ColorCodes.art

Bukkit Color Codes

Quickly reference our list of Bukkit color codes and format codes to style your chat messages, server welcome messages/MOTD and in-game text.

&a&6&b→ Make your server shine!

Bukkit Text Preview

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List of Bukkit Color Codes

COLORNAMECHAT CODEMOTD CODEHEX CODEACTIONS
Black (black)&0\u00A70#000000
Dark Blue (dark_blue)&1\u00A71#0000AA
Dark Green (dark_green)&2\u00A72#00AA00
Dark Aqua (dark_aqua)&3\u00A73#00AAAA
Dark Red (dark_red)&4\u00A74#AA0000
Dark Purple (dark_purple)&5\u00A75#AA00AA
Gold (gold)&6\u00A76#FFAA00
Gray (gray)&7\u00A77#AAAAAA
Dark Gray (dark_gray)&8\u00A78#555555
Blue (blue)&9\u00A79#5555FF
Green (green)&a\u00A7a#55FF55
Aqua (aqua)&b\u00A7b#55FFFF
Red (red)&c\u00A7c#FF5555
Light Purple (light_purple)&d\u00A7d#FF55FF
Yellow (yellow)&e\u00A7e#FFFF55
White (white)&f\u00A7f#FFFFFF

List of Bukkit Format Codes

NAMECODEMOTD CODEDESCRIPTIONACTIONS
Bold&l\u00A7lMakes text bold
Italic&o\u00A7oMakes text italic
Underline&n\u00A7nUnderlines text
Strikethrough&m\u00A7mAdds a line through text
Obfuscated&k\u00A7kMakes text appear as random characters
Reset&r\u00A7rResets all formatting

How to Use Bukkit Color Codes

Bukkit is a popular API for creating Minecraft server plugins. It allows server administrators and plugin developers to add colored text to chat messages, signs, server MOTDs (Message of the Day), and more.

Where to Use Bukkit Color Codes

Bukkit color codes can be used in various contexts:

  • Plugin Configuration Files: Many plugins allow color codes in their config files
  • Server MOTD: Make your server's welcome message more attractive
  • Chat Messages: Send colored messages through plugins
  • Custom Commands: Create commands that output colorful text
  • Signs: Add colors to signs (with appropriate plugins)
  • Scoreboards: Customize scoreboard displays

Color Code Usage

Unlike standard Minecraft which uses the § symbol, Bukkit typically uses the &symbol for color codes. For example, &a creates light green text.

Bukkit also supports text formatting codes:

  • &l: Bold text
  • &m: Strikethrough text
  • &n: Underlined text
  • &o: Italic text
  • &k: Obfuscated/randomly changing text
  • &r: Reset all formatting

Examples of Using Bukkit Color Codes

In Plugin Configurations:

welcome-message: "&aWelcome to &6Our Server!"

This will display "Welcome to" in light green and "Our Server!" in gold.

In MOTD Configuration:

motd: "&b&l██&e&l██ &r&aWelcome to Our Minecraft Server! &b&l██&e&l██"

In Plugin Code:

String message = ChatColor.translateAlternateColorCodes('&', "&cThis is &bold&4red text");

Important Notes for Developers

  • When using color codes in plugin code, you need to use ChatColor.translateAlternateColorCodes() to convert & codes to the internal format
  • Some plugins may automatically translate color codes, while others require specific configuration
  • The Bukkit API also offers direct methods like ChatColor.RED and ChatColor.BOLD for use in Java code

Tips & Tricks for Bukkit Text Formatting

Color Combinations

Combine multiple color and format codes for rich text formatting:

&l&4Bold Red &r&eYellow Normal
Bold Red Yellow Normal

Plugin Configuration

Many popular plugins support color codes in their config files:

# Example Essentials config
motd:
  - '&aWelcome to our server!'
  - '&eEnjoy your stay!'

Note: Configuration syntax varies between plugins; check their documentation.

Advanced Usage for Developers

Java Plugin Code Examples

Using ChatColor Methods:

// Direct ChatColor usage
player.sendMessage(ChatColor.GREEN + "This is green text " + ChatColor.RED + "and this is red text");

// Using translateAlternateColorCodes
String coloredMessage = ChatColor.translateAlternateColorCodes('&', "&aThis is green text &cand this is red text");
player.sendMessage(coloredMessage);

// Creating a utility method
public String colorize(String message) {
    return ChatColor.translateAlternateColorCodes('&', message);
}

Performance Tips:

  • Cache translated strings when possible instead of converting the same string repeatedly
  • Consider using a StringBuilder for complex message construction
  • For config files, translate colors once when loading rather than on every use

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Bukkit color codes?

Bukkit color codes are special codes used in Minecraft servers running Bukkit, Spigot, or Paper to add colors and formatting to text. Unlike vanilla Minecraft which uses the § symbol, Bukkit typically uses the & symbol for color codes, making them easier to type in configuration files.

These codes are supported by most plugins and can be used in various parts of your server configuration.

How do I use color codes in my Bukkit server's MOTD?

To use color codes in your server's Message of the Day (MOTD), add the color codes with the & symbol to your server.properties file. For example:

motd=&aWelcome to &bMy Server!

This would display 'Welcome to' in light green and 'My Server!' in aqua blue. After changing the MOTD, remember to restart your server for the changes to take effect.

How do I use Bukkit color codes in my plugin's code?

In Java plugin code, you need to use the ChatColor.translateAlternateColorCodes() method to convert & codes to the internal format. For example:

String colorizedText = ChatColor.translateAlternateColorCodes('&', "&aColored &btext");

Alternatively, you can use the ChatColor enum directly:

player.sendMessage(ChatColor.GREEN + "This is green text");

Do Bukkit color codes work in all Minecraft servers?

Bukkit color codes specifically work on servers running Bukkit, Spigot, Paper, or other Bukkit-based server software. They won't work on vanilla Minecraft servers or other server types like Forge (unless they have specific plugins installed to handle them).

If you're using a vanilla Minecraft server, you'll need to use the § symbol instead, which is harder to type directly but can be included in server files.

Enhance Your Minecraft Server

Try our interactive tool to preview and copy Bukkit color codes for your server configuration

Start Using Color Codes