Minecraft Fabric vs Forge: Why Choose Fabric
1. Introduction
Minecraft has established itself as a globally beloved game for over a decade since its release. One of the game's charms lies in its infinite expandability. While the base game is entertaining enough on its own, mods allow players to add new features or modify existing ones, providing an entirely different experience. This modding culture has become an integral part of the Minecraft community and has played a significant role in extending the game's lifespan.
In the world of Minecraft modding, the two most important tools are undoubtedly Forge and Fabric. These two mod loaders each have their own characteristics and pros and cons, making them a constant subject of debate among mod developers and users.
Forge: The Traditional Powerhouse
Forge has been at the center of the Minecraft modding community for a long time. Since its first appearance in 2011, Forge has been highly regarded for its stability and compatibility. Large-scale mod packs and complex mods were primarily developed based on Forge, thanks to its powerful API and extensive features.
Fabric: A New Wind
On the other hand, Fabric is a relatively new mod loader that emerged in 2018. Fabric is growing rapidly with its lightweight and fast performance, as well as its modern code structure. It's gaining attention particularly for its quick response to the latest versions of Minecraft and the ease of mod development.
In this blog post, we will take an in-depth look at why you should choose Fabric. We will clearly highlight Fabric's advantages through comparison with Forge and explain in detail the benefits you can gain from using Fabric. We will also cover a wide range of topics from Fabric installation methods to introducing popular mods, and even getting started with mod development.
We hope this article will be helpful to all those interested in Minecraft modding, especially those who are wondering which mod loader to choose. Now, let us guide you into the world of Fabric.
2. Overview of Forge
Forge is one of the oldest and most widely used mod loaders in the Minecraft modding community. Let's take a look at Forge's history, main features, and pros and cons.
History and Development
The history of Forge almost coincides with the history of Minecraft modding.
-
2011: Start of the Forge project
- Initially aimed at integrating several independent mod APIs.
- Eloraam's RedPower mod API became the foundation for Forge.
-
2012-2013: Rapid growth
- Many large mods started adopting Forge.
- Played a significant role in solving compatibility issues between mods.
-
2014-2015: Stabilization phase
- Forge's API became more sophisticated and stabilized.
- The era of large-scale mod packs began.
-
2016 onwards: Continuous development
- Forge was updated with each major Minecraft update.
- Continuously improved by reflecting community feedback.
Main Features
-
Powerful API
- Forge provides an extensive API allowing mod developers to modify almost every aspect of the game.
- Provides detailed APIs for various areas such as rendering, networking, and item management.
-
Mod Compatibility
- Forge is designed to allow multiple mods to work together.
- Minimizes conflicts between mods and provides a basis for them to interact with each other.
-
Stability
- Boasts high stability due to long-term development and community feedback.
- Works stably even in large-scale mod packs.
-
Extensive Community Support
- Many tutorials, documents, and forums exist, making learning and problem-solving easier.
- Most popular mods support Forge.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Rich ecosystem: Numerous mods and mod packs are developed based on Forge.
- Stability: Ensures stable performance through long-term development.
- Powerful features: Provides a powerful API that can modify almost every aspect of the game.
- Extensive documentation: Rich documents and tutorials exist.
Cons:
- Heavy structure: Forge is relatively heavy, which can lead to longer game loading times.
- Complexity: The learning curve can be steep for novice mod developers.
- Update delays: It takes time for Forge to update whenever a new version of Minecraft is released.
- Version dependency: It's dependent on specific versions of Minecraft, resulting in poor compatibility between versions.
Forge still holds an important position in the Minecraft modding community. However, these characteristics have led some developers and users to look for a lighter and more modern alternative, and that alternative that has emerged is Fabric. In the next section, we'll take a closer look at Fabric.
3. Overview of Fabric
Fabric is a modern mod loader that has brought a new wind to the Minecraft modding community. It takes a different approach from Forge and is gaining attention for its fast performance and flexibility. Let's look at Fabric's birth background, main features, and pros and cons.
