Add datapacks to your server

Datapacks change how your world plays without mods. They can add recipes, advancements, loot or small tweaks.

What is a datapack?

A datapack is a .zip file (or folder) that Minecraft reads when it loads your world. It is built into the game, so it works on Vanilla and Paper. Players need nothing extra on their own computers.

Datapacks are more limited than mods. They cannot add new blocks with custom models, for example.

Where to find them

• Vanilla Tweaks (vanillatweaks.net) lets you tick the tweaks you want and download them.
• Modrinth (modrinth.com) has a large library. Filter by "Data Pack" and your Minecraft version.

Only use sources you trust, and check the pack supports your server's Minecraft version.

Add one

1. Make a manual backup first. See Backups.
2. On the Console page press Stop and wait until the server is offline.
3. Open the Files page, then the world folder, then datapacks. If your world folder has another name, it is the level-name in server.properties. If datapacks is missing, create it.
4. Press Upload and add the .zip. Do not unzip it. Vanilla Tweaks gives you a zip of zips: unzip that on your PC and upload only the inner datapack zips.
5. Press Start.

Check it worked

Run this on the Console page:

/datapack list

Your pack should be under "enabled". If it is "available", run /datapack enable "file/name.zip" with the exact name the list shows.

Do I need to restart?

/reload picks up a new datapack on a running server. Some packs do not cope with it, so stop and start the server if anything looks wrong.

Remove one

1. Stop the server.
2. Delete the .zip from world/datapacks on the Files page.
3. Start the server and run /datapack list.

Removing a pack does not undo what it already did, such as items given or structures built. If it caused a problem, restore your backup.

Still stuck?

Check the Minecraft version and that the .zip sits directly inside datapacks. Then open a ticket from the panel (see support tickets) with the datapack name and your server version.