How to Install and Use the Shopkeepers Plugin

Last modified on Oct 26, 2022 in Plugins

By Noah

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Youtube

Overview

Creating a shop on a server comes with a lot of difficulties. If you don’t have some kind of security system, you are left hoping that someone doesn’t come along and steal all of the items in your shop. If you choose to use redstone, an angry creeper can break the entire machine. Plugins like Shopkeepers are a good way to solve problems like these. With Shopkeepers, you are able to create custom NPC shops to securely sell your goods. Here is a quick guide on how to install and use the Shopkeepers plugin with Apex Hosting.

Summary

Shopkeepers allows you to create custom NPC shops for you or your players to use. The plugin can work fine by itself, but it can also hook into Citizens to grant more control. These shops can be edited through a simple gui to add items, set prices, and alter the appearance of the shopkeeper. Admins can also create shops with infinite items to sell things like loot crate keys or unique player heads. Here is how to get the plugin installed and running on your server.

Downloading the Plugin

1. Navigate to the Shopkeepers Spigot page.
2. In the top-right, press the blue Download button.
   
3. Save the file to a safe location for later.

Once this is complete, you are ready to add the .jar files to your Minecraft server!

Server-Installation

1. Navigate to the Apex Server Panel, then stop the server.
2. Scroll down to the Game File section, then make note of the server version.
   
3. Ensure the version is plugin-compatible, such as PaperMC or Spigot.
4. Afterwards, enter the FTP File Access in the left-hand menu and log in.
5. Locate or create the plugins folder, then enter it.
   
6. Press Upload in the top-left menu, then drag + drop the .jar file(s).
7. Once at 100%, return to the main panel page, then restart the server.
   

Player Shops

Player shops are the default shop used by the plugin. Players can create a shop through commands, or by using the unique Shopkeeper Egg item. We recommend using the egg as it comes with instructions that will appear in the chat when a player holds it in their hand.

1. Run the command /shopkeeper give to gain a shopkeeper egg, or purchase one from an admin shop if your server has one.
   
2. Place a chest or other container near your shopkeeper. This is where your items will be stored.
3. Without looking at any blocks, right-click while holding the shopkeeper egg. This will set what kind of shop you want to use, and give a description of each type of shop.
   
4. With the egg still in your hand, right-click on the container you want the shopkeeper to use. This container will be protected by the plugin so no other players can break or alter it.
5. Hold the Shift key to sneak, then right-click with the egg to choose what kind of NPC you want the shopkeeper to be.
6. Aim at the block you want the shopkeeper to stand on, then right-click on it with the egg to create the shopkeeper.
   
7. Finally, add the items you want to buy or sell to your shopkeeper’s chest, then right-click on the shopkeeper while sneaking to set the prices.

Depending on what NPC you have chosen, you may have other options available to customize the shop. These options let you set different variants like a villager’s profession or a cat’s color. These options will be displayed as blocks at the bottom of the shopkeeper editor. Hover your mouse over the items to get a tooltip explaining what options are available.

Admin Shops

Admin shops are easier to make than a player shop. You only need to run a command to create the shop, then configure it with the items you want to sell. Unlike player shops, admin shops have infinite items so you do not need a storage chest for the shop to use. You can also manually set the currency item in admin shops instead of using the default currency in the config file.

1. Look at the block where you want the shopkeeper to stand, then run the command /shopkeeper [object]
2. Change [object] to the name of the creature you want to use as the NPC. You can choose any mob from the game.
3. Hold down Shift to sneak, then right-click on the new shopkeeper to edit it.
   
4. Place the items you want to sell on the top line of boxes in the menu.
5. Place the items you want to use as currency in the second line of boxes.

Once the items have been placed you are done! There is no extra configuration or settings you need to change for the shops to be usable immediately. We strongly recommend creating an admin shop like this to sell shopkeeper eggs. This will allow your players to easily create their own shops (for a price) without using commands.

Changing the Currency (optional)

By default, the Shopkeepers plugins use emeralds and emerald blocks as the currency for the plugin. This can be changed to a different item in the plugin’s configuration files. In our example below, we are going to change the currency from Emeralds to Diamonds. You can follow these steps to alter the currency to be any item you like.

1. Navigate to your server’s control panel and click on the Config Files tab in the menu on the left side of the screen.
   
2. Find the config.yml file for Shopkeepers on the list. The description will say something like Plugin config file: plugins/Shopkeepers/config.yml.
   
3. Click on the file to open it in our web editor.
4. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the currency-item: option.
   
5. You can change the currency in any way you like. This will allow you to use any block from the game or change the value of the currency.
   
6. Once you have completed your changes, click on the green Save button at the top of the page and restart the server.

Conclusion

With that, you are ready to start creating your own shopkeepers on your Minecraft server. Adding shopkeepers to your server is a great way for your players to create their own automated shops. The plugin will automatically protect shops from any thieves or griefers that might try to steal your inventory. You can watch your server’s economy grow as players become more involved without breaking any role playing elements.

Helpful Links

How to Install Plugins
Plugin Installation Service
Our Recommended Plugins
Shopkeepers Wiki