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Broken Plugin

A plugin fails to load because its plugin.yml is invalid. Every Bukkit/Paper plugin needs a valid descriptor, if it is malformed or the jar is corrupt, the server cannot load the plugin.

What does this error mean?
plugin.yml describes a plugin (name, main class, version, dependencies). 'Invalid plugin.yml' means that file is malformed or missing required fields, or the jar is damaged, so the server rejects the plugin. 
Invalid plugin.yml
Most Common Causes
  • A corrupted or incomplete plugin jar.
  • A malformed plugin.yml (bad YAML or missing fields).
  • A non-plugin jar placed in plugins/ (e.g. a library or mod).
  • An interrupted download.
  • A plugin for a different platform entirely.
How To Diagnose
  1. Read the log for which plugin/file failed.
  2. Open the jar and inspect plugin.yml for validity.
  3. Confirm the file is actually a Bukkit/Paper plugin.
  4. Compare its size to the official download.
Recommended Fixes
  • Re-download the plugin
    Replace a corrupt or partial jar with a fresh official download.
  • Verify it is a plugin
    Ensure the jar is a Bukkit/Paper plugin, not a mod or library.
  • Fix plugin.yml
    If you build the plugin, correct the YAML and required fields.
  • Remove the bad file
    Take any non-plugin jar out of the plugins folder.
Analyze My Log
Frequently Asked Questions

At minimum a name, version, and main class. Missing any makes it invalid.

Yes, mods and libraries are not plugins and will fail in the plugins folder.

In the server's plugins/ folder, only on Bukkit/Spigot/Paper-based servers.