BitworksMC · GoodrichDev · Sep 4, 2026 · Sep 2, 2026 · Sep 2, 2026
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -53,12 +53,12 @@ snapshot and the legacy BitworksMC GitHub catalog remain available for recovery.
 
 ## 🚀 Download & Installation
 
-HeadDB 6.1.0 is distributed as two server-specific jars. Install exactly one:
+HeadDB 6.1.1 is distributed as two server-specific jars. Install exactly one:
 
 | File | Server versions | Java | Purpose |
 |---|---|---|---|
-| `HeadDB-6.1.0.jar` | Paper/Folia 1.21.0 and newer | Java 21+ | The full modern plugin and the recommended download. |
-| `HeadDB-6.1.0-legacy.jar` | Bukkit-compatible 1.8.8-1.20.6 | Java 8 bytecode* | The isolated implementation for servers before 1.21. |
+| `HeadDB-6.1.1.jar` | Paper/Folia 1.21.0 and newer | Java 21+ | The full modern plugin and the recommended download. |
+| `HeadDB-6.1.1-legacy.jar` | Bukkit-compatible 1.8.8-1.20.6 | Java 8 bytecode* | The isolated implementation for servers before 1.21. |
 
 \* Use the Java version required by the Minecraft server. The legacy plugin
 itself is Java 8-compatible, but later Minecraft releases require newer Java
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ Found a bug or have a feature request? Open an issue:
 
 ## 🤝 Using the API
 
-HeadDB 6.1.0 uses two APIs for different purposes:
+HeadDB 6.1.1 uses two APIs for different purposes:
 
 - The **HeadDB HTTP API** at `https://headdb.net/api/v1` is the managed source
   for published head data. The modern plugin downloads
@@ -331,8 +331,8 @@ you agree to the [Minecraft EULA](https://aka.ms/MinecraftEULA).
 Run `mvn clean package` from the repository root. The release files are written
 to:
 
-- `headdb-core/target/HeadDB-6.1.0.jar`
-- `headdb-legacy/target/HeadDB-6.1.0-legacy.jar`
+- `headdb-core/target/HeadDB-6.1.1.jar`
+- `headdb-legacy/target/HeadDB-6.1.1-legacy.jar`
 
 The legacy module uses `--release 8`; the modern module uses `--release 21`.
 Maven may run on a newer JDK when building both artifacts together.

diff --git a/changelog/6.1.1.md b/changelog/6.1.1.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# HeadDB 6.1.1 Changelog
+
+## Paper, Folia, and reliability
+- Restored `/hdb info` and other component messages on Paper 1.21.x by avoiding
+  Adventure builder bytecode whose return type changed in Adventure 5.
+- Prevented unchanged revisionless/custom catalog snapshots from rebuilding menus
+  and preloading every head on each scheduled synchronization.
diff --git a/headdb-api/pom.xml b/headdb-api/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>com.bitworksmc</groupId>
         <artifactId>HeadDB</artifactId>
-        <version>6.1.0</version>
+        <version>6.1.1</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>headdb-api</artifactId>

diff --git a/headdb-core/pom.xml b/headdb-core/pom.xml
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>com.bitworksmc</groupId>
         <artifactId>HeadDB</artifactId>
-        <version>6.1.0</version>
+        <version>6.1.1</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>headdb-core</artifactId>
 
     <description>Head Database</description>
-    <version>6.1.0</version>
+    <version>6.1.1</version>
 
     <properties>
         <maven.compiler.release>21</maven.compiler.release>
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.bitworksmc</groupId>
             <artifactId>headdb-api</artifactId>
-            <version>6.1.0</version>
+            <version>6.1.1</version>
         </dependency>
 
