OwlHub | THE Hub-core you need v1.5.0

This update focuses on making OwlHub easier to configure, easier to upgrade, and easier to run on live hubs.

OwlHub now includes an in-game editor for menus, join items, built-in menu layouts, and cosmetics. It also adds automatic config default syncing, a native PlaceholderAPI expansion, stronger LuckPerms support, improved profile/customization menus, safer launch queue release checks, and more reliable runtime dependency loading for storage and Redis features.

What's new in v1.5.0

In-game OwlHub editor​

OwlHub now has a new admin editor command:

• /owlhub editor

This opens a GUI editor for common hub setup work.

The editor can help manage:

• custom menus
• built-in menu layouts
• join items
• cosmetic menu content
• held-item based menu entries
• online/offline/whitelisted selector visuals

This makes it easier to build or adjust a hub without constantly editing YAML by hand for every small menu or item change.

Automatic config default syncing​

OwlHub now checks existing config files against the bundled defaults during startup.

When a config file is missing new default keys, OwlHub can add those missing values automatically while keeping existing custom values intact.

If OwlHub edits a config file, it creates a timestamped backup first.

Example backup name:

Code:

settings.yml.backup-20260610-173000

This applies to the main bundled config files:

• settings.yml
• messages.yml
• menus.yml
• gadgets.yml
• cosmetics.yml
• holograms.yml
• parkour.yml
• scoreboard.yml
• tab.yml

If an existing custom value blocks a new default section, OwlHub does not overwrite it. Instead, it logs a warning with the skipped paths so you can merge those values manually.

This should make future updates less painful, especially for buyers with customized setups.

Native PlaceholderAPI expansion​

When PlaceholderAPI is installed, OwlHub now registers its own expansion:

Code:

%owlhub_<placeholder>%

This allows other plugins, hologram systems, scoreboards, menus, and text tools to read OwlHub state directly.

Examples:

• %owlhub_player%
• %owlhub_online%
• %owlhub_rank%
• %owlhub_clock%
• %owlhub_clock_seconds%
• %owlhub_date%
• %owlhub_is_queued%
• %owlhub_queue_status_display%
• %owlhub_queue_position_display%
• %owlhub_server_survival_status%
• %owlhub_server_survival_population%
• %owlhub_queue_count_survival%
• %owlhub_click_hint_survival%
• %owlhub_population_hint_survival%
• %owlhub_parkour_time%
• %owlhub_parkour_course_record_holder%

This is especially useful if you use PlaceholderAPI-driven systems outside OwlHub and want them to show the same queue, server, parkour, clock, date, or profile information.

Make sure to join our Discord server to receive support and join our amazing community.

This update features some internal bug fixes that are related to the inner workings of the plugin.

After this update the plugin has now been obfuscated to prevent malicious intentions.

This version adds licensing support to OwlHub.
It adds startup license verification, heartbeat checks, a simple license-key setting.
The goal of this update is to make OwlHub easier and safer to distribute as a premium plugin while keeping setup simple for server owners.

This update focuses on making OwlHub's parkour system more usable for live hubs, improving leaderboard presentation, fixing Citizens NPC right-click interactions, and making the parkour item flow more reliable.
OwlHub now gives server owners more control over parkour leaderboard displays, including top 30 pages, customizable hologram layouts, and per-player hologram page switching.
What's new in v1.3.4

Interactive parkour leaderboard holograms​

Parkour leaderboard holograms are now interactive.
Players can now:

• punch a leaderboard hologram to change page
• right-click a leaderboard hologram to change page
• view their own page without changing what other players see

This means multiple players can look at the same leaderboard hologram while viewing different pages.
For example:

• one player can view Top 10
• another player can view Top 20
• another player can view Top 30

The hologram stays shared, but the page view is handled per player.

Top 30 leaderboard pagination​

Parkour leaderboards can now be shown as paginated top lists.
The default setup supports:

• Top 10
• Top 20
• Top 30

Each page still shows 10 entries at a time.
Page 1 shows positions 1-10.
Page 2 shows positions 11-20.
Page 3 shows positions 21-30.
The header can display cumulative page labels such as:

• Top 10
• Top 20
• Top 30

This makes the hologram easier to understand than showing ranges like 1-10, 11-20, and 21-30 in the title.