Birth Background
Fabric is a project that started in 2018 with the goal of overcoming the limitations of existing mod loaders.
-
2018: Project start
- Initiated by a developer named asie.
- Aimed for a lightweight and fast mod loader.
-
2019: First stable version release
- The first stable version of Fabric supporting Minecraft 1.14 was released.
-
2020 onwards: Rapid growth
- Many mod developers started switching to Fabric.
- Gained attention especially for its quick response to the latest versions of Minecraft.
There were several important motivations behind the birth of Fabric:
- Performance improvement: Aimed to solve the performance degradation issue due to the heavy structure of existing mod loaders.
- Modern code structure: Aimed to provide a more efficient development environment by utilizing the latest Java features and modularized structure.
- Version independence: Aimed to create a structure that can quickly respond whenever a new version of Minecraft is released.
- Flexibility: Aimed to provide developers with more freedom and enable various forms of mod development.
Main Features
-
Modularized structure
- Fabric has a modularized structure separating the core and API.
- This structure enables faster updates and flexible development.
-
Lightweight and fast performance
- Fabric is very lightweight as it includes only minimal features.
- This significantly reduces game loading time.
-
Version independence
- Fabric is less dependent on specific versions of Minecraft.
- This allows for quick response when new Minecraft versions are released.
-
Mixins system
- Fabric uses a powerful code injection system called Mixins.
- This allows developers to effectively modify existing Minecraft code.
-
Modern development environment
- Fabric actively utilizes the latest Java features.
- Adopts a build system using Gradle, providing a modern development workflow.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Fast performance: Game loading time is very fast due to its lightweight structure.
- Quick updates: Fabric updates quickly when a new version of Minecraft is released.
- Flexibility: Provides developers with more freedom, allowing various forms of mod development.
- Modern code structure: Enables efficient development by utilizing the latest Java features.
- Active community: Despite being a relatively new project, an active community has formed.
Cons:
- Relatively fewer mods: There are fewer available mods compared to Forge (but the number is rapidly increasing).
- Lack of learning materials: There are relatively fewer tutorials or documents compared to Forge.
- Compatibility issues: Some large mods or mod packs still only support Forge.
- API instability: As it's still a developing project, the API may change frequently.
Fabric is gaining popularity especially among players enjoying the latest versions of Minecraft and mod developers due to these advantages. In the next section, we'll directly compare Forge and Fabric.
4. Comparison of Forge and Fabric
Forge and Fabric each have their own characteristics and pros and cons. In this section, we'll compare the two mod loaders from various aspects.
Performance
-
Loading time
- Fabric: Fabric has a very lightweight structure, resulting in significantly faster game loading times. This difference is particularly noticeable when not many mods are installed.
- Forge: Forge tends to have longer loading times due to its relatively heavy structure. This difference becomes even more apparent when using large-scale mod packs.
-
In-game performance
- Fabric: Generally shows better frame rates and performance due to its lightweight structure.
- Forge: Shows stable performance even in large-scale mod packs, but basically uses more system resources than Fabric.
Compatibility
-
Compatibility between mods
- Fabric: There are relatively fewer conflicts between mods due to its modularized structure. However, stability in large-scale mod packs may still be inferior to Forge.
- Forge: Has excellent compatibility between mods due to long-term development. Works stably even in large-scale mod packs.
-
Minecraft version compatibility
- Fabric: Can quickly respond when new Minecraft versions are released due to its version-independent structure.
- Forge: It takes time for Forge to update whenever a new version of Minecraft is released. This can result in slower support for the latest versions compared to Fabric.
Ease of Use
-
Installation and setup
- Fabric: The installation process is simple and intuitive. Installation can be completed with just a few clicks using the Fabric Installer.
- Forge: The installation process can be more complex than Fabric, but it's still user-friendly. Installation can be done relatively easily using the Forge Installer.
