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Foundation makes it easy to create plugins that work across multiple Minecraft versions, from 1.8 through the latest releases. This is achieved through the MinecraftVersion and Remain utility classes.

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MinecraftVersion class

The MinecraftVersion class provides version detection and comparison utilities.

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Getting the current version

// Get the current version enum
MinecraftVersion.V current = MinecraftVersion.getCurrent();
// Returns: V.v1_20, V.v1_19, V.v1_8, etc.

// Get the full version string
String fullVersion = MinecraftVersion.getFullVersion();
// Returns: "1.20.4", "1.8.8", etc.

// Get the subversion number
int subversion = MinecraftVersion.getSubversion();
// Returns: 4 for 1.20.4, 8 for 1.8.8

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Version comparison

Foundation provides intuitive methods for comparing Minecraft versions: 
// Check if running exactly this version
if (MinecraftVersion.equals(V.v1_20)) {
    // Running MC 1.20.x
}

// Check if running older than a version
if (MinecraftVersion.olderThan(V.v1_13)) {
    // Running MC 1.12 or older
    // Use legacy Material names
}

// Check if running newer than a version
if (MinecraftVersion.newerThan(V.v1_12)) {
    // Running MC 1.13 or newer
    // Can use new features
}

// Check if running at least a version
if (MinecraftVersion.atLeast(V.v1_16)) {
    // Running MC 1.16 or newer
    // Can use hex colors
}

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Supported versions

Foundation supports these Minecraft versions: 
public enum V {
    v1_22(22),
    v1_21(21),
    v1_20(20),
    v1_19(19),
    v1_18(18),
    v1_17(17),
    v1_16(16),
    v1_15(15),
    v1_14(14),
    v1_13(13),
    v1_12(12),
    v1_11(11),
    v1_10(10),
    v1_9(9),
    v1_8(8),
    v1_7(7),
    v1_6(6),
    v1_5(5),
    v1_4(4),
    v1_3_AND_BELOW(3);
}

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Remain class

The Remain class provides cross-version compatible methods for common operations that have changed across Minecraft versions.

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Getting online players

The method signature for getting online players changed in MC 1.8: 
// Use Remain for compatibility
Collection<? extends Player> players = Remain.getOnlinePlayers();

// Instead of:
// Bukkit.getOnlinePlayers() // Returns array in 1.7, collection in 1.8+

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Health and damage

Health changed from integers to doubles in MC 1.6: 
// Get entity health (always returns int)
int health = Remain.getHealth(entity);

// Get max health
int maxHealth = Remain.getMaxHealth(entity);

// Instead of:
// entity.getHealth() // Returns int in old versions, double in new

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Titles and action bars

// Send title with fade times
Remain.sendTitle(player, 20, 60, 20, 
    "&6Welcome", "&7to the server");

// Send simpler title (3 second default)
Remain.sendTitle(player, "&6Hello", "&7World");

// Reset title
Remain.resetTitle(player);

// Send action bar
Remain.sendActionBar(player, "&eHealth: &c❤ " + health);

// Send tab list header/footer
Remain.sendTablist(player, 
    "&6&lMY SERVER", 
    "&7Online: &f" + players);

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Boss bars

// Send boss bar with percentage
Remain.sendBossbarPercent(player, "&6Downloading...", 0.75f);

// Send boss bar with custom color and style
Remain.sendBossbarPercent(player, "&cBoss Fight", 1.0f,
    CompBarColor.RED, CompBarStyle.SEGMENTED_10);

// Send timed boss bar (auto-removes)
Remain.sendBossbarTimed(player, "&aEvent starting!", 10);

// Remove boss bar
Remain.removeBossbar(player);

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Block and material handling

// Set block type and data (works pre and post 1.13)
Remain.setTypeAndData(block, Material.WOOL, (byte) 14);
Remain.setTypeAndData(block, CompMaterial.RED_WOOL);

// Set block data
Remain.setData(block, 5);

// Spawn falling block
FallingBlock falling = Remain.spawnFallingBlock(location, Material.SAND);
FallingBlock falling = Remain.spawnFallingBlock(block); // From block

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JSON and chat components

// Convert legacy text to JSON
String json = Remain.toJson("&6Hello &lWorld");

// Convert JSON to legacy text
String legacy = Remain.toLegacyText(json);

// Send JSON message
Remain.sendJson(player, json);

// Convert components to JSON
BaseComponent[] components = TextComponent.fromLegacyText("&aTest");
String json = Remain.toJson(components);

// Parse JSON to components
BaseComponent[] parsed = Remain.toComponent(json);

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Commands

// Create plugin command
PluginCommand command = Remain.newCommand("mycommand");

// Register command
Remain.registerCommand(command);

// Unregister command
Remain.unregisterCommand("oldcommand");

// Get command map
SimpleCommandMap commandMap = Remain.getCommandMap();

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Namespaced keys (1.13+)

// Create namespaced key (safe on old versions)
if (MinecraftVersion.atLeast(V.v1_13)) {
    NamespacedKey key = Remain.newNamespaced("my_key");
    
    // With random suffix
    NamespacedKey random = Remain.newNamespaced();
    // Returns: "myplugin_a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8"
}

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Other utilities

// Get inventory location
Location loc = Remain.getLocation(inventory);

// Get player locale
String locale = Remain.getLocale(player); // "en_US"

// Respawn player
Remain.respawn(player);
Remain.respawn(player, 5); // After 5 ticks

// Get biome at location (Y-coordinate safe)
Biome biome = Remain.getBiome(location);

// Open sign editor (1.8+)
Remain.openSign(player, signBlock);

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Version-specific code patterns

When you need version-specific behavior, use clear conditional blocks: 
public void handleParticles(Location location) {
    if (MinecraftVersion.atLeast(V.v1_9)) {
        // Use new particle API
        location.getWorld().spawnParticle(
            Particle.FLAME, location, 10);
    } else {
        // Use legacy particle spawning
        location.getWorld().playEffect(
            location, Effect.MOBSPAWNER_FLAMES, 0);
    }
}

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Handling material changes

Use CompMaterial for materials that changed in 1.13: 
// Don't do this:
Material wool = Material.valueOf("WOOL"); // Breaks in 1.13+

// Do this:
CompMaterial wool = CompMaterial.WHITE_WOOL; // Works everywhere
Material actualMaterial = wool.getMaterial();

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Setting version requirements

Specify supported versions in your main plugin class: 
public class MyPlugin extends SimplePlugin {
    
    @Override
    public MinecraftVersion.V getMinimumVersion() {
        return V.v1_8;
    }
    
    @Override
    public MinecraftVersion.V getMaximumVersion() {
        return V.v1_20;
    }
    
    @Override
    protected void onPluginStart() {
        // Plugin will auto-disable if version is out of range
    }
}
Foundation will automatically prevent your plugin from loading if the server version is outside your specified range.

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Server detection

Foundation can detect special server software: 
// These methods are available in Remain class:
boolean isPaper = Remain.isPaper();
boolean isFolia = Remain.isFolia();

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Best practices

When Foundation provides a Remain method for something, use it instead of the direct Bukkit API to ensure cross-version compatibility.
Always test your plugin on:
  • Oldest supported version (usually 1.8.8)
  • Version where major API changes occurred (1.13, 1.16, 1.17)
  • Latest version
Never use Material enums directly for items that changed in 1.13. Always use CompMaterial.
Always specify getMinimumVersion() and optionally getMaximumVersion() to prevent issues.
if (MinecraftVersion.atLeast(V.v1_16)) {
    // Use hex colors
} else {
    // Fallback to standard colors
}

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