> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://mending-dev.gitbook.io/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://mending-dev.gitbook.io/docs/minedash/getting-started/introduction.md).

# Introduction

## What MineDash is

MineDash is a Spigot/Paper plugin. When your server starts, the plugin starts a small web server inside the same process. You open that web server in a browser, log in, and manage your server there.

```
Browser ──HTTP──► MineDash plugin (web server on port 8765)
                     │
                     ├── core        login, sessions, overview, module management
                     └── modules     console, files, and everything you add
                          (jars in plugins/MineDash/modules/)
```

There is nothing else to install: no database, no Node.js, no separate service. The panel itself is part of the plugin jar.

## Core ideas

### The core

The **core** is the plugin itself. It provides:

* the web server and the panel (login page, sidebar, overview page, *Manage modules* page)
* accounts and permissions
* the module system

The core contains no features that you could want to turn off. Everything else is a module.

### Modules

A **module** is one `.jar` file in `plugins/MineDash/modules/`. A module can:

* add a **page** to the sidebar (for example *Console* or *Files*)
* add **widgets** to the overview page
* register its own **HTTP routes** and **WebSocket channels**
* define its own **permissions**

You switch modules on and off on the page *Manage modules* without restarting the server. Modules written by other people work the same way as the ones that come with MineDash, see the [developer documentation](/docs/minedash/module-development/introduction.md).

### Permissions

Every action is protected by a permission such as `console.execute` or `files.write`. Permissions are listed per account in `users.json`. A module that an account has no permission for does not show up for it. See [Users and permissions](/docs/minedash/administration/users-and-permissions.md).

## What MineDash does not do

* It does not replace your hosting panel: it does not install servers, start or stop the Minecraft process, or manage several servers. MineDash runs inside one server and manages that server.
* It does not terminate TLS (HTTPS) itself. For HTTPS you put a reverse proxy in front of it, which takes a few minutes, see [Deployment](/docs/minedash/deployment/overview.md).
* It does not run on Folia. Spigot and Paper are supported.

## A first look at the panel

| Part             | What it is                                                                                                                             |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Sidebar**      | *Overview*, one entry per enabled module with a user interface, and *Manage modules* for accounts with the permission `modules.manage` |
| **Overview**     | Live status of the server. Widgets can be shown or hidden per account.                                                                 |
| **Module pages** | The page of the module you selected                                                                                                    |
| **Account area** | Your avatar and name at the bottom of the sidebar, and the sign out button                                                             |
| **Theme switch** | Light and dark theme in the top bar                                                                                                    |

## Next steps

1. Check the [requirements](/docs/minedash/getting-started/requirements.md)
2. [Install](/docs/minedash/getting-started/installation.md) the plugin and the modules
3. [Log in](/docs/minedash/getting-started/first-login.md) for the first time