System

Configure home limits in config.yml:

max-user-homes: 5
sethome-multiple:
  default: 1
  vip: 3
  mvp: 5
  admin: 10

Set permissions:

essentials.sethome - Allow /sethome
essentials.sethome.multiple - Allow multiple homes
essentials.sethome.multiple.<number> - Specific home count

Warp System

Create warps as admin:

/setwarp spawn - Create "spawn" warp
/setwarp shop - Create "shop" warp
/setwarp pvp - Create "pvp" warp

Players use:

/warp spawn
/warp shop
/warps - List all warps

Warp Signs

Create signs that teleport to warps:

Line 1: [Warp] Line 2: Warp name

Chat Configuration (EssentialsXChat)

If you installed EssentialsXChat:

Edit Chat Format

Edit /plugins/EssentialsChat/config.yml:

format: '<{DISPLAYNAME}> {MESSAGE}'

# Or with colors and prefixes:
format: '{PREFIX}{DISPLAYNAME}{SUFFIX}&r: {MESSAGE}'

# Group-specific formats:
group-formats:
  Admin: '&c[Admin] {DISPLAYNAME}&r: {MESSAGE}'
  Mod: '&9[Mod] {DISPLAYNAME}&r: {MESSAGE}'
  VIP: '&6[VIP] {DISPLAYNAME}&r: {MESSAGE}'
  default: '&7{DISPLAYNAME}&r: {MESSAGE}'

Chat Features

Enable chat features:

# Chat radius (0 = unlimited)
chat-radius: 0

# Question handling
question-handling: true

# Shout prefix
shout-prefix: '!'

# Chat cooldown
chat-cooldown: 0

Spawn Management (EssentialsXSpawn)

If you installed EssentialsXSpawn:

Configure Spawn Behavior

Edit /plugins/EssentialsSpawn/config.yml:

# Respawn at spawn on death
respawn-at-home: false

# Teleport to spawn on join
teleport-to-spawn-on-join: true

# For new players only
newbies:
  announce-on-join: true
  spawnpoint: newbie

Set Spawn Points

/setspawn - Set main spawn
/setspawn <group> - Set group-specific spawn

Example group spawns:

/setspawn default
/setspawn vip
/setspawn admin

Permissions Setup

Essential permissions for different groups:

Default Player

essentials.spawn
essentials.help
essentials.motd
essentials.rules
essentials.tpa
essentials.tpahere
essentials.tpaccept
essentials.tpdeny
essentials.home
essentials.sethome
essentials.sethome.multiple.default
essentials.delhome
essentials.balance
essentials.pay
essentials.msg
essentials.mail
essentials.mail.send
essentials.afk
essentials.kit.starter
essentials.warp.*
essentials.back

VIP Player

Inherits Default +

essentials.fly
essentials.sethome.multiple.vip
essentials.kit.vip
essentials.nick
essentials.hat
essentials.ptime
essentials.pweather
essentials.top

Moderator

Inherits VIP +

essentials.kick
essentials.mute
essentials.tp
essentials.tphere
essentials.invsee
essentials.enderchest
essentials.socialspy
essentials.vanish
essentials.ban
essentials.unban
essentials.clearinventory

Admin

Inherits Moderator +

essentials.*

Troubleshooting

Commands Not Working

Solution:

  • Check plugins list: /plugins
  • Verify EssentialsX is green (enabled)
  • Check console for errors
  • Reload: /essentials reload
  • Verify permissions with LuckPerms

Economy Not Working

Solution:

  • Ensure economy-enabled: true in config.yml
  • Install Vault plugin
  • Reload Essentials: /essentials reload
  • Check starting balance is set
  • Test with /bal command

Homes Not Saving

Solution:

  • Check max-user-homes setting
  • Verify player has permission: essentials.sethome
  • Check for file permission errors in console
  • Ensure /plugins/Essentials/userdata/ is writable

Kits Not Working

Solution:

  • Check kits.yml syntax (proper YAML formatting)
  • Verify kit names are lowercase
  • Check player has permission: essentials.kits.<kitname>
  • Reload: /essentials reload
  • Check kit cooldown hasn't expired

Chat Formatting Issues

Solution:

  • Verify EssentialsXChat is installed and enabled
  • Check /plugins/EssentialsChat/config.yml format
  • Ensure no conflicts with other chat plugins
  • Reload: /essentials reload
  • Test with different chat format

Advanced Features

Custom Commands

Create command aliases in commands.yml:

# Make /home take you to spawn if no homes set
home:
  - home {1}
  - spawn

# Custom suicide command
kms:
  - suicide

AFK Detection

Configure AFK in config.yml:

# Auto-AFK after 5 minutes
auto-afk: 300

# Kick after 10 minutes AFK
auto-afk-kick: 600

# Show AFK players differently
afk-list-name: '&7[AFK] {PLAYER}'

Custom Text Files

Edit these for custom server messages:

  • motd.txt - Shown on /motd
  • rules.txt - Shown on /rules
  • info.txt - Shown on /info
  • custom.txt - Create custom command

Broadcast Alerts

Create timed broadcasts in config.yml:

custom-messages:
  - 'Remember to vote for the server!'
  - 'Check out our Discord!'
  - 'Use /rules to see server rules'

broadcast-message-interval: 300  # 5 minutes

Integration with Other Plugins

With Vault

EssentialsX economy works through Vault:

  1. Install Vault plugin
  2. EssentialsX automatically hooks into Vault
  3. Other economy plugins can now use Essentials economy

With LuckPerms

Set up prefix/suffix display:

/lp group admin meta setprefix 100 "&c[Admin] "

EssentialsXChat displays these automatically.

With WorldGuard

Use region flags:

/rg flag spawn greeting Welcome to spawn!
/rg flag spawn farewell Thanks for visiting!

With PlaceholderAPI

EssentialsX provides placeholders:

%essentials_nickname%
%essentials_afk%
%essentials_worth%

Best Practices

Configuration

  • Start with default config, modify gradually
  • Keep backups of working configurations
  • Document custom changes
  • Test changes on development server
  • Use proper YAML syntax (spaces, not tabs)

Economy

  • Balance starting money carefully
  • Set reasonable item values
  • Monitor money circulation
  • Prevent money exploits
  • Regular economy resets if needed

Kits

  • Don't make kits too powerful
  • Set appropriate cooldowns
  • Create progression (starter → advanced)
  • Restrict overpowered kits to donors
  • Balance items carefully

Permissions

  • Follow principle of least privilege
  • Test permissions thoroughly
  • Document permission structure
  • Regular permission audits
  • Use LuckPerms for advanced control

Updating EssentialsX

Via LoafPanel

  1. Go to Management → Plugins
  2. Find EssentialsX
  3. Click Versions
  4. Select newer version
  5. Click Download
  6. Restart server

Manual Update

  1. Download from SpigotMC or GitHub
  2. Stop server
  3. Replace old jar in /plugins/
  4. Start server
  5. Check for config updates

Always backup before updating!

Need Help?

If you have questions about EssentialsX installation or configuration:

With Loafhosts' LoafPanel and EssentialsX, you have all the essential tools to run a successful Minecraft server. From economy systems to teleportation, EssentialsX provides everything your players need for a complete server experience!

Updated on: 10/11/2025

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