         <!-- Hard Dependencies (Provided) -->

diff --git a/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/HeadDB.java b/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/HeadDB.java
@@ -119,10 +119,12 @@ public void onEnable() {
         if (config.isUpdaterEnabled()) {
             long syncIntervalTicks = config.getDatabaseSyncIntervalMinutes() * 60L * 20L;
             Compatibility.runAsyncRepeating(this, () -> {
-                    int previousRevision = this.headDatabase.getCatalogRevision();
+                    List<Head> previousHeads = this.headDatabase.getHeads();
                     this.headDatabase.update().thenAcceptAsync(heads -> {
-                        int currentRevision = this.headDatabase.getCatalogRevision();
-                        if (currentRevision != previousRevision || currentRevision < 0) {
+                        // BaseHeadDatabase retains the published list when a full
+                        // snapshot is unchanged. This also works for custom sources
+                        // that do not expose managed catalog revision headers.
+                        if (heads != previousHeads) {
                             handleDatabaseUpdate(this.configManager.getConfig(), heads);
                             this.menuManager.registerDefaults(this, heads);
                         }

diff --git a/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/command/sub/HDBCommandInfo.java b/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/command/sub/HDBCommandInfo.java
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public void handle(CommandSender sender, String[] args) {
         }
 
         // Build the colored & emoji-rich message
-        Component message = Component.text()
+        Component message = Component.empty()
                 .append(Component.text("Running ").color(NamedTextColor.GRAY))
                 .append(Component.text("HeadDB " + Compatibility.getPluginVersion(plugin)).color(NamedTextColor.GOLD))
                 .appendNewline()
@@ -53,8 +53,7 @@ public void handle(CommandSender sender, String[] args) {
                 .append(Component.text(bukkitName + " " + bukkitVersion).color(NamedTextColor.WHITE))
                 .appendNewline()
                 .append(Component.text(" Implementation: ").color(NamedTextColor.GRAY))
-                .append(Component.text(serverVersion).color(NamedTextColor.WHITE))
-                .build();
+                .append(Component.text(serverVersion).color(NamedTextColor.WHITE));
 
         if (sender instanceof Player) {
             message = message.appendNewline()

diff --git a/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/command/sub/HDBCommandInspect.java b/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/command/sub/HDBCommandInspect.java
@@ -59,14 +59,13 @@ private CompletableFuture<Optional<Head>> resolve(String identifier) {
 
     public static void sendHeadDetails(HeadDB plugin, CommandSender sender, Head head) {
         String url = WebsiteLinks.headUrl(plugin.getCfg().getWebsiteUrl(), head.getId());
-        Component message = Component.text()
+        Component message = Component.empty()
                 .append(Component.text(head.getName() + " #" + head.getId(), NamedTextColor.GOLD)).appendNewline()
                 .append(Component.text(" Category: ", NamedTextColor.GRAY)).append(Component.text(head.getCategory(), NamedTextColor.WHITE)).appendNewline()
                 .append(Component.text(" Tags: ", NamedTextColor.GRAY)).append(Component.text(String.join(", ", head.getTags()), NamedTextColor.WHITE)).appendNewline()
                 .append(Component.text(" Give: ", NamedTextColor.GRAY)).append(Component.text("/hdb give id:" + head.getId(), NamedTextColor.GREEN)).appendNewline()
                 .append(WebsiteLinks.makeClickable(Component.text(" View, copy, or report on headdb.net", NamedTextColor.AQUA),
-                        url, Component.text("Open " + url, NamedTextColor.AQUA)))
-                .build();
+                        url, Component.text("Open " + url, NamedTextColor.AQUA)));
         Compatibility.sendMessage(sender, message);
     }
 }
diff --git a/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/command/sub/HDBCommandSearch.java b/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/command/sub/HDBCommandSearch.java
@@ -287,11 +287,10 @@ private void sendWebsiteHint(Player player, String url) {
             return;
         }
         Component message = plugin.getLocalization().getMessage(player.getUniqueId(), "command.search.website")
-                .orElseGet(() -> Component.text()
+                .orElseGet(() -> Component.empty()
                         .append(Component.text("Want to refine this search faster? ", NamedTextColor.GRAY))
                         .append(Component.text("Open it on headdb.net", NamedTextColor.AQUA))
-                        .append(Component.text(" to filter results and copy ready-to-use commands.", NamedTextColor.GRAY))
-                        .build());
+                        .append(Component.text(" to filter results and copy ready-to-use commands.", NamedTextColor.GRAY)));
         Compatibility.sendMessage(player, WebsiteLinks.makeClickable(
                 message,
                 url,