-
Mod management
- Fabric: Mod management is relatively simple. In most cases, you just need to put the mod files in the mods folder.
- Forge: The mod management method is similar to Fabric, but additional setup may be required for mods with dependencies.
-
Development environment
- Fabric: Many developers find Fabric easier to use due to its modern and modularized structure.
- Forge: Provides a rich API, but can be difficult for novice developers due to its steep learning curve and complex structure.
Community Support
-
Number and diversity of mods
- Fabric: Despite its relatively recent appearance, it's growing rapidly. There are many small-scale, lightweight mods in particular.
- Forge: Due to its long history, there are overwhelmingly more mods. Large-scale mods and comprehensive mod packs are predominant.
-
Documentation and learning materials
- Fabric: Official documentation is well done, but there are fewer tutorials or community-created guides compared to Forge.
- Forge: There are numerous community-created tutorials and guides along with rich official documentation.
-
Community activity
- Fabric: Although it's a relatively new project, an active and passionate community has formed.
- Forge: There is a huge and stable community formed over a long period of time.
Through this comparison, we can see the strengths and weaknesses of both Fabric and Forge. Fabric's strengths are performance, modern structure, and fast update speed, while Forge's strengths are its rich mod ecosystem and stability. In the next section, we'll look in more detail at why you should choose Fabric based on this comparison.
5. Reasons to Choose Fabric
We've compared Forge and Fabric earlier. Now, let's look at the specific reasons why you should choose Fabric in more detail.
1. Lightweight and Fast Loading Time
One of Fabric's biggest advantages is its lightness.
- Minimal functionality: Fabric includes only essential features, making it very lightweight by default.
- Fast initial loading: Game start-up loading time is significantly shorter compared to Forge.
- Minimal impact when adding mods: Even when adding mods, the increase in loading time is relatively small.
Real usage examples:
- When installing pure Fabric without mods, loading time is often reduced by more than 50% compared to Forge.
- Even with 20-30 mods installed, it shows about 30-40% faster loading speed compared to Forge.
This is a big advantage especially for players who frequently start and quit the game.
2. Modern Code Structure
Fabric actively utilizes modern Java programming techniques.
- Modularization: Fabric's code is highly modularized, making maintenance and expansion easy.
- Utilization of latest Java features: Actively uses the latest features of Java 8 and above.
- Clean code: Aims for a clean and easy-to-read code structure.
Developers' experiences:
- "Fabric's code structure is very intuitive. There's a low entry barrier to start mod development." - Anonymous mod developer
- "After switching from Forge to Fabric, the readability and maintainability of the code greatly improved." - Another mod developer
This modern code structure helps new developers start mod development and improves the productivity of existing developers.
3. Version Independence
Another big advantage of Fabric is its independence from Minecraft versions.
- Quick updates: Fabric responds very quickly when new Minecraft versions are released.
- Compatibility between versions: Many Fabric mods work across multiple Minecraft versions.
- Snapshot support: Quickly supports Minecraft snapshot versions as well.
Real cases:
- When Minecraft updated from 1.16 to 1.17, Fabric supported 1.17 on the day of release.
- Many Fabric mods support versions 1.16, 1.17, and 1.18 simultaneously.
This is a big advantage for players who always want to enjoy the latest version of Minecraft.
4. Active Development Community
Although its history is shorter than Forge's, Fabric has a very active and passionate community.
- Rapid growth: The number of mods supporting Fabric is increasing rapidly.
- Innovative mods: Innovative mods utilizing Fabric's flexible structure continue to emerge.
- Active support: There's active communication between developers and users.
Community activity examples:
- The official Fabric Discord server has tens of thousands of active users.
- Fabric-related projects are very active on GitHub.
- The proportion of Fabric mods is significantly increasing on new mod hosting platforms like Modrinth.
This active community becomes the source of continuous development and new ideas for Fabric.
5. Flexibility and Expandability
Fabric provides developers with a high level of flexibility.
- Mixins system: The powerful code injection system allows modification of almost every part of the game.
