Being an avid gamer, you probably already heard of the word “mods” being thrown around several Minecraft forums. To help you learn the basics, we have created this brief overview of Minecraft modding.

What exactly is Minecraft modding?

Minecraft modification is the process of customizing your items/heroes in Minecraft.  Mods or modifications are basically a way for you to alter the game however you like.

For example, you can add more kinds of gemstones through mods. Rather than mining diamonds every time you play, you can enhance your gameplay and add new gemstones to the mix.

How does it work?

Mods are coded alterations for the game. You can either download a ready-made one online or you can create and code a new one on your own.

Once you have your mods, you just need to load them into the game. This is the part where it gets tricky because depending on where you download the mods or how you create it, there are a few steps that you need to do before it can successfully load into your game.

But, generally, the process involves moving files to your .minecraft folder.

Where can I download mods?

There are tons of websites that provide free mods. A quick Google search can do wonders and point you to several websites. But in any case, here are the two most popular websites where you can download Minecraft mods

Minecraft Forum

Apart from free mods, you can also ask the community for help. So if you are ever stuck or your mods do not seem to work, then you can simply get help from the community.

Given that it is a large community, there will always be someone willing to help and guide you through the entire process.

Curse Forge

The team behind this website are avid gamers as well. They built this platform so that gamers from all around the world can connect, build, and share the mods they created for everyone to enjoy.

What is great about Curse Forge is that apart from their massive community, they also have professional developers, designers, and coders that help manage everything. So you can ensure that every mod is always of high quality.

How can I create my own mods?

Creating your own mod is never easy. Unless you already have a background in coding/programming, then you still need to learn a few things before you can even get started.

However, given that there are now tons of courses and coding for kids programs available online, the learning part is not that difficult. You can either get help from online learning platforms like MakeCode or Codakid, or you can learn everything on your own.

With an online learning platform, everything will be provided for you and you can simply follow the course module or instructions. Through this method, you would be able to create your own mods in no time.

As for learning everything on your own, you need to download and install several things on your computer before you get started such as:

• Java Developer Kit (JDK)
• Eclipse IDE
• Minecraft Forge

If you are planning to take this route, then you should at least familiarize yourself with the Java programming language. This learning method might also require some degree of help from a professional. So it is best to have at least one contact person when you are having a hard time fixing a problem.

What’s the difference between Minecraft mods, packs, and shaders?

Apart from mods, you might also encounter or read on some online forums the words “packs” and “shaders.” To give light to these buzzwords, we have defined packs and shaders for your easy reference.

Packs

These are also called Minecraft Texture Packs. The main objective behind packs is purely for aesthetic reasons. They are used to change the texture or “look” of the game. Like mods, there are also tons of packs freely available online. However, loading it to Minecraft can be a bit difficult, especially for a beginner.

Shaders

Like packs, shaders are created for aesthetic improvements as well. However rather than change the texture of the game, shaders are used to make the blocks or the overall game crisper and sharper. On top of that, shaders can also improve the performance of the game. Some even claim that using shaders can remove serious lag on gameplay as well.

Conclusion

Now that you have a basic idea of what mods are, it is time to start compiling mods and try creating one on your own. Remember that while Minecraft coding looks complicated, it is not as difficult as it may seem. There is still time to learn and create one for yourself. You just need to find a great mentor or learn from the online materials that are now freely and easily accessible online.