Released 2021-07-06
Minecraft 1.17.1: Java 16
1.17 is the awkward one. It is the only line in Minecraft's history that requires Java 16 specifically — a release of Java that was superseded within six months and is no longer distributed by most vendors.
Java version required
16or newer
Also runs correctly on Java 17.
Availability
Paper is available for 1.17.1
It accepts Bukkit / Spigot / Paper plugins.
Will what I downloaded work?
Mods and plugins are different things that both arrive as a .jar file. Putting the wrong one in usually produces no error at all — the server starts, and the content simply is not there.
running on Paper
No. Forge produces mods and Paper runs plugins — they are different systems that happen to share a file extension. Nothing will load, and nothing will warn you.
What to watch for on this version
In practice you should install Java 17, which runs 1.17.1 correctly despite the stated requirement being 16. Chasing down an actual Java 16 build is wasted effort. The version itself was short-lived because Caves and Cliffs was split in two, so the ecosystem moved to 1.18 almost immediately — expect a thin mod selection.
Where this sits in the Java timeline
- Java 81.7 through 1.16.5
- Java 161.17 and 1.17.1
- Java 171.18 through 1.20.4
- Java 211.20.5 and everything after