- Fewer constraints: Compared to Forge, there are fewer constraints on developers, allowing for more free mod development.
- Modularized API: Efficient as only necessary features can be selectively used.
Developers' evaluations:
- "Fabric's Mixins system is really powerful. You can easily modify deep parts of the game." - Experienced mod developer
- "I was able to implement ideas in Fabric that were impossible in Forge." - Another mod developer
This flexibility promotes the creation of new and innovative mods.
6. Suitable for Lightweight Mods
Fabric is particularly suitable for creating small and lightweight mods.
- Minimal overhead: Thanks to Fabric's lightweight structure, even small mods operate efficiently.
- Rapid development cycle: For simple mods, development and testing can be done very quickly.
- Modularization: Small features can be easily separated into individual mods.
Real cases:
- There are numerous "micro mods" in Fabric that add just one small feature to the game.
- For example, the "AppleSkin" mod only adds a small feature that shows the saturation of food, but it's loved by many players.
These characteristics are a big advantage for players who prefer "modular" play.
7. Server Performance Optimization
Fabric also provides several advantages in server operation.
- Low resource usage: Fabric's lightweight structure minimizes server resource usage.
- Fast chunk loading: Many Fabric mods improve server chunk loading speed.
- Optimization mods: There are various optimization mods in Fabric that greatly improve server performance.
Server administrators' experience:
- "After switching to Fabric, we were able to accommodate more players on the same hardware." - Large public server administrator
- "Thanks to Fabric optimization mods like Lithium and Phosphor, the server TPS (Tick Per Second) has greatly improved." - Another server administrator
This is a big advantage especially when operating large-scale multiplayer servers.
8. Cross-platform Support
Fabric supports mod development and use on various platforms.
- Support for various operating systems: Works smoothly on various OS such as Windows, MacOS, Linux, etc.
- Mobile and console compatibility: Some Fabric mods provide compatibility with Minecraft: Bedrock Edition.
- Cross-play possibility: Fabric's flexible structure leaves open the possibility of cross-platform play in the future.
Developer and user experience:
- "Using Fabric makes it much easier to develop and test mods simultaneously on Windows and MacOS." - Cross-platform mod developer
- "Running Fabric on Linux servers is much more stable and efficient than Forge." - Linux server administrator
This cross-platform support is a big advantage for players enjoying Minecraft in various environments.
9. Continuous Innovation
The Fabric team and community are continuously introducing new features and improvements.
- Regular updates: The Fabric API continuously adds new features and improves performance.
- Community-driven development: Many features are added based on community demands and suggestions.
- Experimental features: Fabric often introduces innovative and experimental features first.
Recent innovation cases:
- Fabric Rendering API: Provides a more efficient and flexible rendering system.
- Fabric Networking API: Made network communication between mods easier and more efficient.
This continuous innovation keeps advancing the Fabric ecosystem.
10. Value as an Educational and Learning Tool
Fabric can be a good learning tool for students learning programming or new developers.
- Simple structure: Fabric's basic structure is easy to understand and intuitive.
- Modern programming techniques: You can learn the latest Java programming techniques through Fabric.
- Immediate feedback: Even small changes can be immediately confirmed in the game, leading to a great learning effect.
Educators' opinions:
- "Mod development using Fabric is very effective in teaching students the practical application of programming." - Computer science teacher
- "Students are motivated to learn programming while modifying a game they like." - Coding bootcamp instructor
These characteristics give Fabric value as an educational tool beyond just a mod development tool.
For these various reasons, Fabric is becoming an attractive choice for many players and developers. In the next section, we'll look at how to actually install and use Fabric.
6. Fabric Installation and Usage Guide
The installation process for using Fabric is relatively simple. Follow this guide step by step to install and use Fabric.
6.1 Installing Fabric
-
Download Fabric Installer
- Go to the official Fabric website (https://fabricmc.net/).
- Click the "Download Installer" button to download the Fabric Installer.
