Watchpup
by j1mmie
Watchpup is a Fabric server mod that serves the active player count over HTTP for watchdog tasks and other monitoring tools.
What it does
When the server runs with Fabric API, Watchpup starts a lightweight web server that answers with the current player count and nothing else. Its default bind address and port can be used by a watchdog service or another monitoring tool to poll the server without opening a game connection. The mod runs on the server alone, so players join without installing anything.
The project is published for Fabric alone, with a single build for 1.21.4 dated 2025-02-12 and a last update on 2025-02-15. Paper is listed as a server platform rather than a loader, and the mod is released under the MIT License, so the source code is public. Fabric API is required and must be installed alongside it.
The author notes that j1mmie's Minecraft OnDemand fork provides more reliable monitoring than the original design. Players do not need to act on the endpoint, since it exists for administrators watching server health.
Key features
Player count over HTTP
The endpoint returns the number of players currently online, with no other server data included.
Lightweight web server
A small built-in HTTP server runs on the server process and is intended for polling from outside.
Watchdog integration
The count can feed a watchdog service or other monitoring tools that check whether a server is active.
Configurable address and port
The bind address and port have defaults, and server owners can change them to suit their network setup.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Requirements
Dependencies declared by the latest file for each loader.
Required 1
Use cases
Server health checks
An external watchdog polls the endpoint and raises an alert when the count or the response changes unexpectedly.
Monitoring dashboards
Administrators can show live player numbers from a Paper or Fabric server on a monitoring page.
Who it’s for: Server administrators who run monitoring or watchdog tools against a Minecraft server and want a minimal source of player counts. Players and single-player users have no use for the mod.
How it compares
BackToServerList is a client-side only Fabric mod under the MIT License, covering 1.21 – 1.21.11, so it does not touch the server. CSLRecorder is a server-side only Fabric mod under the Apache License 2.0, covering 1.21 – 1.21.11, and records server activity rather than serving a player count. Watchpup is server-side only, MIT licensed and built for 1.21.4.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watchpup | Fabric | 1.21.4 | Server-side only | 2025-02-15 |
| BackToServerList | Fabric | 1.21 – 1.21.11 | Client-side only | 2026-02-06 |
| CSLRecorder | Fabric | 1.21 – 1.21.11 | Server-side only | 2026-08-04 |
Questions
Does Watchpup need Fabric API?
Do players need to install Watchpup?
Which game version does Watchpup support?
In the catalog
Watchpup is one of 8,016 Management mods on ModsFinder, and one of 5,930 Management mods for Fabric. 17,979 mods support Minecraft 1.21.4.
Similar mods
What the author says
Creates a lightweight web server that returns only the current player count, nothing else. For use with a watchdog service or other monitoring tools.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/watchpup
- Owner
- j1mmie
- Published
- 2025-02-12
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-02-15
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15