we don't have the technology

EssentialsChat/build.gradle

@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ plugins {
     id("essentials.module-conventions")
 }
 
+essentials {
+    injectPlaceholderApi = true
+}
+
 dependencies {
     compileOnly project(':EssentialsX')
 }

EssentialsChat/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/chat/processing/AbstractChatHandler.java

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import com.earth2me.essentials.Trade;
 import com.earth2me.essentials.User;
 import com.earth2me.essentials.chat.EssentialsChat;
 import com.earth2me.essentials.utils.FormatUtil;
+import me.clip.placeholderapi.PlaceholderAPI;
 import net.ess3.api.events.LocalChatSpyEvent;
 import org.bukkit.ChatColor;
 import org.bukkit.Location;
@@ -28,12 +29,14 @@ public abstract class AbstractChatHandler {
 
     protected final Essentials ess;
     protected final EssentialsChat essChat;
+    protected final boolean isPapi;
     protected final Server server;
     protected final ChatProcessingCache cache;
 
     protected AbstractChatHandler(Essentials ess, EssentialsChat essChat) {
         this.ess = ess;
         this.essChat = essChat;
+        this.isPapi = essChat.getServer().getPluginManager().getPlugin("PlaceholderAPI") != null;
         this.server = ess.getServer();
         this.cache = new ChatProcessingCache();
     }
@@ -83,6 +86,9 @@ public abstract class AbstractChatHandler {
         format = format.replace("{7}", suffix);
         format = format.replace("{8}", username);
         format = format.replace("{9}", nickname == null ? username : nickname);
+        if (isPapi) {
+            format = PlaceholderAPI.setPlaceholders(event.getPlayer(), format);
+        }
         synchronized (format) {
             event.setFormat(format);
         }

EssentialsChat/src/main/resources/plugin.yml

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ website: https://essentialsx.net/
 description: Provides chat control features for Essentials.  Requires Permissions.
 authors: [Zenexer, ementalo, Aelux, Brettflan, KimKandor, snowleo, ceulemans, Xeology, KHobbits, md_5, Okamosy, Iaccidentally, mdcfe, JRoy, triagonal]
 depend: [Essentials]
+softdepend: [PlaceholderAPI]
 api-version: 1.13
 commands:
   toggleshout:

EssentialsDiscord/build.gradle

@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ plugins {
     id("essentials.shadow-module")
 }
 
+essentials {
+    injectPlaceholderApi = true
+}
+
 dependencies {
     compileOnly project(':EssentialsX')
     implementation('net.dv8tion:JDA:4.4.0_350') {
@@ -10,7 +14,6 @@ dependencies {
     implementation 'com.vdurmont:emoji-java:5.1.1'
     implementation 'club.minnced:discord-webhooks:0.7.2'
     compileOnly 'org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-core:2.15.0'
-    compileOnly 'me.clip:placeholderapi:2.10.9'
 }
 
 shadowJar {

build-logic/src/main/kotlin/EssentialsBaseExtension.kt

@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ import org.gradle.kotlin.dsl.property
 abstract class EssentialsBaseExtension(private val project: Project) {
     val injectBukkitApi: Property<Boolean> = project.objects.property<Boolean>().convention(true)
     val injectBstats: Property<Boolean> = project.objects.property<Boolean>().convention(true)
+    val injectPlaceholderApi: Property<Boolean> = project.objects.property<Boolean>().convention(false)
 }

build-logic/src/main/kotlin/essentials.base-conventions.gradle.kts

@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ val checkstyleVersion = "8.36.2"
 val spigotVersion = "1.19.1-R0.1-SNAPSHOT"
 val junit5Version = "5.7.0"
 val mockitoVersion = "3.2.0"
+val bstatsVersion = "1.8"
+val placeholderApiVersion = "2.11.2"
 
 dependencies {
     testImplementation("org.junit.jupiter", "junit-jupiter", junit5Version)
@@ -34,7 +36,12 @@ afterEvaluate {
     }
     if (baseExtension.injectBstats.get()) {
         dependencies {
-            implementation("org.bstats", "bstats-bukkit", "1.8")
+            implementation("org.bstats", "bstats-bukkit", bstatsVersion)
+        }
+    }
+    if (baseExtension.injectPlaceholderApi.get()) {
+        dependencies {
+            compileOnly("me.clip", "placeholderapi", placeholderApiVersion)
         }
     }
 }