-
Run Fabric Installer
- Double-click the downloaded Fabric Installer (.jar file) to run it.
- Java must be installed. If it's not installed, download and install it from the official Java website.
-
Select installation options
- Make sure the "Client" tab is selected.
- Select the Minecraft version. The latest version is recommended.
- Use the default value for the Loader version.
- You can use the default installation path or change it to your desired path.
-
Proceed with installation
- Click the "Install" button to start the installation.
- When the installation is complete, you'll see the "Installation completed" message.
6.2 Installing Fabric API
Most Fabric mods require the Fabric API. Here's how to install the Fabric API:
-
Download Fabric API
- Download the Fabric API from CurseForge (https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/fabric-api) or Modrinth (https://modrinth.com/mod/fabric-api).
- You need to choose a Fabric API version compatible with your installed Minecraft version.
-
Install Fabric API
- Put the downloaded Fabric API .jar file into Minecraft's 'mods' folder.
- The 'mods' folder is usually located at:
C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft\mods
- If the 'mods' folder doesn't exist, create it yourself.
6.3 Installing Fabric Mods
-
Download mods
- Download desired Fabric mods from mod distribution sites like CurseForge, Modrinth, etc.
- You need to choose mod versions compatible with your installed Minecraft version.
-
Install mods
- Put the downloaded mod .jar files into Minecraft's 'mods' folder.
- You can install multiple mods at the same time.
6.4 Running Minecraft with Fabric
-
Run Minecraft Launcher
- Run the Minecraft Launcher.
-
Select Fabric profile
- Select "fabric-loader-[version]" from the profile selection dropdown menu at the bottom left of the launcher.
-
Run the game
- Click the "Play" button to run Minecraft with Fabric applied.
6.5 Precautions
- Always check mod compatibility. Some mods may conflict with each other.
- Regularly update Fabric and mods. The latest versions may include bug fixes and new features.
- Always make backups of the game and important worlds before installing mods.
- Only download mods from trusted sources.
Now you're ready to install and use Fabric! In the next section, we'll introduce popular Fabric mods.
7. Introduction to Popular Fabric Mods
There are various and interesting mods in the Fabric ecosystem. Here, we'll introduce some popular Fabric mods, providing features and advantages of each mod, and download links.
7.1 Optimization Mods
-
Sodium
- Features: Greatly improves Minecraft's rendering engine, significantly increasing FPS.
- Advantages: Enables smooth gameplay even on low-spec PCs.
- Download: https://modrinth.com/mod/sodium
-
Lithium
- Features: Optimizes various systems of the game, improving overall performance.
- Advantages: Can be used on both servers and clients, especially helpful in improving server performance.
- Download: https://modrinth.com/mod/lithium
-
Phosphor
- Features: Optimizes Minecraft's lighting system.
- Advantages: Greatly improves performance especially in environments with many light sources.
- Download: https://modrinth.com/mod/phosphor
7.2 Gameplay Improvement Mods
-
Fabric API
- Features: Basic API required by most Fabric mods.
- Advantages: Forms the basis for other mods and increases compatibility between mods.
- Download: https://modrinth.com/mod/fabric-api
-
Mod Menu
- Features: Provides an interface to easily change settings of installed mods.
- Advantages: Makes mod management and setting changes very convenient.
- Download: https://modrinth.com/mod/modmenu
-
AppleSkin
- Features: Visually displays the saturation and recovery amount of food.
- Advantages: Allows for more strategic management of food consumption.
- Download: https://modrinth.com/mod/appleskin
-
Roughly Enough Items (REI)
- Features: Provides an interface to easily check item recipes.
- Advantages: Allows easy lookup of complex crafting recipes.
- Download: https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/roughly-enough-items
7.3 Visual Improvement Mods
-
Iris Shaders
- Features: Allows the use of Optifine shaders in Fabric.
- Advantages: Can enjoy beautiful graphic effects in Fabric environment.
