View source for Supported Versions

== Supported versions ==
If you were sent to this page, you are:

* Having trouble getting Citizens to run
* Asking for help while being on an unsupported Minecraft version
* Asking for help related to a possible bug, but are on an unsupported or minimum supported Minecraft version

This page explains what you can and should do and provides other helpful tools that help you to maintain your server.

=== The 'negative' side effects of running a Minecraft server === 
We know that running a Minecraft server can be a rewarding experience but unfortunately also requires a lot of work to maintain it. This page aims to assist you to update.
It is crucial to keep your server updated because new versions come with security patches, bugfixes and new features that your players can benefit from. 

For instance, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Log4Shell Log4Shell] exploit demonstrates how outdated versions can leave servers vulnerable to severe security threats.

Regular backups are essential to ensure the safety of your Minecraft server’s data.
A simple way to make them is to .zip or .tar your Minecraft server and download it with a FTP client from your servers host. If you’re looking for more advanced tools you could consider BorgBackup which allows you to do them automatically for free.

=== Support Table ===

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left:left; text-align:center;"

|-
! 1.8 !! 1.12.2 !! 1.19.0 !! 1.19.1 !! 1.19.2 !! 1.19.3 !! 1.19.4 !! 1.20.1 !! 1.20.2 !! 1.20.3 !! 1.20.4 !! 1.20.5 !! 1.20.6 !! 1.21.1 !! 1.21.2 !! 1.21.3 !! 1.21.4
|-
| ❌ || ❌ || ❌ || ❌ || ❌ || ❌ || ✅ || ⚠️ || ❌ || ❌ || ⚠️ || ❌ || ✅ || ❌ || ⚠️ || ⚠️ || ✅
|}

The support chart shows versions we provide support and do not provide support for. Versions that are not listed here are also entirely unsupported. If you are on 1.8 see [[Minecraft_1.8|Minecraft 1.8]].

✅ - Versions that are fully supported. These versions will get all new features, bug fixes, and security patches.

❌ - We can not provide any type of support for it. We won’t answer any questions until you move to a supported version. Latest Citizens version will not run on this version.

⚠️ - We answer basic questions, but can not help with possible bugs or feature requests. The latest Citizens version will not run on this version. 

Citizens supports multiple versions of Minecraft. Due to Spigot file size limitations, limited time in development, and security risks and bugs that come with older Minecraft versions, the actively supported versions change over time. It does not support every version of Minecraft, just some.

As a rule of thumb, for each Minecraft version, only the latest Minecraft patch-version is fully supported. 
For example in Minecraft 1.18, the latest patch version is 1.18.2 and so the latest version of Citizens will only work with Minecraft Version 1.18.2, not 1.18 or 1.18.1.

== What to do? ==
=== Asking for help while being on an unsupported Minecraft version ===
As described in the support chart, Citizens supports only the latest patch versions of Minecraft. If you are on an older version, we cannot provide support for it.

What you should do:
Update your Minecraft server to the latest patch version that we support(one with a ✅).
Once you’ve updated your server, feel free to reach out to us for help!

=== Asking for help related to a possible Bug, but are on an unsupported or minimum supported Minecraft version ===
If you're encountering a bug on an unsupported or minimum supported version, especially on the latest Minecraft major release, the issue may have already been fixed in the latest Citizens version.

What you should do:
Update to the latest patch version of your Servers Minecraft version and check if the bug is still present. Often, newer patches include fixes for known issues. If you are unable to update your productive server, you can still help us by trying to replicate the behavior on a local test server.
If you're still experiencing the bug after updating, please provide a log replicating the issue on the updated server and provide the steps to reproduce the issue, so we can troubleshoot further.

== How to update a Minecraft server ==
Updating a Minecraft server is a simple straightforward process, but it’s crucial to approach it carefully to avoid running into issues. The following explanation covers the basic process.

==== Have a backup on hand ====
Before making any changes, make sure you have a working backup of your server. Just in case something unpredictable happens and you need to restore it.

==== Test the update locally on your computer ====
Perform a dry run by downloading and running your server locally on your computer and updating it. To do that, you need to:
* Replace the server's .jar file and any plugin .jar file with the updated version you have downloaded from the related plugins page.
* Start your server and check the logs for errors and warnings.
* Log in to your local server and test important things that must work.

If you don’t see issues coming up, you are likely good to update.

If you encounter issues:
* Check the related plugin's official page or support channels for news.
* Look for help on the plugin's Discord server, if any exists.

==== Proceed to update your production server ====
Once you're confident with your local tests, proceed with updating your production server.