Minecraft

Installing mods

Mods change the game itself — new items, mobs, biomes, mechanics. They work on Forge, Fabric, and NeoForge servers.

Plugins vs mods — the difference

If you're unsure which you need:

Plugins run on Paper / Spigot / Purpur. Server-side only. Players join with vanilla Minecraft. Good for: /home, /tp, permissions, grief protection.
Mods run on Forge / Fabric / NeoForge. Usually require the player to install the same mods. Add new blocks, mobs, dimensions, machines. Good for: modpacks, tech mods, custom content.

Note: If you want to add /home, /tp, or a permissions system, you want plugins, not mods.

Step 1 — Pick Forge, Fabric, or NeoForge

Choose based on the mods you want to use:

Fabric — lightweight, fast updates, more modern. Best for performance mods (Sodium, Lithium) and newer releases.
Forge — oldest, biggest catalog. Required for many established modpacks.
NeoForge — modern fork of Forge. Growing fast. Use if a specific modpack requires it.

Step 2 — Change your server type

In the panel, go to Startup tab. Change the Server Type to Forge, Fabric, or NeoForge. Set the version to match the mods you plan to use.

Heads up: Changing server type regenerates the JAR and often requires a fresh install. Back up your world first via the Backups tab or SFTP.

Step 3 — Download matching mods

Download from trusted sources:

Modrinth — clean interface, modern mods
CurseForge — the biggest catalog

Heads up: Version matching is critical. A mod for Minecraft 1.20.1 will not load on 1.20.4. A Fabric mod will not load on Forge. Check every mod's page before downloading.

Step 4 — Upload to /mods

Upload all .jar files to the /mods folder via the panel Files tab or SFTP.

Server-side mods (like performance mods, or mods that add loot tables) go here. Client-side-only mods (like shaders) don't — they belong in your local mods folder on your PC.

Step 5 — Restart the server

Restart via the console:

stop

Watch the console. All mods should log with a [LOADING] or similar line. Errors will be obvious.

Server mods vs client mods

Each mod's page tells you exactly what's needed. Three categories:

Server-only: runs on your server, players don't need it. Example: Lithium (optimization), Chunky (world pregeneration).
Client-only: runs on player PCs, server doesn't need it. Example: Sodium (rendering), Iris (shaders).
Both required: mods that add new content (mobs, blocks, items). Example: Create, Botania, Ice and Fire. Every player must install the same version.

Common issues

Server crashes with "Missing or unsupported mod" — you have mismatched versions. Delete the offending mod or download the correct version. The console tells you which one.

Server boots but players can't join — you're running a mod that requires client-side installation but the player doesn't have it. Ask them to install the same mods.

Out of memory — modpacks are RAM-hungry. A 60-mod pack on 4 GB will crash. Upgrade your plan if you consistently hit memory limits.

Heads up: For a big modpack (100+ mods), use at least 8 GB RAM. For All the Mods, RLCraft, or similar, go with 12–16 GB. Server-side RAM is the single biggest factor in whether a modpack runs well.

Next: deploy a Discord bot →← Plugins instead