- Download: https://irisshaders.net/
-
LambDynamicLights
- Features: Provides dynamic lighting effects from items held in hand or dropped items.
- Advantages: Greatly increases visual immersion of the game.
- Download: https://modrinth.com/mod/lambdynamiclights
-
Continuity
- Features: Supports connected textures.
- Advantages: Blocks like glass and bookshelves appear more naturally connected.
- Download: https://modrinth.com/mod/continuity
7.4 Utility Mods
-
Litematica
- Features: Allows creation and use of building blueprints.
- Advantages: Enables easy planning and execution of large-scale building projects.
- Download: https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/litematica
-
MiniHUD
- Features: Displays various game information on the screen.
- Advantages: Can easily check coordinates, mineral information, mob spawn information, etc.
- Download: https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/minihud
-
WorldEdit
- Features: Provides powerful world editing tools.
- Advantages: Enables quick large-scale terrain modifications or construction.
- Download: https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/worldedit
7.5 Content Addition Mods
-
Tech Reborn
- Features: Adds various technological elements and machines.
- Advantages: Can enjoy technology from the industrial age to the space age.
- Download: https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/techreborn
-
Botania
- Features: Adds various content related to magical plants.
- Advantages: Provides deep gameplay with beautiful visual effects.
- Download: https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/botania-fabric
-
Create
- Features: Adds various machines and moving structures.
- Advantages: Can build creative machine designs and automation systems.
- Download: https://modrinth.com/mod/create-fabric
These mods are good examples showing the diversity and potential of Fabric. Choose based on each mod's characteristics and your play style. When installing mods, always check compatibility and it's good to test stability by adding them one by one if possible.
In the next section, we'll look at the basics of mod development using Fabric.
8. Introduction to Mod Development Using Fabric
Developing your own mods using Fabric can be a very interesting experience. In this section, we'll introduce the basic steps and concepts for starting Fabric mod development.
8.1 Setting Up the Development Environment
-
Install Java Development Kit (JDK)
- Install the latest version of JDK. (e.g., OpenJDK 17)
- Download: https://adoptopenjdk.net/
-
Install Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
- IntelliJ IDEA is recommended. The Community Edition is free.
- Download: https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/
-
Download Fabric Development Kit
- Clone or download the Fabric example mod from GitHub.
- Link: https://github.com/FabricMC/fabric-example-mod
-
Gradle Setup
- Open the build.gradle file of the example mod and set Minecraft version, mod version, etc.
-
Build Project
- Run the Gradle task
genSources
to decompile Minecraft source. - Build the project to check if the development environment is properly set up.
- Run the Gradle task
8.2 Basic Mod Structure
The basic structure of a Fabric mod is as follows:
-
Main Class
- Acts as the entry point of the mod.
- Uses the
@Mod
annotation to register the mod to Fabric.
import net.fabricmc.api.ModInitializer; public class ExampleMod implements ModInitializer { @Override public void onInitialize() { // Mod initialization code } }
-
fabric.mod.json
- Defines the metadata of the mod.
- Specifies mod ID, version, dependencies, etc.
{ "schemaVersion": 1, "id": "examplemod", "version": "1.0.0", "name": "Example Mod", "description": "This is an example mod", "authors": ["Your Name"], "contact": { "homepage": "https://example.com/", "sources": "https://github.com/username/examplemod" }, "license": "CC0-1.0", "icon": "assets/examplemod/icon.png", "environment": "*", "entrypoints": { "main": ["com.example.ExampleMod"] }, "depends": { "fabricloader": ">=0.14.9", "fabric-api": "*", "minecraft": "1.18.x", "java": ">=17" } }
-
mixin.json
- Mixin configuration file.
- Mixins are used to inject new functionality into existing Minecraft code.
