# ViaVersion/ViaVersion

Allows of newer clients to connect to older server versions for Minecraft servers.

Repository: https://github.com/ViaVersion/ViaVersion
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/viaversion
Homepage: https://viaversion.com
Language: Java
License: GPL-3.0
License Family: copyleft
Topics: minecraft, plugin, spigot, bukkit, bungeecord, sponge, java, velocity, viaversion, sponge-plugin, fabric, hacktoberfest, paper, java-edition
Last push: 2026-08-23T13:10:09+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 97/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 92, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3839, "days_push": 10, "days_rel": 52, "gap_med": 20, "n_releases_24m": 24}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1615, forks 338 (observed 2026-08-28T04:05:11.544160+00:00)

## What it is
ViaVersion is a Minecraft server plugin that allows newer client versions to connect to older server versions by translating protocol differences. It runs on Paper, Velocity, and many other platforms including Fabric, Forge, BungeeCord, Sponge, and as a standalone proxy.

## Use cases
- let players on newer Minecraft versions join my older server
- support multiple client versions on one Minecraft server
- avoid losing players after a Minecraft update
- run a proxy that accepts any client version
- add version compatibility to my Paper or Velocity server
- translate packets between Minecraft protocol versions

## When to choose
- you run a Minecraft server and want players on newer clients to join without upgrading the server
- you want to avoid resetting or delaying your server after a Minecraft update
- you need multi-version support across Paper, Velocity, Fabric, Forge, BungeeCord, or Sponge

## When to avoid
- you need older clients to connect to a newer server (use ViaBackwards instead)
- you want clients to actually use newer server features rather than just connect
- you run a non-Minecraft application

## Facets
- artifact type: plugin
- maturity: stable
- function: networking, middleware, plugin-system
- domain: gaming-tools, networking
- platform: jvm, self-hosted
- tags: minecraft-server, protocol-translation, spigot, paper, velocity, fabric, bungeecord, client-version-compatibility, minecraft

## Member repositories
- ViaVersion/ViaVersion (main) score 97

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:11.544160+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T03:50:16.714288+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/ViaVersion/ViaVersion (fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:11.544160+00:00, sha 29a345be41f3)
  - homepage: https://viaversion.com (fetched 2026-08-29T11:22:32.696234+00:00, sha 8400f07f3455)
  - site_page: https://docs.viaversion.com/ (fetched 2026-08-29T11:22:32.708280+00:00, sha d531d07c3b28)
  - site_page: https://jd.viaversion.com/ (fetched 2026-08-29T11:22:32.705497+00:00, sha d391b4b9c54e)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.