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Paper provides multiple ways to create commands. The modern approach uses the BasicCommand interface and programmatic registration, while legacy plugins can still use the Command class.
Paper plugins using paper-plugin.yml cannot declare commands in YAML. You must register commands programmatically using JavaPlugin.registerCommand().
The BasicCommand interface provides a simple, Bukkit-style approach to creating commands.

​
Creating a BasicCommand

From io.papermc.paper.command.brigadier.BasicCommand: 
@FunctionalInterface
public interface BasicCommand {
    void execute(CommandSourceStack commandSourceStack, String[] args);
    
    default Collection<String> suggest(CommandSourceStack commandSourceStack, String[] args) {
        return Collections.emptyList();
    }
    
    default boolean canUse(CommandSender sender) {
        String permission = this.permission();
        return permission == null || sender.hasPermission(permission);
    }
    
    default @Nullable String permission() {
        return null;
    }
}
1

Implement BasicCommand

Create a class implementing BasicCommand:
package com.example.myplugin;

import io.papermc.paper.command.brigadier.BasicCommand;
import io.papermc.paper.command.brigadier.CommandSourceStack;
import net.kyori.adventure.text.Component;
import org.bukkit.entity.Player;
import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;

import java.util.Collection;
import java.util.List;

public class HelloCommand implements BasicCommand {

    @Override
    public void execute(@NotNull CommandSourceStack stack, @NotNull String[] args) {
        if (args.length == 0) {
            stack.getSender().sendMessage("Hello, world!");
        } else {
            String name = args[0];
            stack.getSender().sendMessage("Hello, " + name + "!");
        }
    }

    @Override
    public Collection<String> suggest(@NotNull CommandSourceStack stack, @NotNull String[] args) {
        if (args.length == 1) {
            // Suggest online player names
            return stack.getSender().getServer().getOnlinePlayers().stream()
                .map(Player::getName)
                .toList();
        }
        return List.of();
    }

    @Override
    public String permission() {
        return "myplugin.hello";
    }
}
2

Register the Command

Register your command in the plugin’s onEnable() method:
@Override
public void onEnable() {
    // Simple registration
    registerCommand("hello", new HelloCommand());
    
    // With description
    registerCommand("hello", "Say hello to someone", new HelloCommand());
    
    // With description and aliases
    registerCommand("hello", "Say hello to someone", 
        List.of("hi", "greet"), new HelloCommand());
}
From JavaPlugin.java:374-436, the registerCommand() methods:
public void registerCommand(String label, BasicCommand basicCommand)
public void registerCommand(String label, @Nullable String description, BasicCommand basicCommand)
public void registerCommand(String label, Collection<String> aliases, BasicCommand basicCommand)
public void registerCommand(String label, @Nullable String description, 
                           Collection<String> aliases, BasicCommand basicCommand)

​
CommandSourceStack

The CommandSourceStack (package: io.papermc.paper.command.brigadier.CommandSourceStack) provides context for command execution: 
public interface CommandSourceStack {
    Location getLocation();           // Where the command was executed
    CommandSender getSender();        // Who executed the command
    @Nullable Entity getExecutor();   // The executing entity (may differ from sender)
    
    CommandSourceStack withLocation(Location location);
    CommandSourceStack withExecutor(Entity executor);
}
Usage example: 
@Override
public void execute(@NotNull CommandSourceStack stack, @NotNull String[] args) {
    CommandSender sender = stack.getSender();
    Location location = stack.getLocation();
    Entity executor = stack.getExecutor();
    
    if (executor instanceof Player player) {
        player.sendMessage("You are at: " + location);
    } else {
        sender.sendMessage("Console commands not supported");
    }
}

​
Command Class (Legacy)

For advanced use cases, you can extend the Command class directly.

​
Creating a Command

From org.bukkit.command.Command: 
public abstract class Command {
    protected Command(@NotNull String name)
    protected Command(@NotNull String name, @NotNull String description, 
                     @NotNull String usageMessage, @NotNull List<String> aliases)
    
    public abstract boolean execute(@NotNull CommandSender sender, 
                                    @NotNull String commandLabel, 
                                    @NotNull String[] args);
    
    public List<String> tabComplete(@NotNull CommandSender sender, 
                                    @NotNull String alias, 
                                    @NotNull String[] args)
}
Example: 
import org.bukkit.command.Command;
import org.bukkit.command.CommandSender;
import org.bukkit.entity.Player;
import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

public class TeleportCommand extends Command {

    public TeleportCommand() {
        super("teleport", "Teleport to coordinates", "/teleport <x> <y> <z>", List.of("tp"));
        setPermission("myplugin.teleport");
    }

    @Override
    public boolean execute(@NotNull CommandSender sender, 
                          @NotNull String label, 
                          @NotNull String[] args) {
        if (!(sender instanceof Player player)) {
            sender.sendMessage("Only players can use this command");
            return true;
        }

        if (args.length != 3) {
            return false;  // Shows usage message
        }

        try {
            double x = Double.parseDouble(args[0]);
            double y = Double.parseDouble(args[1]);
            double z = Double.parseDouble(args[2]);
            
            player.teleport(new Location(player.getWorld(), x, y, z));
            player.sendMessage("Teleported!");
            return true;
        } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
            sender.sendMessage("Invalid coordinates");
            return false;
        }
    }