8.3 Implementing Basic Mod Features
-
Adding Items
- Example code for adding a new item to the game:
import net.minecraft.item.Item; import net.minecraft.util.Identifier; import net.minecraft.util.registry.Registry; public class ExampleMod implements ModInitializer { public static final Item CUSTOM_ITEM = new Item(new Item.Settings().group(ItemGroup.MISC)); @Override public void onInitialize() { Registry.register(Registry.ITEM, new Identifier("examplemod", "custom_item"), CUSTOM_ITEM); } }
-
Adding Blocks
- Example code for adding a new block to the game:
import net.minecraft.block.Block; import net.minecraft.block.Material; import net.minecraft.item.BlockItem; import net.minecraft.item.Item; import net.minecraft.util.Identifier; import net.minecraft.util.registry.Registry; public class ExampleMod implements ModInitializer { public static final Block CUSTOM_BLOCK = new Block(Block.Settings.of(Material.METAL)); @Override public void onInitialize() { Registry.register(Registry.BLOCK, new Identifier("examplemod", "custom_block"), CUSTOM_BLOCK); Registry.register(Registry.ITEM, new Identifier("examplemod", "custom_block"), new BlockItem(CUSTOM_BLOCK, new Item.Settings().group(ItemGroup.BUILDING_BLOCKS))); } }
-
Event Listening
- Example code for reacting to game events:
import net.fabricmc.fabric.api.event.player.UseBlockCallback; import net.minecraft.util.ActionResult; public class ExampleMod implements ModInitializer { @Override public void onInitialize() { UseBlockCallback.EVENT.register((player, world, hand, hitResult) -> { System.out.println("Player used a block!"); return ActionResult.PASS; }); } }
8.4 Testing and Debugging Mods
-
Set Up Run Configuration
- Set up Fabric client run configuration in IDE.
-
Run Mod
- Run Minecraft with the set run configuration to test the mod.
-
Logging
- Use
LOGGER.info()
,LOGGER.error()
, etc. to record important information in the log.
- Use
-
Using Debugger
- Use IDE's debugger to run code step by step and check variable values.
8.5 Mod Distribution
-
Generate JAR File
- Run Gradle task
build
to generate the mod's JAR file.
- Run Gradle task
-
Test Mod
- Put the generated JAR file in the mods folder of a regular Minecraft installation and test.
-
Share Mod
- You can upload the mod to platforms like CurseForge, Modrinth, etc. to share with other players.
This is the basic part of mod development using Fabric. Mod development requires knowledge of Java programming and understanding of Minecraft's internal structure. Through continuous learning and practice, you will be able to develop mods with more complex features.
In the next section, we'll look at the future and prospects of Fabric.
9. Future and Prospects of Fabric
Despite being a relatively new mod loader, Fabric is growing rapidly and a bright future is expected. In this section, we'll look at Fabric's future development direction and community expectations.
9.1 Development Roadmap
The Fabric development team is continuously improving the project. The main development directions are as follows:
-
Performance optimization
- Continuous optimization will be carried out for faster loading times and better in-game performance.
- Efforts to reduce memory usage will also continue.
-
API expansion
- Plans to expand the API to easily implement more features.
- API improvements are expected especially in areas such as rendering, networking, and data management.
-
Strengthening cross-platform support
- Considering support not only for Minecraft: Java Edition but also for Bedrock Edition.
- This is expected to greatly improve the compatibility and accessibility of mods.
-
Improvement of mod development tools
- Tools for easier and more efficient mod development are planned to be developed.
- For example, this may include visual mod development environments or automated testing tools.
-
Strengthening version independence
- The goal is to make it easier to maintain mod compatibility when new versions of Minecraft are released.
9.2 Community Expectations
The Fabric community has high expectations for the future of this project:
-
Growth of mod ecosystem
- It's expected that more large mods and mod packs will switch to Fabric.
- Innovative mods with new concepts are expected to emerge based on Fabric.
-
Performance improvement
- It's expected that Fabric's lightweight structure will be further optimized, showing excellent performance even in large-scale mod packs.
-
Development ease
- It's expected that mod development will become easier, allowing more people to participate in mod development.
