This book is an introduction to programming Minecraft server plugins with the Bukkit API. Minecraft is a very versatile sandbox game, and players are always looking forward to doing more with it. Bukkit allows programmers to do just that. This book is geared towards individuals who may not have a programming background. It explains how to set up a Bukkit server and create your own custom plugins that can be run on the server. It starts with the basic features of a Bukkit plugin, such as commands and permissions, and continues towards advanced concepts, such and saving and loading data. This book will help readers create a complete Bukkit plugin, irrespective of whether they are new to Java or just new to Bukkit. The advanced topics cover portions of the Bukkit API that could even aid the current plugin developers in expanding their knowledge in order to improve their existing plugins.
Chapter 1, Deploying a Spigot Server, instructs readers how to download and set up a Minecraft server that runs on Spigot, which includes the forwarding of ports to allow other players to connect. In this chapter, common server settings and commands are explained as well.
Chapter 2, Learning the Bukkit API, introduces Bukkit by teaching how to read its API documentation. In this chapter, common Java data types and Bukkit classes are discussed.
Chapter 3, Creating Your First Bukkit Plugin, guides readers through installing an IDE and creating a simple "Hello World" Bukkit plugin.
Chapter 4, Testing on the Spigot Server, discusses how to install a plugin on a Spigot server as well as simple testing and the debugging of techniques.
Chapter 5, Plugin Commands, instructs how to program user commands into a server plugin by creating a plugin called Enchanter.
Chapter 6, Player Permissions, teaches how to program permission checks in a plugin by modifying Enchanter. This chapter also guides readers through installing a third-party plugin called CodsPerms.
Chapter 7, The Bukkit Event System, teaches how to create complex mods that use event listeners. This chapter also helps readers learn by creating two new plugins, namely NoRain and MobEnhancer.
Chapter 8, Making Your Plugin Configurable, teaches readers program configuration by expanding MobEnhancer. This chapter also explains static variables and communication between classes.
Chapter 9, Saving Your Data, talks about how to save and load program data through the YAML file configuration. This chapter also helps create a new plugin called Warper.
Chapter 10, The Bukkit Scheduler, explores the Bukkit Scheduler while creating a new plugin called AlwaysDay. In this chapter, Warper is also modified to incorporate scheduled programming.