Which Fabric mod should I install first?

Fabric API. Most other mods depend on it, so it goes in before anything else.

Do these mods change how the game looks?

Only Iris, which adds shaders. Sodium is about speed, and ModMenu is a management screen.

Is Lithium compatible with Opal?

No. Lithium is a great game-logic optimizer on its own, but it is not compatible with Opal. If you run Opal, use Sodium and skip Lithium.

Where does a client like Opal fit?

On top. Opal is a Fabric mod too, so it installs into the same folder as your starter pack and adds 200+ features.

Essential Fabric Mods Every Player Should Have (2026)

A handful of mods cover the basics of a good Fabric setup: Fabric API as the base, Sodium for performance, Iris for shaders, and ModMenu to manage everything. Install these first and most other mods slot in cleanly on top, including a client. One note for Opal users: Lithium is a common pick that does not work with Opal, so it is the one to leave out.

Key takeaways

Fabric API is the base. Install it before anything else.
Sodium for FPS, Iris for shaders, ModMenu to manage it all.
Lithium is good on its own but is not compatible with Opal.
Opal is the client layer; it installs into the same folder as the rest.

The starter pack

Install these first

Core

The base, performance, shaders, and a manager. All work alongside Opal.

Fabric API (required base)
Sodium (rendering FPS)
Iris (shaders)
ModMenu (manage mods in game)
Lithium (game logic, not compatible with Opal)

Fabric API

The shared library nearly every Fabric mod depends on. Install it first. Without it, most mods refuse to load. Less a feature, more a requirement.

Sodium

The rendering rewrite that boosts FPS, hardest on weaker GPUs. The single biggest performance win you can drop in, and it runs fine alongside Opal.

Iris

Runs shader packs and is built to work with Sodium, so you get the looks without giving up frames. Skip it only if you do not care about shaders.

ModMenu

Adds the in-game mod list and config screens, so you can see what is installed and change settings without editing files. Quality of life that makes every other mod easier to live with.

A note on Lithium

Lithium optimizes game logic and is excellent on a vanilla-plus setup. It is not compatible with Opal, though, so if Opal is in your folder, leave Lithium out and rely on Sodium for performance.

At a glance

Mod	Job	Works with Opal
Fabric API	Required base	Yes
Sodium	Rendering FPS	Yes
Iris	Shaders	Yes
ModMenu	Manage mods in game	Yes
Lithium	Game-logic performance	No

The layer on top

Once the starter pack is in, the folder is ready for a client. Opal is a Fabric mod for Minecraft 1.21.10, so it installs the same way the others do: into the mods folder. You keep the performance and shader stack and add 200+ features, a glass UI, and a scripting engine on top of it.

FAQ

Finish the setup with Opal, $8.99