diff --git a/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/command/sub/HDBCommandStatus.java b/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/command/sub/HDBCommandStatus.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ public HDBCommandStatus(HeadDB plugin) {
 
     @Override public void handle(CommandSender sender, String[] args) {
         CatalogStatus status = plugin.getHeadApi().getCatalogStatus();
-        Component message = Component.text()
+        Component message = Component.empty()
                 .append(Component.text("HeadDB catalog", NamedTextColor.GOLD)).appendNewline()
                 .append(Component.text(" State: ", NamedTextColor.GRAY))
                 .append(Component.text(status.isReady() ? "ready" : "loading", status.isReady() ? NamedTextColor.GREEN : NamedTextColor.YELLOW)).appendNewline()
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ public HDBCommandStatus(HeadDB plugin) {
                 .append(Component.text(" Last success: ", NamedTextColor.GRAY)).append(Component.text(age(status.getLastSuccessfulUpdateEpochMillis()), NamedTextColor.WHITE)).appendNewline()
                 .append(Component.text(" Source: ", NamedTextColor.GRAY)).append(Component.text(status.getSource() == null ? "not selected" : status.getSource(), NamedTextColor.WHITE))
                 .append(status.getLastError() == null ? Component.empty() : Component.newline()
-                        .append(Component.text(" Last error: ", NamedTextColor.RED)).append(Component.text(status.getLastError(), NamedTextColor.WHITE)))
-                .build();
+                        .append(Component.text(" Last error: ", NamedTextColor.RED)).append(Component.text(status.getLastError(), NamedTextColor.WHITE)));
         Compatibility.sendMessage(sender, message);
     }
 

diff --git a/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/command/sub/HDBCommandSubmit.java b/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/command/sub/HDBCommandSubmit.java
@@ -28,11 +28,10 @@ public void handle(CommandSender sender, String[] args) {
 
         String url = WebsiteLinks.submissionUrl(plugin.getCfg().getWebsiteUrl());
         Component message = plugin.getLocalization().getMessage(player.getUniqueId(), "command.submit.link")
-                .orElseGet(() -> Component.text()
+                .orElseGet(() -> Component.empty()
                         .append(Component.text("Have a head to share? ", NamedTextColor.GRAY))
                         .append(Component.text("Submit it on headdb.net", NamedTextColor.AQUA))
-                        .append(Component.text(" for review.", NamedTextColor.GRAY))
-                        .build());
+                        .append(Component.text(" for review.", NamedTextColor.GRAY)));
         Compatibility.sendMessage(player, WebsiteLinks.makeClickable(
                 message,
                 url,

diff --git a/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/update/UpdateChecker.java b/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/core/update/UpdateChecker.java
@@ -284,14 +284,13 @@ private static Component applyUpdateValues(Component template, AvailableUpdate u
     }
 
     private static Component fallbackMessage(AvailableUpdate update) {
-        return Component.text()
+        return Component.empty()
                 .append(Component.text("A new HeadDB version is available: ", NamedTextColor.YELLOW))
                 .append(Component.text(update.latestVersion(), NamedTextColor.GREEN))
                 .append(Component.text(" (current: " + update.currentVersion() + ")", NamedTextColor.GRAY))
                 .append(Component.newline())
                 .append(Component.text("Download: ", NamedTextColor.GRAY))
-                .append(downloadLink(update.downloadUrl()))
-                .build();
+                .append(downloadLink(update.downloadUrl()));
     }
 