Customizable parkour leaderboard holograms​

The parkour leaderboard hologram layout is now configurable in parkour.yml.
You can customize:

• leaderboard mode
• top count
• max entries
• page size
• rotation speed
• empty player text
• empty time text
• header lines
• entry format
• footer lines

Example configurable fields include:

• leaderboard.hologram.mode
• leaderboard.hologram.top-count
• leaderboard.hologram.paginated.max-entries
• leaderboard.hologram.paginated.page-size
• leaderboard.hologram.paginated.rotation-seconds
• leaderboard.hologram.header
• leaderboard.hologram.entry-format
• leaderboard.hologram.footer

This lets you build a leaderboard style that matches your network branding instead of being locked to one hard-coded layout.

Parkour leaderboard chat pages​

The /parkour top command now supports pages.
Examples:

• /parkour top hub-parkour 1
• /parkour top hub-parkour 2
• /parkour top hub-parkour 3

The chat leaderboard includes page buttons at the bottom.
Players can click the page ranges to switch between:

• 1-10
• 11-20
• 21-30

This gives players a clean way to browse parkour records without needing admins to create separate holograms for every page.

Configurable leaderboard size​

Server owners can now choose how many parkour records they want to expose.
For smaller hubs, you can keep a simple fixed list such as:

• Top 5
• Top 10

For larger hubs, you can use a paginated leaderboard such as:

• Top 30 with 10 entries per page

This is controlled from parkour.yml.

New parkour reset command​

Admins can now reset a player's parkour record and active run.
New command:

• /parkour reset <player> [course]

Examples:

• /parkour reset Steve
• /parkour reset Steve hub-parkour

This can be used when:

• a player's time needs to be removed from the leaderboard
• a run needs to be reset while the player is active
• a test run should be cleared after setup
• an admin needs to clean up incorrect records

If a course is provided, only that course is reset.
If no course is provided, OwlHub will use the player's active course when possible, or reset that player's records across all courses.

Parkour item swapping fixes​

This update fixes a parkour inventory issue where normal hub items and parkour items could remain mixed together.
Before this fix, players could enter parkour and still keep normal hub items, or leave parkour and keep parkour items.
OwlHub now handles its own items more carefully:

• starting parkour removes OwlHub hub items
• starting parkour gives the configured parkour items
• leaving parkour removes OwlHub parkour items
• leaving parkour restores normal hub items

This applies when players:

• leave parkour manually
• finish a course
• teleport out of parkour
• leave parkour to join a queue
• are cleaned up during reload or logout

The fix uses OwlHub's item tags, so it avoids deleting unrelated player inventory items when full inventory clearing is disabled.

Citizens NPC right-click fix​

OwlHub protection no longer blocks Citizens NPC right-click interactions.
This fixes setups where:

• left-click worked on NPCs
• right-click did not work
• CitizensCMD or similar NPC command plugins could not run right-click commands

Players can now right-click Citizens NPCs even when they are not in build mode.
Normal hub interaction protection still works for other protected interactions.

Basic tab player row styling​

Basic tab mode can now customize how real players appear in the tab list.
This is useful if you want to keep the normal player list visible while still changing the look of each player's row.
New config section:

• basic-player-list.enabled
• basic-player-list.format

Example:

• [Owner] PlayerName | 24ms

This only affects basic tab mode.
Advanced tab mode still uses the full packet-backed fake grid system. Advanced tab mode allows you to that as well.

Config changes​

This update adds or updates config options in:

• parkour.yml
• holograms.yml
• messages.yml
• tab.yml
• plugin.yml

Important new sections and values include:

• leaderboard.mode
• leaderboard.top-count
• leaderboard.paginated.max-entries
• leaderboard.paginated.page-size
• leaderboard.hologram
• leaderboard.hologram.header
• leaderboard.hologram.entry-format
• leaderboard.hologram.footer
• basic-player-list
• parkour-reset-* messages
• parkour-leaderboard-page

If you are upgrading from an older version, the cleanest upgrade is to back up and regenerate plugins/OwlHub/, then copy your custom values into the new files.

