PlaceholderAPI Setup Guide for Minecraft Servers (2026)

PlaceholderAPI Setup Guide for Minecraft Servers (2026)

PlaceholderAPI (PAPI) is a plugin that lets other plugins share and display data using placeholders. Want to show a player's balance in a scoreboard? Their rank in a tab list? Their playtime on a hologram? PlaceholderAPI makes it possible by connecting plugins together.

What Are Placeholders

Placeholders are text codes that get replaced with dynamic data:

• %player_name% becomes the player's name
• %vault_eco_balance% becomes their money balance
• %luckperms_prefix% becomes their rank prefix
• %server_online% becomes the online player count

Installation

1. Download PlaceholderAPI from SpigotMC
2. Place in plugins/
3. Restart the server
4. Download expansion packs: /papi ecloud download [expansion]
5. Reload: /papi reload

Common Expansions

Download these with /papi ecloud download [name]:

| Expansion | Placeholders | |-----------|-------------| | Player | %player_name%, %player_health%, %player_food_level% | | Vault | %vault_eco_balance%, %vault_prefix%, %vault_group% | | Server | %server_online%, %server_max_players%, %server_tps% | | Statistic | %statistic_mine_block_diamond_ore%, %statistic_mob_kills% | | Math | %math_0_[expression]% for calculations | | CheckItem | Check if player has specific items |

Where Placeholders Work

Placeholders work in any plugin that supports PAPI:

• Scoreboards: FeatherBoard, AnimatedScoreboard
• Tab lists: TAB, NametagEdit
• Holograms: DecentHolograms, HolographicDisplays
• Chat: ChatControl, EssentialsX Chat
• Menus: DeluxeMenus, ChestCommands
• Messages: Any plugin message can use PAPI

Example: Custom Scoreboard

Using FeatherBoard or a similar plugin:

&6&lMY SERVER
&7Balance: &a$%vault_eco_balance%
&7Rank: %luckperms_prefix%
&7Players: &f%server_online%/%server_max_players%
&7TPS: %server_tps%
&7Kills: &c%statistic_player_kills%

Example: Tab List

Using TAB plugin:

%luckperms_prefix% %player_name%

This shows each player's rank color and name in the tab list.

Creating Custom Placeholders

You can create custom placeholders without coding using the JavaScript expansion:

/papi ecloud download javascript

Then write simple scripts that return custom values.

Troubleshooting

Placeholders show as raw text:

• The expansion is not downloaded. Run /papi ecloud download [name]
• The plugin displaying them does not support PAPI
• Reload PAPI with /papi reload

Expansion not found:

• Run /papi ecloud refresh to update the list
• Check spelling of the expansion name
• Some plugins register their own placeholders without needing an ecloud download

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