# Research: Shop + Auction House Hybrid Plugins

**Date:** 2026-05-07
**Question:** Replace EZShop + AuctionHouse (two plugins) with one unified plugin?
**Goal:** Polished UX, minimal command surface, ideally AGPL/GPL-compatible.

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## Candidates

### 1. ExcellentShop (NightExpress) — top contender

- **Component count:** Single jar, modular internally (Virtual Shop / Chest Shop / Auction House — each toggleable in config).
- **License:** **GPL-3.0** (open source, AGPL-compatible upstream — sources at https://github.com/nulli0n/ExcellentShop-spigot). Sold as paid binary on SpigotMC/BuiltByBit (~$15–20) but source is free and self-buildable.
- **Last release:** Active — repo pushed 2026-04-27, v4.19.x line, MC 1.21.8+ Java 21.
- **Config:** Split per module (`virtual-shop/`, `chest-shop/`, `auction/` config trees) but lives under one plugin folder.
- **GUI:** Separate per module (no fused mega-GUI), but shared theme/skin.
- **Vault dep:** No — uses CoinsEngine, ExcellentEconomy, PlayerPoints, BeastTokens. Vault works via bridge.
- **Commands:** `/vshop`, `/cshop`, `/ah` (separate namespaces) + `/sell`, `/sellall`, `/sellhand`. Aliases configurable.
- **Notes:** Requires NightCore framework jar. Same dev as CoinsEngine — entire NightExpress stack is GPL-3.0.

### 2. EconomyShopGUI

- **Component count:** Single jar. Free tier covers admin GUI shop + sellall; **player shops + auction house are EconomyShopGUI Premium only** (paid).
- **License:** Closed source (no public repo). Free version actively maintained, v6.16.x, MC 1.21.11.
- **Vault dep:** Yes (Vault, PlayerPoints, GemsEconomy).
- **GUI:** Unified theme, single command tree under `/shop`.
- **Verdict:** Free version doesn't include AH — defeats the unification purpose unless paying for Premium.

### 3. CMI (Zrips)

- **Component count:** Single mega-plugin (Essentials replacement).
- **License:** Closed source, **paid €15** lifetime.
- **Shop/AH:** **No built-in shop or auction house.** Has economy, /sellhand, cheques only. Not a candidate.

### 4. UltimateShop / UltimateShopGUI (BuiltByBit)

- **Component count:** Single jar bundling shop + AH + custom economy.
- **License:** Closed-source paid (BuiltByBit only).
- **Verdict:** Reduces command surface but locks you into a paywalled binary with unclear support lifecycle. Skip on principle (racked.ru philosophy: pragmatic, but FOSS-leaning).

### 5. AxAuctions / AxShop (Artillex-Studios)

- **Component count:** Two separate paid plugins from same vendor; consistent UI theme but no unification.
- **License:** Closed-source paid. No advantage over current EZShop+AuctionHouse split.

### 6. ShopGUIPlus + AuctionGUIPlus (brcdev)

- **Component count:** Two paid plugins from same vendor. Industry standard but expensive (~$30 combined), Vault-locked, closed-source.
- **Verdict:** Same problem as current setup — two configs, two GUIs, two updates.

### 7. NightExpress modular suite (CoinsEngine + ExcellentShop)

- The "modular suite" concept (CoinsEngine + ItemStores + AuctionStation) doesn't exist as named — **ExcellentShop already is the suite**. CoinsEngine handles currency, ExcellentShop handles shop+chest+AH. Two GPL jars total.

### 8. kiranhart AuctionHouse

- AH only (no admin shop). Single jar, no LICENSE file in repo (effectively closed source despite mirror on GitHub). Active. Not a unified solution.

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## Verdict: Unified vs Split

**Unified wins for racked.ru** — but only if the unified plugin is good. Two separate plugins means:
- Two config dialects to maintain
- Mismatched GUI themes (jarring for the polished feel)
- Doubled update cadence and breakage surface
- More commands in `/help` for new players

A single well-designed plugin (ExcellentShop) gives consistent skin, one permission tree prefix, one update path, one bug-report destination. The trade-off — slightly larger jar, less "best of breed" per module — is worth it for a small server prioritising polish.

**The catch:** ExcellentShop's modules still expose separate top-level commands (`/vshop`, `/cshop`, `/ah`). Command-surface savings come from aliasing (`/shop` → `/vshop`, hide the rest) and disabling unused modules.

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## Recommendation

**Migrate to ExcellentShop + CoinsEngine** (or keep Vault if EssentialsX economy is in use).

Reasoning:
1. **GPL-3.0** — aligns with racked.ru's FOSS-leaning, AGPL-compatible philosophy. Source self-buildable, free of paywalled-binary risk.
2. **Single jar, modular internally** — disable Chest Shop if EZShop's chest-shop UX isn't wanted; keep Virtual Shop (admin) + Auction House.
3. **Active maintenance** (push 2026-04-27, same dev as CoinsEngine — won't go dark).
4. **Consistent GUI theme** across shop and AH = the "polished feel" the operator wants.
5. **Replaces both EZShop and AuctionHouse** in one move, plus offers chest shops as a future bonus.

**Don't pick:** UltimateShop/AxAuctions (closed paid), CMI (no shop/AH), EconomyShopGUI free tier (no AH).

**Action item:** Pilot ExcellentShop on staging, alias `/shop` → `/vshop` and `/market` → `/ah`, disable Chest Shop module unless needed. Verify GPL build pipeline (`mvn package` on the GH source) so racked.ru never ships a paywalled binary.
