ViaBackwards — Minecraft plugin

What does ViaBackwards do

ViaBackwards extends protocol compatibility to connect older clients to new servers in conjunction with ViaVersion.

Old client on new network

ViaBackwards complements ViaVersion in the opposite direction: it allows individual older clients to connect to newer servers. For a large network, this can reduce the number of bounces when logging in during a gradual update of players.

What the player sees

When the old client is not aware of the new block or entity, the correct display of all features cannot be guaranteed. Some elements have to be replaced by compatible representations or limited. Therefore, support for older versions should be checked not only on the login screen, but also inside mini-games, menus and important server mechanics.

Supporting old customers

Usually, being able to log in from an older version is important for the lobby and the main game modes, but not for features that didn’t exist in that client yet. Test the display of objects and the operation of interfaces, not just authorization. For customers who are too old, the differences can be noticeable even with the right connection.

Primary source: developer-page.