Minecraft: NeoForge Mods & Modpacks

NeoForge mods are Minecraft Java Edition mods built for NeoForge, the mod loader forked from Forge in 2023. You install them as .jar files in the mods folder, and each one needs the NeoForge version that matches your Minecraft version. You find them on Modrinth and CurseForge by filtering for the NeoForge loader.

On Minecraft 1.20.1, many Forge mods still load on NeoForge because both loaders were nearly identical at the time of the fork. From 1.20.2 onward the two drifted apart, and a mod needs its own NeoForge build. Check the loader tag on Modrinth or CurseForge before you add a mod.

On current versions, no. A NeoForge mod only runs on NeoForge, so for Forge or Fabric you need that loader's own build of the mod. Third-party bridges that load Fabric mods on NeoForge exist, but they don't work reliably with every mod, so native NeoForge builds are the safer choice.

For Minecraft 1.20.2 and newer, most new mods and modpacks target NeoForge, so it's usually the loader to pick. Older packs, for example on 1.12.2 or 1.20.1, often stay on Forge. The version and loader your modpack lists decide which one you run. Minecraft Forge mods

NeoForge has its own releases since Minecraft 1.20.2. 1.21.1 is the most widely used modding version, and current builds also cover 1.21.11 and 26.1. Minecraft 1.20.5 and newer, including every 1.21.x version, needs Java 21; for the year-based 26.x releases, check the NeoForge release notes.

Run the NeoForge installer from neoforged.net for your Minecraft version, put the mod jars and their dependencies in the mods folder and start the NeoForge profile in your launcher. On a ZAP-Hosting server, you pick NeoForge as the server type and install mods from the mod browser in the ZAPX panel. The Help Center guide "Minecraft: Installing Mods and Modpacks" walks through the server side step by step. Guide: Installing mods and modpacks

That depends on your pack, so start by category: JEI for recipes, Create for tech, Farmer's Delight for new content and Sodium for performance, each where a NeoForge build exists for your version. Sort the catalog above by downloads to see what other players use most.

Yes. Sodium and Iris both offer NeoForge builds for current Minecraft versions, and Iris loads shader packs on NeoForge. OptiFine isn't a common choice on NeoForge, so most players use Sodium and Iris instead. Both are client-side mods and don't go on the server.

Yes. The server and every player need the same NeoForge version and the same shared mods, ideally the same modpack version. Client-side mods such as shaders, minimaps or Sodium stay on each player's PC. For a server that stays online around the clock, you can start a NeoForge server at ZAP-Hosting.

Yes, as separate launcher profiles or instances, each with its own mods folder. Launchers such as the CurseForge app or Prism Launcher handle this per instance. Don't mix Forge and NeoForge mods in one mods folder.