How to Protect Your Server with CoreProtect
Installing and configuring CoreProtect to log changes and roll back griefing or theft.
Installing and configuring CoreProtect to log changes and roll back griefing or theft.
Running a multiplayer server comes with risks like griefing, theft, and accidental damage. CoreProtect logs player actions and lets you investigate incidents and roll back unwanted changes with minimal performance impact.
Download and Install CoreProtect
- Go to the official SpigotMC page or Modrinth to download the latest stable version of CoreProtect.

- Drag and drop the downloaded
.jarfile into your server'spluginsfolder.
- Start/Restart your server to generate the default configuration files.
Understand the CoreProtect Database
By default, CoreProtect stores all logging data locally in a lightweight SQLite database file (database.db inside the plugins/CoreProtect/ folder).
- For Small to Medium Servers: The default SQLite setup works out of the box with zero configuration required.
- For Large / High-Traffic Servers: If your server has dozens of concurrent players, SQLite can cause minor write bottlenecks. You can configure CoreProtect to use an external MySQL or MariaDB database by editing
plugins/CoreProtect/config.ymlto ensure maximum performance and faster rollbacks.
Basic Inspection Commands
The most common daily use for CoreProtect is inspecting a block or chest to see who interacted with it.
- Toggle Inspection Mode: Type
/co inspect(or simply/co i). - Once enabled, simply
left-clickorright-clickany block, door, chest, or furnace. - The chat box will display a detailed history of who placed, broke, or interacted with that block, including timestamps (e.g., "5 minutes ago by Steve").
Investigating Containers and Item Theft
If a player reports that items were stolen from their chest, CoreProtect makes it easy to track inventory transactions.
- Turn on inspection mode (
/co i) and right-click the suspected chest or barrel. - CoreProtect will show a breakdown of who took or deposited items, exactly what items were moved, and when it happened.
- You can also filter queries using chat commands:
/co lookup action:container time:2h(Shows container interactions within the last 2 hours)./co lookup u:Yorokobi time:1d(Shows all actions performed by a specific player over the last day).
Rolling Back Griefing and Damage
When a griefer targets your server, you can surgically undo their actions without rolling back the entire world.
Warning: Always create a manual backup before performing massive rollbacks, just in case.
Use the
/co rollbackcommand with specific filters to target only the damage caused by the griefer.For Example :
/co rollback u:Steve time:3h radius:50u:Steve: Targets only actions by that specific player.time:3h: Restricts the rollback to actions performed in the last 3 hours.radius:50: Only affects blocks within a 50-block radius of where you are standing.
Restoring / Undoing Mistakes (Rollback Recovery)
If you accidentally rolled back too many blocks or made a mistake with your parameters, CoreProtect allows you to undo a rollback instantly using the /co undo command.
- Type
/co undoto reverse your most recent rollback operation.
Useful CoreProtect Commands
Here is a quick cheat sheet of the most frequently used commands for server moderation:
/co i- Toggles inspection mode on or off./co lookup u:<player> time:<time>– Searches actions performed by a specific player (e.g., /co lookup u:Steve time:1d)./co rollback u:<player> time:<time> r:<radius>– Reverts block changes made by a player within a certain time and radius./co undo– Reverses your last rollback or restore operation./co reload– Reloads the CoreProtect configuration file.
For a complete list of CoreProtect commands, see the CoreProtect Commands Documentation.
Best Practices & Performance Tips
- Prune Old Logs: Over months, database files can grow large. Use built-in maintenance commands (For example
/co purge t:30dto remove logs older than 30 days) to periodically clean up ancient records and keep your server running fast.
Similarly, if you are having any type of issue or problem with your server at MCServerHost, you can always get in touch with us by joining our Discord server or writing us at support@mcserverhost.com.
Related guides
- How to Ban, Kick and Mute Players on Your Minecraft Server: How to Ban, Kick and Mute Players on Your Minecraft Server at MCServerHost
- Resetting The End in Minecraft: Learn how to safely reset The End dimension without affecting the Overworld.
- How to Set Up ServerLinksZ on Your Minecraft Server: Fill the Server Links pause-menu section with your Discord, Website, Store, and Rules.
- How to Set Up InventoryRollbackPlus on Your Minecraft Server: Auto-back up player inventories so staff can restore items lost to lag, deaths, or griefing.