    @Override
    public @NotNull List<String> tabComplete(@NotNull CommandSender sender, 
                                             @NotNull String alias, 
                                             @NotNull String[] args) {
        if (args.length <= 3) {
            return List.of("~");  // Suggest relative coordinates
        }
        return List.of();
    }
}

​
Tab Completion

Provide suggestions for command arguments:

​
BasicCommand Tab Completion

public class GamemodeCommand implements BasicCommand {

    @Override
    public void execute(@NotNull CommandSourceStack stack, @NotNull String[] args) {
        if (args.length != 1) {
            stack.getSender().sendMessage("Usage: /gamemode <mode>");
            return;
        }
        
        // Execute command logic
    }

    @Override
    public Collection<String> suggest(@NotNull CommandSourceStack stack, @NotNull String[] args) {
        if (args.length == 1) {
            return List.of("survival", "creative", "adventure", "spectator");
        }
        return List.of();
    }
}

​
Dynamic Tab Completion

@Override
public Collection<String> suggest(@NotNull CommandSourceStack stack, @NotNull String[] args) {
    if (args.length == 1) {
        String input = args[0].toLowerCase();
        return List.of("survival", "creative", "adventure", "spectator")
            .stream()
            .filter(mode -> mode.startsWith(input))
            .toList();
    }
    return List.of();
}

​
Permission Checking

​
BasicCommand Permissions

public class AdminCommand implements BasicCommand {

    @Override
    public void execute(@NotNull CommandSourceStack stack, @NotNull String[] args) {
        // Only executes if player has permission
        stack.getSender().sendMessage("Admin action performed!");
    }

    @Override
    public String permission() {
        return "myplugin.admin";  // Required permission
    }

    @Override
    public boolean canUse(CommandSender sender) {
        // Custom permission logic
        return sender.hasPermission("myplugin.admin") || sender.isOp();
    }
}

​
Command Class Permissions

From org.bukkit.command.Command:175-225: 
command.setPermission("myplugin.teleport");

if (command.testPermission(sender)) {
    // Sender has permission
}

// Test silently (no message sent)
if (command.testPermissionSilent(sender)) {
    // Has permission
}

​
Command Aliases

Register multiple aliases for a command: 
@Override
public void onEnable() {
    registerCommand("teleport", "Teleport to coordinates",
        List.of("tp", "tele"),  // Aliases
        new TeleportCommand());
}
Aliases will not override already existing commands (except namespaced ones). The main command label will override existing commands.

​
Subcommands

Implement subcommands by parsing the first argument: 
public class AdminCommand implements BasicCommand {

    @Override
    public void execute(@NotNull CommandSourceStack stack, @NotNull String[] args) {
        if (args.length == 0) {
            stack.getSender().sendMessage("Usage: /admin <reload|info|debug>");
            return;
        }

        switch (args[0].toLowerCase()) {
            case "reload" -> handleReload(stack);
            case "info" -> handleInfo(stack);
            case "debug" -> handleDebug(stack, args);
            default -> stack.getSender().sendMessage("Unknown subcommand");
        }
    }

    @Override
    public Collection<String> suggest(@NotNull CommandSourceStack stack, @NotNull String[] args) {
        if (args.length == 1) {
            return List.of("reload", "info", "debug");
        }
        return List.of();
    }

    private void handleReload(CommandSourceStack stack) {
        stack.getSender().sendMessage("Reloading...");
    }

    private void handleInfo(CommandSourceStack stack) {
        stack.getSender().sendMessage("Plugin info...");
    }

    private void handleDebug(CommandSourceStack stack, String[] args) {
        stack.getSender().sendMessage("Debug mode toggled");
    }
}

​
Lifecycle Event Registration

Alternatively, register commands via lifecycle events: 
import io.papermc.paper.plugin.lifecycle.event.types.LifecycleEvents;

@Override
public void onEnable() {
    getLifecycleManager().registerEventHandler(LifecycleEvents.COMMANDS, event -> {
        event.registrar().register(
            "mycommand",
            "Command description",
            List.of("alias1", "alias2"),
            new MyCommand()
        );
    });
}

​
Best Practices

  1. Validate input: 
    if (args.length < 1) {
    sender.sendMessage("Usage: /command <arg>");
    return;
}
  2. Check sender type: 
    if (!(sender instanceof Player player)) {
    sender.sendMessage("Only players can use this command");
    return;
}
  3. Use permissions: 
    @Override
public String permission() {
    return "myplugin.command";
}
  4. Provide tab completion: 
    @Override
public Collection<String> suggest(CommandSourceStack stack, String[] args) {
    // Return relevant suggestions
}
  5. Handle errors gracefully: 
    try {
    // Command logic
} catch (Exception e) {
    sender.sendMessage("An error occurred");
    getLogger().severe("Command error: " + e.getMessage());
}
Do not call getCommand() in onEnable() for Paper plugins. Use registerCommand() instead.

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