Notes for updating​

If you are upgrading, make sure you:

• remove old OwlHub jars from your plugins folder
• keep PacketEvents installed and updated
• back up plugins/OwlHub/
• merge the new parkour.yml, holograms.yml, messages.yml, and tab.yml sections
• restart the server after installing the new jar
• confirm the console says OwlHub v1.3.4
• test parkour start, leave, finish, and leaderboard page switching

There is also a new v1.3.4 upgrade guide you can use for config migration.

Recommended test after updating​

After updating, test these flows:

• join the hub and confirm normal hub items appear
• start a parkour course and confirm parkour items replace hub items
• leave parkour and confirm hub items return
• finish a course and confirm the leaderboard updates
• run /parkour top <course> 1, /parkour top <course> 2, and /parkour top <course> 3
• punch and right-click the leaderboard hologram to switch pages
• test with two players to confirm per-player hologram pages
• right-click a Citizens NPC outside build mode
• check basic tab mode if you use basic-player-list

Summary​

v1.3.4 is a parkour presentation and stability update for OwlHub.
It improves leaderboards, hologram interaction, admin record management, Citizens NPC compatibility, basic tab styling, and inventory handling during parkour.
The goal of this update is to make parkour feel more polished in live hub environments while giving server owners more control over how records are displayed.
You can find the full Upgrade guide in our Discord server.

This update focuses on admin quality-of-life, better live hub status displays, safer reload behavior, and fixes for PlaceholderAPI, Lobby PvP, and advanced tab rendering.

OwlHub now gives server owners more control over chat, announcements, tab heads, server status displays, queue information, config validation, and upgrade diagnostics.

What's new in v1.3.3

Admin chat controls​

OwlHub now includes a dedicated /chat admin command for managing hub chat without needing another plugin.

New commands:

• /chat clear
• /chat slow <time>
• /chat slow off
• /chat lock
• /chat status

This includes:

• configurable slow mode
• locked chat state
• chat clear
• bypass support
• staff audit messages for chat admin actions
• status output showing lock state, slow mode, and tracked cooldowns

OwlHub admin diagnostics​

This release adds more admin visibility for debugging live servers.

New or improved commands:

• /owlhub status
• /owlhub doctor
• /owlhub debug player <name>

The startup doctor and /owlhub doctor can warn about common setup issues such as:

• missing PacketEvents
• missing worlds
• bad spawn location
• bad storage connection
• Redis unavailable
• invalid config values
• broken menu/server references

This makes it easier to catch config mistakes before players notice them.

Config validation warnings​

OwlHub now validates more of the config on startup.

It can warn about:

• invalid materials
• invalid sounds
• invalid menu slots
• duplicate join item slots
• broken server names
• invalid MiniMessage
• bad URLs

This is especially useful after upgrading or when merging configs manually.

Advanced tab improvements​

The advanced tab system now supports per-slot tab heads.

You can now configure a specific head for a specific tab slot, for example:

• player skin
• Discord icon
• store icon
• server status icon
• queue icon
• clock icon
• no skin

Server status rows can now use dynamic status heads:

• green for online
• red for offline
• white for whitelisted

The default advanced tab example has also been updated to show:

• player profile info
• server list
• server online counts
• server status
• social links
• current queue status
• current queued server
• queue position
• clock and date

Dynamic whitelist detection​

Previously, whitelisted servers had to be listed manually in settings.yml.

OwlHub now supports dynamic whitelist-style detection through live server status pings.

Because Minecraft and Bungee do not expose a real whitelist boolean through the status API, OwlHub checks the live server MOTD for configurable words such as:

• whitelist
• whitelisted
• maintenance

Manual overrides still exist through:

- server-pinger.whitelisted-servers

Use manual overrides when you need exact control. Use dynamic detection when your game servers already update their MOTD during whitelist or maintenance mode.

