What Is Sidekick and Why It Changes Creative Mode Forever
If you have spent any serious time building in Minecraft Creative mode, you know the vanilla inventory can be a frustrating experience. Items shift around unexpectedly, the tabs feel clunky, and the lack of a proper crafting grid means even simple tasks like dyeing wool require switching back to Survival just to access the 2x2 crafting space. Sidekick, originally known as Not Enough Creativity, arrives as a complete solution to these long-standing annoyances. It is a Bukkit plugin designed to provide server-side support for the Sidekick client mod, delivering a polished Creative inventory overhaul alongside a robust set of superpowers that make large-scale building feel effortless and precise.
The Evolution from Not Enough Creativity to Sidekick
Sidekick did not appear out of nowhere. Its roots trace back to Not Enough Creativity, a 1.16+ mod that drew heavy inspiration from the beloved Not Enough Items Creative+ mode. That early version proved that a better Creative inventory was possible, but it also revealed limitations in mod compatibility and overall stability. The developer took those lessons seriously and rebuilt the entire project from the ground up. The result is a cleaner codebase, smoother interactions with other mods, and a thoughtfully designed protocol that other mod developers and even plugin authors can implement. This openness means Sidekick is not just a standalone tool but a potential standard for how Creative inventories should function across the Minecraft ecosystem.
How the Creative+ Inventory Works Server-Side
One of the smartest technical decisions behind Sidekick is its reliance on Survival inventory code rather than the vanilla Creative inventory system. In standard Creative mode, the inventory operates primarily on the client side, which frequently leads to desynchronization between what you see and what the server registers. Items vanish, slots glitch, and the whole experience feels unreliable during extended building sessions. Sidekick flips this model by making the inventory mostly server-side. Every item movement, every slot interaction gets processed through the server, eliminating the jank that builders have learned to tolerate. This architecture also unlocks the 2x2 crafting grid directly within the Creative+ interface, so you can dye items, craft basic components, and manipulate materials without ever leaving your building workflow.
Superpowers That Transform Building
Beyond the inventory overhaul, Sidekick packs a large collection of superpowers that turn creative building into a genuinely breezy activity. These are not simple shortcuts but carefully designed tools that address real pain points builders encounter daily. You gain abilities like rapid block replacement, precise area filling, instant copying of structures, and seamless rotation of complex builds. Each superpower integrates naturally with the server-side logic, meaning your actions register correctly for all players on a multiplayer server. No more ghost blocks or mismatched states between clients. The plugin ensures that every placed block, every rotated segment, and every filled region exists consistently across the entire server, making collaboration smoother than ever before.
Setting Up Sidekick on Your Server
Getting Sidekick running requires two components working in tandem. The client-side mod handles the interface and superpower controls, while the Bukkit plugin manages all the server-side logic and synchronization. You place the plugin in your server's plugins folder just like any other Bukkit or Spigot addon, and players install the client mod to access the enhanced features. The protocol design means that even if a player joins without the client mod, the server remains stable and functional, though those players will not benefit from the Creative+ improvements. For those looking to streamline the process, many builders have found that the Sidekick client mod can be easily installed via the foxygame.net launcher, a convenient and modern Minecraft launcher that lets you browse and download mods directly from its menu without hunting through scattered forum pages.
Compatibility and Multiplayer Benefits
Sidekick shines brightest on multiplayer creative servers where multiple builders collaborate on massive projects. The server-side inventory prevents the classic issue where one player's client shows a different block state than another's. WorldEdit and similar tools have long dominated the server-building space, but they often feel disconnected from the natural gameplay flow. Sidekick bridges that gap by offering powerful manipulation tools within the familiar inventory screen. You can select regions visually, apply transformations with a few clicks, and see results instantly without typing commands into chat. The plugin also respects permission systems, allowing server administrators to control which superpowers different player ranks can access, keeping the building environment organized and grief-free.
Why the 2x2 Crafting Grid Matters More Than You Think
At first glance, having a 2x2 crafting grid in Creative mode might seem like a minor convenience. In practice, it eliminates dozens of small interruptions that break your creative flow. Need to craft dyed terracotta from plain terracotta and dye? Done in two seconds without switching game modes. Want to combine damaged tools for a fresh one while testing adventure map mechanics? The grid is right there. These micro-interactions accumulate over hours of building, and removing the friction makes the entire experience feel more cohesive. Sidekick understands that creative building is not just about placing blocks but about manipulating materials fluidly, and the crafting grid is a fundamental part of that philosophy.
Performance and Stability Considerations
Because Sidekick processes inventory actions server-side, some server owners might worry about increased load. The plugin is engineered with efficiency in mind, using lightweight packet handling and optimized data structures to minimize performance impact. On modern server hardware running Paper or Spigot, the overhead is negligible even with dozens of players actively using Creative+ features. The rewrite from Not Enough Creativity specifically targeted performance bottlenecks, resulting in a plugin that scales well from small private servers to large public creative hubs. Regular updates keep the protocol aligned with Minecraft version changes, ensuring that the smooth experience promised by the developer remains consistent across game updates.
Getting Started with Sidekick Today
If you manage a creative building server or simply want a better single-player Creative experience with server-side reliability, Sidekick deserves a spot in your plugin folder. The combination of a redesigned inventory, practical superpowers, and robust multiplayer synchronization addresses years of accumulated frustrations with vanilla Creative mode. Start by downloading the Bukkit plugin for your server version and the matching client mod. Configure permissions to match your server's needs, and invite your builders to experience Creative mode the way it should have always worked. The days of fighting with the vanilla inventory, losing items to desync, and switching game modes just to craft dyed blocks are finally over.