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Glossary

This glossary defines terms commonly used throughout the Hytale Server Modding documentation.

A specific combination of components that defines an entity type. Entities with the same set of components share the same archetype. Archetypes enable efficient storage and querying.

Game content defined in JSON files, such as block types, items, sounds, and particles. Assets are loaded from asset packs and can be modified or extended by plugins.

A type-safe collection that stores loaded assets, providing methods for lookup by ID or index.

A collection of asset files bundled with a plugin. Asset packs follow a specific directory structure and are loaded automatically when IncludesAssetPack is true in the plugin manifest.

A shared memory structure used by NPCs for decision making and communication between AI components.

Per-block instance data stored in the ChunkStore for blocks that need persistent state (e.g., chests, doors). Block states are ECS components. Note: This class is marked @Deprecated(forRemoval = true).

An asset that defines a block’s appearance, behavior, and properties. Block types are loaded from the blocktype/ directory.

A type of codec that uses a builder pattern for defining serialization. It allows field-by-field specification with optional inheritance.

A 32x320x32 block column in the world (ChunkUtil.SIZE=32, ChunkUtil.HEIGHT=320). Chunks are the fundamental unit of world loading and saving.

The ECS store that manages chunk-level components and data, such as block states.

A serialization/deserialization mechanism used throughout Hytale for converting objects to/from BSON or JSON format.

A buffer that collects ECS operations during system execution. Operations are applied atomically after system processing completes.

A data container attached to entities or chunks in the ECS. Components hold state but no behavior.

A type descriptor that identifies and provides metadata for a component class.

The architectural pattern used by Hytale for game objects. Entities are IDs, components are data, and systems are behavior.

A unique identifier in the ECS that can have components attached to it. Entities represent all dynamic objects in the game.

The ECS store that manages entity components. Each world has its own EntityStore.

A message that signals something happened in the game. Events can be listened to by plugins and may be cancellable.

The central dispatcher that manages event listeners and delivers events to registered handlers.

The order in which event listeners are called. Priorities range from FIRST (-21844) to LAST (21844).

A group of NPCs that coordinate their behavior using flocking algorithms (alignment, separation, cohesion).

A filter applied to all slots in an ItemContainer, controlling what items can be added or removed.

A temporary container for components before they’re spawned into a Store. Holders are used to construct entities.

The quick-access inventory row typically displayed at the bottom of the player’s screen.

An interface for events that can be cancelled, preventing their default behavior.

A block or entity behavior triggered by player input. Interactions are defined as assets and executed server-side.

An interface for item storage, implemented by various container types like chests and player inventories.

A stack of one or more items of the same type, with optional metadata and durability.

The base class for Hytale server plugins. All plugins extend this class and override lifecycle methods.

A codec that wraps another codec with a key name, used for fields in serialization.

An entity type that has health, can take damage, and can die. Players and NPCs are living entities.

An NPC component that handles movement calculations for different locomotion types (walking, flying, swimming).

An AI-controlled entity with a Role that defines its behavior.

The primary interface for working with connected players. It bridges network connections with in-world entities.

A server extension that adds or modifies functionality. Plugins are packaged as JAR files with a plugin.json manifest.

The metadata file (plugin.json) that describes a plugin, including its name, version, dependencies, and entry point.

A pre-built structure that can be placed in the world during generation or at runtime.

A filter that specifies which entities a system processes, based on component composition.

A stable reference to an entity or chunk in a Store. Refs remain valid across operations.

A type-safe collection for storing registrations of components, systems, or other objects.

A singleton-like piece of shared data in an ECS store, such as world time or weather state.

A type descriptor that identifies and provides metadata for a resource class.

An NPC behavior configuration that defines AI, stats, and appearance.

Semantic versioning format (MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH) used for plugin versions.

A version constraint that specifies compatible plugin versions.

A filter applied to specific slots in an ItemContainer.

The creation and placement of an entity in the world.

A world entity that triggers NPC spawning based on configured conditions.

The ECS container that manages entities/chunks and their components for a specific store type.

An ECS processor that operates on entities matching a specific Query. Systems provide behavior.

Block behavior executed on random ticks, used for growth, decay, and other time-based effects.

An inventory operation result that describes what happened and what remains.

An entity’s position and rotation in the world.

The ECS component that stores an entity’s position and rotation.

The top-level container for all worlds and player data. There is one Universe per server.

A named teleport destination that players can travel to.

A separate game dimension with its own terrain, entities, and rules. Multiple worlds can exist in a Universe.

An interface for world generation implementations. Different providers create different terrain types.

A large-scale region in world generation with distinct generation rules and biomes.