Server status placeholders​

Server placeholders have been expanded for tab and other supported text.

Examples:

• <server_survival_state>
• <server_survival_status>
• <server_survival_status_dot>
• <server_survival_online>
• <server_survival_capacity>
• <server_survival_population>
• <server_survival_motd>

If no capacity is configured manually, OwlHub can use the max player count from the live server status ping.

Queue display improvements​

The advanced tab can now show cleaner queue status information.

New queue display placeholders include:

• <queue_server_display>
• <queue_position_display>
• <queue_status_display>

This allows layouts such as:

• queued for: none
• queued for: survival
• position: 2/14

Clock, date, and timezone placeholders​

OwlHub now includes built-in clock and date placeholders.

New placeholders:

• <clock>
• <clock_seconds>
• <date>

The format and timezone can be configured in settings.yml:

• placeholders.time-zone
• placeholders.clock-format
• placeholders.clock-seconds-format
• placeholders.date-format

This works in supported text such as scoreboard and tab.

PlaceholderAPI fixes​

This update fixes PlaceholderAPI parsing in places where placeholders could previously show raw text.

It also improves color handling for PlaceholderAPI values that return legacy color codes.

For example, LuckPerms prefixes such as:

- &c[Owner]

will now render with color instead of showing raw formatting text.

Announcements​

OwlHub now supports configurable announcements in settings.yml.

Announcements can be sent on a configured interval and support MiniMessage formatting.

The default examples include a Discord message with clickable text:

- Click here to join

This can open your Discord invite link directly for the player.

Lobby PvP improvements​

Lobby PvP now has a configurable combat timer.

If a player is in combat, they cannot leave PvP mode until:

• they die
• or the configured timer expires

This prevents players from instantly leaving PvP mode to avoid a fight.

This update also fixes:

• players not being able to damage themselves with their own bow while in PvP mode
• arrow pickup behavior for PvP and non-PvP players

Safer reload behavior​

/owlhub reload has been improved to handle active players more safely.

The reload flow now prepares and restores player state more carefully for:

• queue state
• parkour state
• Lobby PvP state
• tab
• scoreboard
• visibility
• hotbar state

This also fixes an issue where players could be kicked with:

- Network Protocol Error

after running /owlhub reload.

Documentation and examples​

The documentation now includes more examples for common setup tasks.

New or improved examples include:

• clickable text
• hover text
• permissions
• PlaceholderAPI placeholders
• queue priority
• multi-hub Redis setup
• advanced tab skins
• dynamic server status
• upgrade steps

There is also a new upgrade guide, which you can find in our Discord Server

This explains the safest upgrade path and the manual config merge path.

Config changes​

This update adds or updates config options in:

• settings.yml
• messages.yml
• tab.yml
• scoreboard.yml
• menus.yml
• gadgets.yml

Important new sections include:

• announcements
• chat
• placeholders
• server-pinger.dynamic-whitelist
• server-pinger.capacities
• lobby-pvp.combat-timer-seconds
• advanced tab skins
• advanced tab status-skins

If you are upgrading from an older version, the cleanest upgrade is to back up and regenerate plugins/OwlHub/, then copy your custom values into the new files.

Notes for updating​

If you are upgrading, make sure you:

• remove old OwlHub jars from your plugins folder
• back up plugins/OwlHub/
• regenerate configs or follow the upgrade guide
• keep PacketEvents installed and updated
• install PlaceholderAPI and required expansions if you use %...% placeholders
• restart the server after installing the new jar
• run /owlhub doctor after boot

If you want the cleanest upgrade, back up and delete plugins/OwlHub/ once, then start the server so the latest bundled configs generate fresh.

Summary​

v1.3.3 is a stability, admin tooling, and presentation update for OwlHub.

It improves chat management, diagnostics, config validation, advanced tab layouts, dynamic server status, PlaceholderAPI rendering, Lobby PvP combat handling, announcements, reload safety, and upgrade documentation.

The goal of this update is to make OwlHub easier to operate on real networks while making the player-facing hub UI more informative and polished.

