# ViaVersion
\nAllows you to connect to servers that are older than your Java Edition client version. See our GitHub page for more information.<\/p>\n
**On Fabric, use either ViaFabric or ViaFabricPlus. To override the included version**
\n– in **ViaFabric**, put ViaVersion into the `mods` folder
\n– in **ViaFabricPlus**, put ViaVersion into the `config\/viafabricplus\/jars` folder<\/p>\n
Bungee and Sponge also have their own platform implementations.<\/p>\n
Requires Java 17. See here how to update your installed Java version. As a last resort, you can download Java 8 downgraded builds from our ci.<\/p>\n
## Get access to Via* with new MC version support early
\n**Starting with 1.20.5, ViaVersion and ViaBackwards will only be released a day or so *after* a Minecraft update** unless the protocol changes of the update were trivial. **If you want early-access, usually days or even weeks before the final release, you can subscribe to either**:
\n– GitHub Sponsors (*preferred option*. Use the `\/verify` command on this Discord after), or alternatively
\n– Patreon (see the highest tier and make sure to link Patreon to your Discord account under Discord Settings->Connections)<\/p>\n
## Note on release channels
\nIt is recommended to always use the latest beta release. Alpha builds are used for work on snapshot version compatibility or other cutting-edge changes.<\/p>\n
**Always use the same build channel across the ViaVersion, ViaBackwards, and ViaRewind projects.**<\/p>\n
Releases\/Dev Builds
\n——–
\nYou can find official releases in the following places:<\/p>\n
– **Hangar (for our plugins)**: https:\/\/hangar.papermc.io\/ViaVersion\/ViaVersion
\n– **Modrinth (for our mods)**: https:\/\/modrinth.com\/mod\/viaversion
\n– **GitHub**: https:\/\/github.com\/ViaVersion\/ViaVersion\/releases<\/p>\n
Dev builds for **all** of our projects are on our Jenkins server:<\/p>\n
– **Jenkins**: https:\/\/ci.viaversion.com<\/p>\n
ViaVersion as a Dependency
\n———-<\/p>\n
**JavaDocs:** https:\/\/jd.viaversion.com<\/p>\n
**Maven:**<\/p>\n
“`xml “`xml **Gradle:**<\/p>\n “`kotlin dependencies { Resources – **[Via Mappings Generator** Special thanks to all our Contributors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Allow newer Java Edition clients to connect to older servers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":166033,"template":"","meta":{"_minecraft_slug":"viaversion","_minecraft_project_id":"P1OZGk5p","_minecraft_author":"kennytv","_minecraft_license":"GPL-3.0-or-later","_minecraft_downloads":2058017,"_minecraft_follows":1080,"_minecraft_client_side":"optional","_minecraft_server_side":"optional","_minecraft_storage_type":"zip","_minecraft_archive_name":"viaversion.zip","_minecraft_size_bytes":1931265958,"_minecraft_version_count":388,"_minecraft_updated_at":"2026-05-15T19:27:32.579586Z","_minecraft_date_created":"2023-08-10T20:05:39.927307Z","_minecraft_date_modified":"2026-05-15T16:55:45.076497Z","_minecraft_project_url":"https:\/\/modrinth.com\/mod\/viaversion","_minecraft_icon_attachment_id":166033,"_minecraft_imported_at":"2026-06-09T18:11:09+00:00","_minecraft_import_hash":"9d7a6be43556018e932a21a1b9085505","_minecraft_versions":"","_minecraft_links":"","_minecraft_gallery":"","_minecraft_api_metadata":""},"mod_category":[894,97,125,127,1005,92,985],"mod_loader":[99,131,132,986],"minecraft_version":[339,340,341,357,359,360,379,382,385,438,446,449,110,111,112,113,114,115,116,117,118,119,120,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,36,60,93,94,101,102,62,37,40,41,73,74,38,78,79,80,81,82,31,860,861,862,863,864,83,167,163],"class_list":["post-166032","mod","type-mod","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","mod_category-bungeecord","mod_category-fabric","mod_category-folia","mod_category-paper","mod_category-sponge","mod_category-utility","mod_category-velocity","mod_loader-fabric","mod_loader-folia","mod_loader-paper","mod_loader-velocity","minecraft_version-1-10","minecraft_version-1-10-1","minecraft_version-1-10-2","minecraft_version-1-11","minecraft_version-1-11-1","minecraft_version-1-11-2","minecraft_version-1-12","minecraft_version-1-12-1","minecraft_version-1-12-2","minecraft_version-1-13","minecraft_version-1-13-1","minecraft_version-1-13-2","minecraft_version-1-14","minecraft_version-1-14-1","minecraft_version-1-14-2","minecraft_version-1-14-3","minecraft_version-1-14-4","minecraft_version-1-15","minecraft_version-1-15-1","minecraft_version-1-15-2","minecraft_version-1-16","minecraft_version-1-16-1","minecraft_version-1-16-2","minecraft_version-1-16-3","minecraft_version-1-16-4","minecraft_version-1-16-5","minecraft_version-1-17","minecraft_version-1-17-1","minecraft_version-1-18","minecraft_version-1-18-1","minecraft_version-1-18-2","minecraft_version-1-19","minecraft_version-1-19-1","minecraft_version-1-19-2","minecraft_version-1-19-3","minecraft_version-1-19-4","minecraft_version-1-20","minecraft_version-1-20-1","minecraft_version-1-20-2","minecraft_version-1-20-3","minecraft_version-1-20-4","minecraft_version-1-20-5","minecraft_version-1-20-6","minecraft_version-1-21","minecraft_version-1-21-1","minecraft_version-1-21-10","minecraft_version-1-21-11","minecraft_version-1-21-2","minecraft_version-1-21-3","minecraft_version-1-21-4","minecraft_version-1-21-5","minecraft_version-1-21-6","minecraft_version-1-21-7","minecraft_version-1-21-8","minecraft_version-1-21-9","minecraft_version-1-8-9","minecraft_version-1-9","minecraft_version-1-9-1","minecraft_version-1-9-2","minecraft_version-1-9-3","minecraft_version-1-9-4","minecraft_version-26-1","minecraft_version-26-1-1","minecraft_version-26-1-2"],"yoast_head":"\n
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\n
\n<\/repository>
\n“`<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
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\n<\/dependency>
\n“`<\/p>\n
\nrepositories {
\n maven(“https:\/\/repo.viaversion.com”)
\n}<\/p>\n
\n compileOnly(“com.viaversion:viaversion-api:VERSION”) \/\/ Replace the version
\n}
\n“`<\/p>\n
\n——–<\/p>\n
\n– **Mojang mappings** (Thank you, Mojang, very cool)
\n– **wiki.vg** (Used for historic information regarding packet structure, we also contribute back)
\n– **Burger** (See PAaaS)<\/p>\n