BlueMap vs Prismarine Viewer

BlueMap reads Minecraft Java Edition world files and turns them into 3D surface maps that people can view in a browser. It can run as a Spigot/Paper or Sponge plugin, a Fabric or Forge mod, or a standalone command-line tool without a Minecraft server. The CLI documentation also covers Docker use. Plugin and mod installations render asynchronously relative to the Minecraft server thread, and the render-thread count is configurable. After the first conversion, BlueMap tracks world changes and processes only changed chunks. Maps can be stored in files or an SQL server. Configuration files can add or remove maps, with settings for display names and web app ordering. An API lets third-party plugins, mods, resource packs, and external tools integrate features. BlueMap is free: the listed plan is free. Server plugin and mod use requires Java 25 or later; the standalone CLI documentation lists Java 21 or later. BlueMap does not support Bedrock worlds. Its integrated webserver has no SSL or built-in authentication; the FAQ suggests using an external webserver for those functions.

Prismarine Viewer is a free, web-based viewer for Minecraft servers and bots, available through API, self-hosted, and web use. Mineflayer mode serves a page showing a bot’s surroundings in first or third person and provides drawing functions; lines and displayed primitives can be replaced or erased by ID. Standalone mode visualizes a world without a bot, while headless mode renders a bot’s view for streaming to a file or over TCP. The project lists Minecraft support from 1.8.8 through 1.21.4; other versions in the same major use textures and models from the closest supported version. Online-mode servers can show wide or slim skins and capes when skin data is sent. Examples connect Mineflayer with proxies, Electron, Python, and WebSocket proxies, and export world areas as screenshots or 3D models. Server maps, live updates, and a 3D map view are supported. Install with `npm install prismarine-viewer`; the repository uses the MIT license. Mineflayer and standalone default to six chunks and port 3000.