This release focuses on making OwlHub lobbies more interactive while improving the player profile, hotbar, queue, and parkour experience.

OwlHub now includes Lobby PvP, selectable functional gadgets, dedicated parkour hotbar controls, better scoreboard switching for queue and parkour states, cleaner command handling, dynamic queue priority permissions, and improved inventory protection.

What’s new in v1.3.2

Lobby PvP

Players can now enter Lobby PvP mode from the hub hotbar and fight other players who are also in PvP mode.

This includes:

• configurable Lobby PvP kit
• iron sword and bow
• full iron armor
• 3 golden apples
• leave item
• configurable sounds
• PvP-only damage handling
• automatic cleanup when leaving PvP mode

Functional gadgets

OwlHub now supports selectable functional hotbar gadgets from the player profile menu.

Current functional gadgets include:

• Grappling Hook
• Teleport Bow

Players can choose one active gadget from the profile menu. Only the selected gadget appears in the hub hotbar, in one configurable slot.

Parkour improvements

Parkour now has a dedicated during-run hotbar.

This hotbar includes:

• reset to last checkpoint
• reset to start
• leave parkour

Resetting to the start now resets the timer and run progress properly.

Walking over the parkour start point also restarts the run without forcing an unnecessary teleport. Player camera rotation is preserved when starting naturally.

Scoreboard state switching

Scoreboards now switch correctly when a player is:

• in the normal lobby
• in queue
• running parkour

This allows separate scoreboard layouts for normal hub usage, queue status, and active parkour runs.

Profile menu updates

The profile menu has been improved to better separate player settings, cosmetics, and functional gadgets.

This includes:

• cleaner profile menu navigation
• Preferences as a submenu
• Cosmetics/Customization as a submenu
• a proper Gadgets section for selecting the active functional gadget
• clearer separation between cosmetics and gameplay-style hub tools

Command and permission improvements

This release also cleans up command and permission handling.

Changes include:

• /hubhelp has been removed
• /owlhub is now the single help and admin entry point
• player help is available from /owlhub
• admin help is available from /owlhub help admin
• queue priority permissions are now dynamic through queue.priority-permissions in settings.yml

Queue priority permissions no longer have to use fixed numeric nodes like owlhub.queue.priority.1 through owlhub.queue.priority.50.

Server owners can now define their own priority groups, for example:

• owlhub.queue.priority.staff
• owlhub.queue.priority.vip
• owlhub.queue.priority.mvp

Bug fixes

Players can no longer move items around their hotbar or inventory while build mode is disabled.

This prevents hub items, gadgets, PvP items, parkour controls, and other managed hotbar items from being rearranged during normal hub gameplay.

Config changes

This update adds or updates config options in:

• settings.yml
• gadgets.yml
• parkour.yml
• scoreboard.yml
• messages.yml

You can find the upgrading guide in our Discord server.

This guide explains how to merge the new sections manually if you do not want to regenerate your config folder.

Notes for updating

If you are upgrading, make sure you:

• remove old OwlHub jars from your plugins folder before installing the new one
• back up your existing plugins/OwlHub folder
• regenerate configs or follow the v1.3.2 migration guide
• keep PacketEvents installed and updated
• restart the server after installing the new jar

If you want the cleanest upgrade, back up and delete plugins/OwlHub once, then start the server so the latest bundled configs generate fresh.

Summary

v1.3.2 is a gameplay and lobby-interaction update for OwlHub.

It adds Lobby PvP, functional gadget selection, parkour hotbar controls, better scoreboard states, improved profile navigation, dynamic queue priority permissions, command cleanup, and stronger inventory protection.

The goal of this update is to make OwlHub feel more active, more polished, and more complete as an all-in-one premium hub core.

This update focuses on keeping OwlHub ready for the latest Minecraft server line while preserving compatibility with existing 1.21.x hub setups.

OwlHub is now tested against Minecraft 26.1.2, while the plugin still keeps its 1.21.x compatibility target. That means server owners can move forward to the newer server versions without forcing older 1.21.x networks to upgrade immediately.

