What does updating my plugin entail?

Just wondering, with the new Minecraft version right around the corner and Bukkit soon after that, I'm a new plugin developer. I've got my plugins working all fine - I'm good with Java outside of Minecraft related things, but I'm just wondering what I need to do to update my plugin. I've owned a server before so I understand that plugins don't always need to be updated, but I do know that it's good when they are.

What do I need to do? What are the advantages to updating if I'm not adding any new features?

 

nice question, I would like to know this too.

 

Yeah I didn't see any kind of official guide or anything. If someone could link to one if it exists that'd be great, otherwise just a quick rundown of updating would be awesome.

 

You update, if it's not working anymore..
If nothing needs to be changed, you could also just edit the uploaded file (file tab on top) and edit the version you set there to the newest version, so users don't ask themselves, if the plugin is outdated when they look at the version the latest file was made for.

 

Oh ok, so there's really no need to update? Just test it and if all the functionality is still there then change the version kind of deal? Sounds good. I thought maybe there was something that needed to be changed with each release, though I wouldn't be sure what. Thanks for the reply.

 

that is easy, nice to know it!

 

Any breaks in existing stuff should be in http://forums.bukkit.org/threads/oops-i-broke-your-plugins.599/page-2

The main reason plugins need updated is not because existing stuff changed, but because there's now more stuff e.g. new kinds of blocks or mobs that your plugin doesn't know about, or new ways to suck items out of chests etc.

 

To update a plugin, replace the bukkit jar you are building against with the latest one, and fix any issues that arise in your code.