-
Possibility of official support
- Some community members are expecting the possibility that Mojang might officially support or recognize Fabric.
-
Growth as an educational tool
- It's expected that Fabric will be more widely used as a tool for programming education.
9.3 Potential Challenges
While Fabric's future looks bright, there are also some challenges:
-
Competition with Forge
- Forge is still a strong competitor, and many large mods are still using Forge.
-
Maintaining compatibility
- Need to continuously maintain compatibility with Minecraft's rapid update cycle.
-
Preventing community division
- Need to minimize community division between Forge and Fabric, and promote cooperation as much as possible.
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Learning curve
- Need to make it easy for new developers to learn and use Fabric.
9.4 Fabric's Long-term Vision
The Fabric team and community have the following long-term vision:
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Standardization of mods
- Aims for Fabric to become the new standard for Minecraft modding.
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Cross-platform integration
- Aims to reduce the gap between Java Edition and Bedrock Edition, and ultimately create mods that work on both versions.
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Democratization of mod development
- Aims to create an environment where more people can easily create and share mods.
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Game development education platform
- Aims to develop Fabric into an educational platform where people can learn the basics of game development and programming.
Fabric's future looks very bright. Through continuous improvement and community support, Fabric is expected to occupy an increasingly important position in the Minecraft modding ecosystem. The ultimate goal of Fabric is to provide a better experience for both mod developers and players, and it will continue to strive for this.
10. Conclusion
We have taken an in-depth look at the Fabric mod loader. We've covered various aspects including Fabric's advantages over Forge, installation and usage methods, popular mods, basics of mod development, and Fabric's future and prospects. Now, let's summarize the benefits of choosing Fabric and provide final recommendations.
10.1 Summary of Benefits of Choosing Fabric
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Performance optimization
- Fabric's lightweight structure significantly reduces game loading time and improves overall game performance.
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Quick updates
- Fabric responds very quickly when new versions of Minecraft are released. This is a big advantage for players who always want to enjoy the latest version of Minecraft.
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Modern development environment
- Fabric actively utilizes the latest Java features and enables efficient mod development through a modularized structure.
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Flexibility and expandability
- Fabric's Mixins system provides a powerful tool that can modify almost every part of the game.
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Active community
- The Fabric community is growing rapidly, and innovative mods continue to emerge.
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Educational value
- Fabric can be a good learning tool for students learning programming.
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Cross-platform support possibility
- There's a possibility that Fabric will support both Java Edition and Bedrock Edition in the future.
10.2 Final Recommendations
Fabric is especially recommended for the following users:
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Performance-sensitive players
- Fabric is a good choice for players using low-spec computers or wanting maximum performance.
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Latest version enthusiasts
- Fabric is suitable for players who always want to enjoy the latest version of Minecraft.
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Mod developers
- Fabric is recommended for developers who want a modern and flexible development environment.
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Light mod users
- Fabric is ideal for players who want to use only a few lightweight mods.
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Programming learners
- Fabric can be a good starting point for students who want to learn programming through game modding.
On the other hand, Forge might be considered in the following cases:
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Large-scale mod pack users
- Currently, most large-scale mod packs are still based on Forge.
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Users of specific large mods
- Some popular large mods don't yet provide Fabric versions.
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Stability-first users
- Forge tends to be more stable in general due to its longer history.
Ultimately, whether to choose Fabric or Forge depends on individual needs and preferences. Fabric is growing rapidly and offers many advantages. Fabric is an attractive choice especially in terms of performance, up-to-dateness, and ease of development.
The world of Minecraft modding continues to evolve. Fabric stands at the forefront of this evolution and is expected to continue leading innovation in the future. By choosing Fabric, you can become part of this innovation and enjoy a richer and more diverse Minecraft experience.
Lastly, always be careful when using mods. Only download mods from trusted sources, make regular backups, and always check compatibility between mods. By doing so, you can have a safe and enjoyable modding experience.
Happy Minecraft modding!