Information

Full output of /ess version:

Server version: 1.16.1-R0.1-SNAPSHOT git-Paper-29 (MC: 1.16.1)
EssentialsX version: 2.17.2.136
LuckPerms version: 5.1.26
Vault version: 1.7.2-b107
EssentialsXGeoIP version: 2.17.2.136
EssentialsXChat version: 2.17.2.136
EssentialsXSpawn version: 2.17.2.136

Details

Description
When a player with permissions essentials.chat.color and/or essentials.chat.rgb enters a chat message with nothing but valid formatting codes, the message is sent anyway as an empty line, containing the name and no text. Sending an actual empty message is not allowed so I believe this workaround should not be either.

Steps to reproduce
Type a chat message containing only a valid formatting code (e.g. &f).

Expected behavior
An empty message should not be sent to chat even when using a formatting code.

Screenshots

Is this the behavior prior to 1.16 / RGB chat?

I just tested the same on 1.15.2, it works the same, my guess is it's been around for a long time.

I thought so. In that case, not many people have complained about this in the past 10 years. Definitely not a bug, but feel free to re-create this issue as a feature request instead. Maybe an option can be added to chat.

Oh, that makes sense, I'll submit it as a feature request, thanks!