For version 3.x.x details of this lib check Migration from 3.x.x to 4.x.x section.

ParticleNativeAPI

ParticleNativeAPI is a particle spawning API for Spigot and Bukkit server designed to be:

fast (comparable to native Java written code!),
cross-version compatible down to MC 1.7 (includes removed particles!),
flexible in use,
relatively easy and convenient to use.

On top of that, this particle API supports spawning certain particles:

of blocks,
of items,
with color (only 1 particle per packet),
with color and size,
with transition color and size,
with certain motion (only 1 particle per packet)
with angle
with delay

... and still be fast and cross version compatible between Minecraft updates.

colors

Entire API structure targets to reflect how Minecraft handles sending packets, however it strongly typed and uses no Reflection to do so!

How to use

Spawning particle is made in very simple method chain:

from API -> get particles list -> get particle
select properties of particle
make particle packet
send it, using particles lists.

That's it.

// get API from plugin instance
ParticleNativeAPI api = ParticleNativePlugin.getAPI();

// ... or generate it using core module ("this" is Your plugin instance)
particleApi = ParticleNativeCore.loadAPI(this);

Player player = ...;
Location loc = player.getLocation();

// as simple as that
particleApi.LIST_1_8.FLAME  // from desired list get particle
        .packet(true, loc)  // make particle packet
        .sendTo(player);    // send it to certain player(s)

To whoever you want to send this packet or on what conditions is up to You. To read more about particle lists above, I encourage you to read detailed tutorial on my github repository here.

Why is it fast

It internally uses ObjectWeb's ASM library to generate version-dependent Java code instead of using Reflection.
Reflection is only used to recognize on which Minecraft version should API be generated, at server start-up phase.

Simple benchmark

I've made test on localhost to measure execution time of 400 000 particles in random locations around my character.

Notable environment:

localhost server MC 1.17
JDK 17
Intel i5-12600
32 GB RAM DDR4

All tests were made after an extensive warmup of executing them several times to allow JVM to optimize frequently used code.

However, it is still simple benchmark (not JMH or something), so results should be taken with a little pinch of salt.

All code used to test is found on my repository here.

Tests consist of 4 methods to send particle:

nms - uses directly NMS and OBC to send packet,
particle_native_api - uses this api to send particle with simple method,
spigot_api - uses Spigot API's spawnParticle method (to player) to send effect,
reflection - uses NMS and OBC reflected classes (with accessibility set to true) to send particle. Those classes/methods/fields are cached for multiple use.

Test

As you can see, at least on my machine, ParticleNativeAPI is comparable to Spigot API and very close in speed to version specific implementation.

Minimal usage example overview

public class PluginName extends JavaPlugin {

    // loaded particle API
    private ParticleNativeAPI particleApi;
 
    @Override
    public void onEnable() {
        // load API and store it for later use
        particleApi = ParticleNativeCore.loadAPI(this);

        // or get it from running plugin api instance
        // check if everything is fine with it
      
        // if (ParticelNativePlugin.isValid()) {
        //     particleApi = ParticleNativePlugin.getAPI();
        // }
        // else {
        //     getLogger().log(Level.SEVERE, "Error occurred while loading dependency.");
        //     this.setEnabled(false);
        //     return;
        // }
    }
 
    // example usage
    @Override
    public boolean onCommand(CommandSender sender, Command command, String label, String[] args) {
        if (!command.getName().equalsIgnoreCase("somecmd")) return true;
 
        if (!(sender instanceof Player)) {
            sender.sendMessage(ChatColor.RED + "You must be player to use this command!");
            return true;
        }
 
        Player pSender = (Player) sender;
        Location loc = pSender.getLocation();
 
        // particle spawning
        particleApi.LIST_1_8.FLAME             // select particle from list
                .packet(true, loc)             // create particle packet
                .sendInRadiusTo(player, 30D);  // send it to player if in 30 block radius
 
        return true;
    }
}

For server owners

If you were redirected here by other plugin, just include plugin's jar in plugins folder.
This library doesn't do anything on it's own besides startup phase. It may be used as a dependency by other plugins.

For plugin developers
A detailed tutorial with various examples can be found on my github repository here.

Maven for core API with example setup (official repository):

   <build>
        <plugins>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                <artifactId>maven-shade-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>3.2.0</version>
                <executions>
                    <execution>
                        <phase>package</phase>
                        <goals>
                            <goal>shade</goal>
                        </goals>

                        <configuration>
                            <!-- replace shaded version with main artifact -->
                            <shadedArtifactAttached>false</shadedArtifactAttached>

                            <!-- relocate API classes to avoid same-classpath-conflicts -->
                            <!-- with other plugins using this core API -->
                            <relocations>
                                <relocation>
                                    <pattern>com.github.fierioziy.particlenativeapi</pattern>
                                    <shadedPattern>me.yourpluginpackage.particleapi</shadedPattern>
                                </relocation>
                            </relocations>
                        </configuration>
                    </execution>
                </executions>
            </plugin>
          
            <!--  other plugins ... -->
        </plugins>
      
        <!-- other build config ... -->
    </build>
    <dependencies>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.github.fierioziy.particlenativeapi</groupId>
            <artifactId>ParticleNativeAPI-core</artifactId>
            <version>4.5.0</version>
            <scope>compile</scope>
        </dependency>

        <!-- other dependencies -->
    </dependencies>

Maven for plugin reference setup (official repository):

    <dependencies>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.github.fierioziy.particlenativeapi</groupId>
            <artifactId>ParticleNativeAPI-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>4.5.0</version>
            <scope>provided</scope>
        </dependency>

        <!-- other dependencies -->
    </dependencies>

Request feature or report an issue

If you found a bug or just want to request a feature, use an issue tracker on my github here.

Source code

All plugin's source code is present on my github repository here.

For version 3.x.x current source is on branch master-v3 here.

Compatibility
Tested Spigot versions: 1.7.10, 1.8.8, 1.12, 1.14.3, 1.15.2, 1.16.5, 1.17, 1.18, 1.19, 1.19.3, 1.20.2, 1.20.6, 1.21.1, 1.21.3, 1.21.4, 1.21.10.

Tested Paper-Spigot versions (since 1.20.6 internal discrepancies with Spigot): 1.20.6, 1.21.3, 1.21.4, 1.21.10.

Plugin should be compatible at least between MC 1.7 and MC 1.21.10 for now.

It should work on Bukkit (CraftBukkit) as well.

It will only needs update if new feature/bugfix were added or there were Minecraft changes in packet handling in future versions.

Keep in mind, that this API will favor backward compatibility
with supported MC versions range instead of forward compatibility of itself.

Most of the time it will be announced as new major version (for ex. from 3.x.x to 4.x.x)

That said, next API updates might sometimes force some changes
in Your code to again be compatible with newer API version.

ParticleNativeAPI [1.7+]