Minecraft modding
Minecraft mods can add additional content to the game, make tweaks to specific features, and optimize performance.
Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, a version of the game available for mobile, consoles, and Microsoft Windows, is written in C++, and as a result cannot be modded the same way.
Minecraft: Java Edition (available for Windows, macOS, and Linux) can be modded on the client (local installations of the game) on servers, or on both simultaneously.
Server only mods (commonly referred to as plugins) can change behavior, and often add minigames, anti-cheat, or login systems.
[4] While not officially supported by Mojang, Minecraft mods are allowed to be created and shared online, and the game's development team has an informal relationship with many modders.
[8] Minecraft's creator Markus "Notch" Persson admitted in 2012 that he was initially skeptical of mods, fearing that the user-made content would threaten his vision for the game.
To solve this problem, Risugami's ModLoader[15][better source needed] was created to prevent any conflicts from occurring due to multiple mods modifying the same base classes or game resources.
Towards the end of 2010, Minecraft was preparing to move into its beta development phase, and popular mods such as IndustrialCraft, Railcraft and BuildCraft were first released.
[17][18] CurseForge, a website that hosts user-generated content for games, added forums and a section for Minecraft mods in mid-2011.
[22] In early 2014, a server software named Sponge was released with a very powerful plugin API compared to Bukkit and support for Forge mods.
[6] This announcement sparked concern amongst the game's fanbase that the Java-based versions would end up being phased out entirely, which would hamper the production of mods as C++ can not be reverse engineered like Java.
However, Mojang developer Tommaso Chechi reassured fans on Reddit that modding was "too important" to Minecraft for the Java-based versions to be discontinued.
[31] Reviewer Julia Lee of Polygon remarked that she "cannot live without" modded tools like a hammer that breaks 3x3x1 blocks at a time and an axe to cut down an entire tree.
[36][37] WorldEdit is an editing tool developed by software group EngineHub that assists the player in building structures and with creating customized terrain.
It offers a variety of tools such as brushes and block replacers; and actions such as copying and pasting and filling and selecting geometric shapes.
[38][39][40] The mod has been featured on the Minecraft website as one of the most popular building tools,[41] been used in United States patents,[42][43][44] and cited in scientific papers.
[52][53] In March 2017, Slovak cyber company ESET revealed that 87 examples of trojan horse malware were distributed through the Google Play Store under the guise of Minecraft mods.
[54][55] In June 2023, attackers gained access to popular mods and modpacks including "Better Minecraft" and created new releases which contained malware, dubbed "Fractureiser" after the Curseforge account that uploaded it.
[56][57] PC World's Nate Ralph calls installing mods for Minecraft "a somewhat convoluted process", but does admit it could serve the player who desires "a little more out of the experience" of playing the game.
[58] Eddy does nevertheless mention that he feels Mojang's fast development pace regarding the main game has slowed down the progress of the most popular mods.
Avalos also remarks that installing mods will probably require adult attention,[60] even though Minecraft typically appeals to children.
[63][66][61] In 2011, "MinecraftEDU" was created as a paid mod sold to schools that enabled the teaching of a wider variety of subjects including language, history and art.
[68] The idea of introducing Minecraft into school curriculums was resisted by Tom Bennett, who serves as an adviser to the British government.
[71][72] Pistons were also originally a part of a mod made by another developer, Hippoplatimus, but they impressed Minecraft's creators so much that they added the feature to the main game.