     private static Component downloadLink(URI url) {

diff --git a/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/implementation/BaseHeadDatabase.java b/headdb-core/src/main/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/implementation/BaseHeadDatabase.java
@@ -161,15 +161,17 @@ private List<Head> loadFullSnapshot() {
         for (String sourceUrl : sourceUrls) {
             try {
                 FetchedCatalog fetched = fetchHeads(sourceUrl);
-                Snapshot loadedSnapshot = buildSnapshot(fetched.heads());
-                this.snapshot = loadedSnapshot;
+                Snapshot currentSnapshot = this.snapshot;
+                if (!sameHeads(currentSnapshot, fetched.heads())) {
+                    this.snapshot = buildSnapshot(fetched.heads());
+                }
                 this.catalogRevision = fetched.revision();
                 this.activeSource = sourceUrl;
-                persistCatalogCache(loadedSnapshot.heads(), fetched.revision());
+                persistCatalogCache(this.snapshot.heads(), fetched.revision());
 
                 long elapsed = System.currentTimeMillis() - start;
                 LOGGER.debug("Update took {} seconds ({}ms total)", TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS.toSeconds(elapsed), elapsed);
-                return loadedSnapshot.heads();
+                return this.snapshot.heads();
             } catch (IOException | RuntimeException ex) {
                 lastException = ex;
                 LOGGER.warn("Failed to load heads from '{}': {}", sourceUrl, ex.getMessage());
@@ -724,6 +726,19 @@ private static boolean sameHead(Head left, Head right) {
                 && Objects.equals(left.getTags(), right.getTags());
     }
 
+    private static boolean sameHeads(@Nullable Snapshot left, List<Head> right) {
+        if (left == null || left.heads().size() != right.size()) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        for (int i = 0; i < left.heads().size(); i++) {
+            Head candidate = right.get(i);
+            if (candidate == null || !sameHead(left.heads().get(i), candidate)) {
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
+
     private static String rootMessage(Throwable failure) {
         Throwable current = failure;
         while (current.getCause() != null) current = current.getCause();

diff --git a/headdb-core/src/test/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/implementation/BaseHeadDatabaseTest.java b/headdb-core/src/test/java/com/bitworksmc/headdb/implementation/BaseHeadDatabaseTest.java
@@ -154,6 +154,24 @@ void publishedCollectionsCannotBeMutated() {
         assertThrows(UnsupportedOperationException.class, () -> database.getByTags("Fruit").clear());
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void unchangedRevisionlessSnapshotKeepsPublishedList() {
+        AtomicInteger requests = new AtomicInteger();
+        server.createContext("/heads", exchange -> {
+            requests.incrementAndGet();
+            respond(exchange, 200, HEADS_JSON);
+        });
+        BaseHeadDatabase database = database("/heads", Index.ID);
+
+        List<Head> initial = database.update().join();
+        List<Head> refreshed = database.update().join();
+
+        assertSame(initial, refreshed);
+        assertSame(initial, database.getHeads());
+        assertEquals(-1, database.getCatalogRevision());
+        assertEquals(2, requests.get());
+    }
+
     @Test
     void appliesRevisionChangesAndRestoresTheSavedCatalog() {
         AtomicInteger snapshotRequests = new AtomicInteger();

diff --git a/headdb-legacy/pom.xml b/headdb-legacy/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>com.bitworksmc</groupId>
         <artifactId>HeadDB</artifactId>
-        <version>6.1.0</version>
+        <version>6.1.1</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>headdb-legacy</artifactId>

diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
     <groupId>com.bitworksmc</groupId>
     <artifactId>HeadDB</artifactId>
-    <version>6.1.0</version>
+    <version>6.1.1</version>
     <packaging>pom</packaging>
 
     <name>HeadDB</name>