What’s new in v1.3.1

Minecraft version support

This release updates OwlHub’s development and testing target to the latest available Minecraft server line.

This includes:

• support for Minecraft 26.1.2 server testing
• continued compatibility with Minecraft 1.21.x
• retained Java 21 plugin compatibility
• retained Bukkit-family support across Spigot, Paper, Purpur, and Folia
• no forced switch away from existing 1.21.x deployments

The goal is to make OwlHub safe to use on newer hub servers while keeping the current 1.21.x install base supported.

Compatibility notes

OwlHub continues to use api-version: 1.21 so existing 1.21.x behavior stays intact.

PacketEvents remains a required external dependency and should be updated separately based on your server version.

Notes for updating

If you are upgrading, make sure you:

• remove old OwlHub jars from your plugins folder before installing the new one
• keep PacketEvents installed and updated
• update your server jar if you want to run on Minecraft 26.1.x
• stay on 1.21.x if your network is not ready to move yet

No major config migration is required for this compatibility update.

Summary

v1.3.1 is a platform compatibility update for OwlHub.

It keeps the plugin aligned with the latest Minecraft server version while preserving the backwards compatibility expected from the 1.21.x release line.

This release focuses on expanding OwlHub into a more complete premium hub core, with a stronger player-facing experience and more marketable out-of-the-box features for real hub and network setups.

We spent this update broadening the gameplay and presentation layer of the plugin with cosmetics, parkour, holograms, profile improvements, rotating announcements, and wider placeholder/config coverage across major systems.

What’s new in v1.3.0

Cosmetics and profile improvements

The player customization flow has been expanded to feel more complete and easier to use.

This includes:

• a fuller profile-driven cosmetics experience through /prefs and /gadgetmenu
• arrival effects with permission-based profiles
• idle auras
• walking trails
• projectile trails
• join bursts
• better cosmetic persistence through the player profile system
• improved profile presentation and discoverability

The goal here was to make OwlHub feel more like a premium hub product instead of just a utility-focused core.

Parkour system

This release adds a built-in parkour system for hub servers that want extra activity and replayability without needing another plugin.

This includes:

• configurable parkour courses
• checkpoint support
• start and finish flow
• optional reward commands
• stored personal bests and completion tracking
• scoreboard integration
• action bar HUD integration
• course-specific placeholders
• top-run support for leaderboard displays

Holograms

OwlHub now includes native hologram support for hub presentation and dynamic displays.

This includes:

• configurable holograms
• animated text support
• placeholder support in hologram lines
• shared-state sync support
• parkour leaderboard holograms
• welcome/info holograms for hub presentation

This gives server owners more freedom to build a polished hub experience directly inside OwlHub.

HUD and presentation improvements

Several player-facing systems were expanded to improve overall hub feel and make the plugin more visually complete.

Changes include:

• rotating action bar announcements
• broader placeholder coverage across core systems
• improved menu/profile flow
• updated default config content
• better support for hub presentation with parkour and holograms
• stronger out-of-the-box feature coverage for premium server listings

Admin and platform improvements

This release also expands the management side of OwlHub and keeps the core compatibility goals intact.

This includes:

• more admin tooling for queue inspection and backend visibility
• storage-backed support for the new profile/cosmetic scope
• preserved packet-driven HUD systems
• continued support for Spigot, Paper, Purpur, and Folia
• continued use of PacketEvents as the required external dependency
• maintained PlaceholderAPI and OwlCore integration behavior

Notes for updating

If you are upgrading, make sure you:

• remove old OwlHub jars from your plugins folder before installing the new one
• delete the old plugins/OwlHub/ folder once so the new bundled config files regenerate cleanly
• install PacketEvents before starting OwlHub
• review the new config files added in this release

New config surfaces in this update include:

• cosmetics.yml
• parkour.yml
• holograms.yml

Summary

v1.3.0 is the feature-expansion release for OwlHub.

It moves the plugin beyond the earlier hub-core foundation and adds the kinds of systems buyers expect from a more premium, complete, and presentation-ready hub plugin.